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Mid-term comes around quickly, and you might find yourself wondering "How is this class going for my students?" " Is it meeting their expectations?" "Are they learning what I hope they will learn?" Why not ask?
We've discussed in previous newsletters the benefits of formative assessment - assessment that allows you to make changes in real time. While end of semester evaluations have their purpose, it can be even more useful to have feedback while you are still teaching the course. This affords you the opportunity to make changes that will impact student learning positively, and to potentially improve your end of semester evaluations.
Below are some general guidelines for mid-term evaluations. We at CELT are happy to meet with you to help formulate and administer a tool that meets your needs. On the CELT site teaching resources page there are a few examples - some short, some longer - of evaluations that professors have used to collect this type of feedback.
Decide what you want to assess
Chances are there are areas in which you know the course you are teaching is strong, and other areas you know might need strengthening. Perhaps you want to assess whether the students understand the material apart from a graded assignment or to know whether your teaching strategies are effective or not (this is often helpful when you are trying something new.) The first step is to clearly define what you want to know more about that will help improve learning or the course experience.
Often included are questions about the organization of the course, the pace, the manageability of the readings, the most rewarding or frustrating aspects of the course. It is important to try to elicit information that you can realistically address within the semester to benefit the students in the course.
Consider the timing
Mid-semester is a logical time for most types of feedback, but you may want to "take a pulse" more frequently depending on what your goal is. If you are teaching a new course, for example, you may want to check in at regular intervals.
Consider what method makes sense for you
The are a number of ways to get constructive feedback ranging from asking for student volunteers to meet with you regularly to developing a simple series of statements to be rated on a Likert scale to constructing a few broad, open-ended questions. It is important to let students know what you are using the feedback for, and to ask them for constructive criticism that will benefit them ultimately.
Anonymous or not?
In some instances, you may want to assure students' anonymity so that the information you receive is as candid as possible. In this case, administering a paper version and asking students to place them in an envelope is a good strategy. Alternatively, CELT is happy to disseminate the instrument you have designed, then collect and tabulate the results for you.
Communicate the information back to your class
Once you have asked for and processed this valuable information, it is very important that you discuss the results with students and relate your plans for improvement. This step conveys your sincerity, and that you value the time and thought that students put into your request.
In the space available, we can only pique your interest, but if you would like to conduct a mid-term evaluation for your course, the CELT staff is always happy to consult with you or provide you with more information.
For more information or to set up a time to discuss your specific course, email us at CELT. |
