Student participation in the course and faculty evaluation system decreased nearly 24 percent over the last six years, but that isn’t stopping OU from encouraging student participation.
Students received emails this week instructing them to fill out the online survey, but fewer are providing professors with feedback, Nancy Mergler, senior vice president and provost said in an email.
In fall 2005, 64.7 percent of students evaluated their professors and courses. As of the summer of 2011, the number had dropped to 41.2 percent of students participating.
The evaluation process made the transition from paper to online in 2009. Evaluations were completely paperless by spring of 2010.
With the new online system, there was a 12.3 percent participation decrease.
EValuate, the online evaluation system, offers incentives to encourage participation. OU students who complete evaluations online also enter in a drawing to win one of three Apple iPads.
University College freshman Chloe Magee said she gets extra credit for assessing some of her classes.
“Because I get extra credit for some classes, though, I feel like I need to do them for all of my classes,” Magee said.
Feeling obligated to review professors is why psychology sophomore Daniel Tinney does the evaluations.
“I plan on doing them,” Tinney said. “I like most of my teachers, and they said it helps them out, so I don’t mind.”
Helping faculty gain insight on how to improve their courses is a huge part of evaluation, university spokesman Michael Nash said in an email. Nash explained faculty members do this by reviewing anonymous student answers.
“Participation in completing these evaluations is beneficial for both the students and the faculty,” Nash said.
The provost’s office uses the data collected to assess professors reaching tenure, according to Daily archives.
OU isn’t the only university where administration places an emphasis on evaluation.
The University of Texas states on its website that student feedback helps with teaching effectiveness, faculty promotions and salary decisions. Evaluations also aid in student decisions in course selection.
UT’s website allows students to view results of the reviews online; all they need is a UT EID, a user name like the OU 4x4 with a high assurance level.
Even within OU, evaluations can differ by department. Expository writing professor Jennifer Shaiman said the expository program conducts its own student evaluation more extensively than the university-wide survey.
The department asks all students to complete a longer, narrative evaluation while in class, Shaiman said.
“I find these very useful, and I do change aspects of the class in response to them,” Shaiman said.
Shaiman also said she finds the university’s evaluation system less useful because students often don’t include comments.
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kiku 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Students fail to realize how much these evaluations impact a professor, especially a young one just starting out. You should provide very detailed feedback, how to make the class better, or if it is good say why. Just saying "this sucks" isn't much help and isn't going to help the next group of students.
Once all of you are out working, you will appreciate what it is like having your professional life tied to the evaluations of a large group of young people rather than just "the boss".
You have a lot of power, use it wisely.