RE: Uncl: course/instructor evaluations

[ven@physics.purdue.edu (Van E. Neie)]

> >       "Student ratings are far from the bias-free indicators of instructor
> >       effectiveness andquality that many have touted them to be," conclude
> >       psychologists Wendy M. Williams and Stephen J. Ceci in an article in
> >       the September issue of Change.
> >
> >       In the Cornell study, Ceci taught exactly the same course on
> >       developmental psychology to two very similar classes, totaling 472
> >       students, in fall and spring semesters. The only difference was that
> > the
> >       second time around he lectured with more enthusiasm, varying his vocal
> >       pitch and using more hand gestures.
> >
> >       But that stylistic difference had a profound impact on student ratings.
> >       Given an average rating in the first course, Ceci was praised by the
> >       second group for his knowledge, accessibility, and even the quality of
> >       the textbook. The authors say they were struck by the magnitude of the
> >       effect. For example, when students were asked, "How much did you learn
> >       in this course?" the average response leapt from 2.93 to 4.05 on a
> >       5-point scale. The authors call this difference
> > "staggering"--especially
> >       because the final grades given in the two semesters were "virtually
> >       identical."
> >
> >       Anthony Greenwald, a psychologist at the University of Washington,
> >       Seattle, says the study fits in with his own research showing that high
> >       grades influence student ratings. "It serves as a healthy reminder that
> >       evaluations are sensitive to things other than the amount that students
> >       learn," he says.

I don't know that this was ever in question.  We've known that for years.
BUT, let's look at another possible consequence of these results.  Suppose
the two classes of students "learn" the same amount as measured by the
final grades, and let's further stipulate that the final grade is a valid
measure of what's learned (I know, but stay with me on this for a moment).
The class that gave the higher rating may not have learned any more but
this class will have a much more favorable attitude about the subject and
may be more predisposed to pursue further learning of the subject on their
own.  After all, how much does one REALLY learn in the first go around of a
course?  Learning is life-long and concepts need to be continually
re-visited to become part of one's own cognitive structure.  So making the
course more exciting (while not diminishing the amount learned) may be the
key to what we have all strived for--to get the students to explore the
subject in more depth on their own.  Or, at least to be more AWARE of the
subject matter and how it might impact their view of the world.  It's what
Paul Hewitt calls getting the "FLAVOR of the subject."

Now back to the validity of final grades.  One clearly cannot (nor should
not) test for everything that is covered in a course.  A lot of incidental
learning probably takes place that never gets tested.  (I say "probably"
because if we don't test it, how do we know it occurs?)   Incidental
learning is more likely to occur if you have the attention (and maybe
enthusiasm) of the student.

Let's look more specifically at science courses.  Very few of our
legislators are scientists and they can have real impact (negatively) on
legislation that affects the university, or on any legislation involving
an understanding of or having a positive attitude toward the scientific
enterprise.   If that legislator had a negative experience in his or her
science classes, it just might make the difference in how the proposed
legislation is viewed.

Sure, we know we need multiple approaches to course evaluation, but let's
not discount the importance of student evaluations in a least one aspect of
these evaluations.

Peace.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Van E. Neie                                      ven@physics.purdue.edu
Dept of Physics                                 PH:  (765) 494-5511
Purdue University                          FAX: (765) 494-0706
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"[Those] who have an excessive faith in their theories or in their ideas
are not only poorly disposed to make discoveries, but they also make very
poor observations."

---Claude Bernard  1865