Documentation:CTLT Resources/Selected TL Topics Common Questions on Student Evaluation of Teaching Forms

Common Questions on Student Evaluation of Teaching Forms

A goal of the UBC Senate ad hoc Committee on Teaching Quality, Effectiveness and Evaluation (1998/99) is to have the attached endorsed by Senate for use as a University-wide tool for obtaining undergraduate student feedback on teaching and learning. The form is designed so that Faculties (or Departments) could ask other questions they feel are essential. These questions are meant only as a common core set of questions, as opposed to a common form for use by all. The proposed questions build on questions that are now almost uniformly asked on most Faculty-specific student evaluation of teaching forms.

The committee was encouraged to design the form for three reasons. First, it provides at least one question in each important teaching domain, as determined by years of research on student feedback. Second, each of the questions reflects a learning-centred approach to teaching: students are asked to judge how the learning experience affected them as learners. Third, a common form allows academic units to make better informed judgments about their peers who teach in multiple faculties/programs (something that is occurring with greater frequency at UBC).

And finally, the form is generic and can be used across disciplines, supplemented by any additional questions, either general or discipline-specific, that the department or faculty deems appropriate. If used across disciplines, these twelve items can provide norm-based referencing of teaching. It can also begin to address faculty concerns about student publications of feedback (e.g., the AMS Yardstick), by offering one “yardstick,” rather than a number of department-specific forms with differing criteria.

Recommended Common Elements for Inclusion on All UBC Student Evaluation of Teaching Forms

This course: ________

is a requirement. Yes___ No___

(For the following questions, we recommend the use of a five point scale: 5 = strongly agree, 4 = mildly agree, 3 = neutral, 2 = mildly disagree, 1= strongly disagree)

has appropriate classroom and learning facilities

uses fair methods of evaluating my learning

Learning

1. The instructor helped me to learn the course material.
2. The instructor stimulated me to think about the subject.
3. The instructor made this subject interesting to me.
4. The instructor encouraged active participation by students

Individual Rapport

1. The instructor was welcoming when I sought help.
2. The instructor was available to provide assistance outside of class.

Examinations and Assignments

1. The assessed work, such as tests, quizzes, assignments and presentations, helped me to learn the course material.
2. The feedback on assessed work helped me to learn the course material

Overall

Overall, I found my instructor to be an effective teacher.

Please comment on:

• what helped your learning?
• what hindered your learning?
• when you were most engaged in this course?
• when you were least engaged in this course?
• How you would change this course?