Sure, we all have formal Student Evaluations of Teaching (SETs), but how many students think deeply about what they score and what they write? In a recent article by the American Association of University Professors, they cite numerous problems with SETs such as:
- Low response rates
- Small class sizes outweighed by outliers, luck, and error
- Impossible to compare without knowing the distribution of scores
- Strong influence by instructor’s gender, age, race, and physical attractiveness
- Students tending to rate lenient professors more favorably
- Evaluations are given before the class is complete
To add to the complexity, in 2007, psychologists Robert Youmans and Benjamin Jee found that giving students chocolate before they completed teaching evaluations improved SET scores. One of the study’s results even showed the weather could have an effect on SET scores!
I am assuming that if you are reading this, you are an instructor that actually cares about improving your courses and getting real, honest, and helpful feedback from your students. One semester several years ago led me this fun and yes, somewhat sneaky, way to get unbiased, thoughtful, and enjoyable feedback on my class.
The assignment: The Course Survival Guide.
On the last day of class, I announce one last bonus point assignment. I tell the students that they have one week to submit a one-page poster-style survival guide for future students in the course. I ask the students what they wish they had known then what they know now and what do you think future students will need to know to be successful in my class. Not just the class in general, but my class specifically.
For those of you that have read my previous post, How to Get Your Students to Read Your Syllabus, you may already be familiar with the online tool, Piktochart that I use to create a supplemental syllabus students actually read. I recommend students use the same tool to create their survival guides.
I’ve created a Dropbox folder with some examples from my students that I encourage you to check out. I also have these in a folder on Blackboard and share them with my students early on in their semester. The students find them quite helpful too!
If you do decide to incorporate this, I’d love to hear how it goes! Please feel free to comment below or contact me directly via email: colleen@colleenrobb.com.