William,
A good point regarding other sets of eyes with expertise in certain areas to review the product.
The grades students receive is a measure of how well they have mastered the material which, to a large extent, is a reflection on the course material and the presentation.
In addition, would be student evaluations, peer reviews, and my own quantitative and qualitative reviews.
This is an ongoing process.
The course should be reviewed from a variety of stakeholders in the process. The students should be given surveys to understand the strengths and weaknesses of a course. An instructional designer is also a good person to tap into to understand if the educational approach is sound. A content expert should review the course to make sure the content is relevant and up-to-date. Finally, the Dean of the Program can provide the big picture perspective of the course. The more people taking a look at the course, the better.
Alicia ,
Yes, the more feedback we get and the more variety of audiences that provide us feedback, the better. Everyone can provide a different perspective. Thanks for your input.
Sandy ,
Sure. We need several methods, several ways of getting feedback to develop/edit well-rounded courses. You are so right.
Dr. Tena B. Crews
I think peer review is an important part of the evaluative process along with student evaluations. In this way we can learn what we are doing effectively as well as get advice recommendations about trying new techniques. The peer review provides feedback that offers new strategies and is a way of continuing to grow as a teacher. In my career I've learned a great deal from hearing how other teachers create assignments, give feedback, and engage students.
I don't think there one method that is necessarily better than other. Several methods are always needed.
Throughout the course I track the grades and number of questions about a certain topic or assignment. If questions are high, then a look at how topics are sequenced and worded are needed. If grades drop for a specific assignment and similiar errors are made, a review of the presentation, sequencing and links to the activites and objectives are needed.
Feedback from my manager has provided some great insights to improve the feedback I provide to students. Additionally, she has provided me with additional strategies to more fully engage the students.
I think the two methods mentioned above have been most helpful to me, my students and the institution.
Mitchell,
You are right in that one specific type may not give you all the information you need. I like that you know the feedback can help make the course better. We need to get a variety of feedback from different groups to develop a well-rounded course. Thanks!
Dr. Tena B. Crews
Andrew,
Right on. One key word you used was "linkages." We have to connect the dots to get the students to understand the expectations/outcomes/content/etc. Thanks!
LaMonica,
Excellent - I'm in IT as well.
Dr. Tena B. Crews
I don't know if there is one type of evaluation that would allow me to close the loop on an online course. Certainly, the evaluations of the student will be important, but they obviously can't be the only tool. If an instructor made the class so easy that everyone got an 'A' many students would likely evaluate the course very positively. In that situation, however, the course could obviously be made better. In addition to student evaluations, faculty members should carefully reflect on each course and find ways to tweak it and modify it to meet student needs.
Well Tena since "Closing the loop" means creating effective linkages between student learning outcomes assessment and planning that inform and drive the academic learning process; I believe that the assessment by those trained to do so provide the most comprehensive feedback. Students to me have not provided enough or any detailed feedback of quality to make a real change in the course or to conclusively close the loop. Whether reminded in the discussions, emails, etc they simply do take the short-cut in this area. Feedback from a trained supervisory, and one who understands the course intent to me provides a more accurate assessmnent of what worked and what did not.
In my field (IT) I feel that hands on evaluations are the best measure of assessment. If the student is effective in implementing say a software or a database then it shows that they have a clear understanding of the concept.
Flora,
The feedback from students help us improve our courses and our teaching. Use it wisely. Thanks.
I think the best feedback is from the students. I can see the course from their perspective so I can improve the next time I teach that same course.
Terry,
You are right. It's hard to choose. The more feedback we get from a variety of sources, the more complete feedback we get. Keep up the good work.
Nicholas,
Student feedback does provide great information. Keep encouraging your students to provide their valuable input. Thanks!
All types of evaluation can provide helpful information for closing the loop. However the question asks which is "most comprehensive"? This is a bit like asking which part of the motor of a car is most important; they are all important as the car cannot run properly without any of them. However, since we must choose the one we think is most comprehensive, I will say that it is: assignments and exams. I answer this way because if the assignments and exams are directly tied to learning objectives, AND they are well constructed, THEN performance on them gives a comprehensive snapshot of how the course is doing in accomplishing what one wishes to accomplish.
Sincerely,
Terry Weaver
I believe that student feedback is the most comprehensive because it is they that we are trying to get the material across to. It is easy for me to look at a part of the course and make sense of it but it may not be as clear to students. By getting student feedback I can find out what seemed to work for them and what did not. This guides me to the areas that need work. It is like rereading a paper. I often read right past my own typos because I know what is suppose to be there. These problems stand out for the students.
Joanna,
Thanks for your input. You are so welcome to express you opinion. That is what we are here to do. Express and share. There are a variety of ways to evaluate a course and I appreciate your input. Thanks.
