I would include the following sources to gain the most comprehensive feedback:
1) Assignments and examinations
2) Structured Interviews
3) Peer evaluations
Brion.,
Reaching "that type of student" is what it's all about. Thanks for your input.
Brion and Jean,
I think we can do formative (along the way) and summative (at the end) both and get great feedback from the students.
Thanks!
Brion.,
I agree. We can't gather all we need to know from one type of assessment/evaluation. Thanks for providing your input.
Hello Tina,
I know what you mean by the frustrations that you mention over continued feedback only to see students make the same response and seem unaffected by the feedback. That is why I take comfort in impacting as many as I can- with the knowledge that some are not ready at that time to be reached- or that I will someday learn to reach that type of student. Brion.
Hello Jean,
I agree that getting feedback from students is an important part of the process. However, I wonder if it is better to do so at the end of the course rather than at the beginning or middle. I wonder if it could lead to a perception by students that you are in need of advice for how to teach the class if done too early on? Brion.
Hello all,
I believe that multiple forms of evaluation are critical to learning. For instance, in a classroom, I believe that students can benefit from strict adherence to rules on discussion boards (such as expectations surrounding number of days to post, Wednesday requirements, etc.) while they can also benefit from more in depth feedback surrounding the subject of their work.
When students do not respond to my feedback- for instance, a student who keeps providing non-substantive replies on the discussion board- I sometimes will provide them with examples of substantive replies in order to approach them from a different angle. If that fails, I may try to encourage them to do more, etc. There are many ways to provide feedback in order to gain the desired change. Brion.
Onyema,
We learn so much from our experience. I like using self- and peer-evaluation in the evaluation process. It helps us all learn from each other. Thank you.
When I first began teaching, I would have said that student evaluations were the most comprehensive feedback; however, as I began teaching I noticed a direct correlation with students who make high grades and positive student feedbacks. It seemed as if the students with the "good" grades provided positive feedbacks and the students with "poor" grades provided not-so positive feedbacks. Therefore, the student feedbacks became fallible at times.
I now consider peer evaluations (i.e., faculty manager evaluations, supervisor reviews) to be the most comprehensive feedback that would allow me to close the loop because it not only gives me constructive feedback that is corrective, it also provides me with insight and suggestions on how to improve as an Instructor.
Onyema Anene
Joseph ,
Student feedback provides such great information. Then, we have to use it.
Thanks for your input.
I think student feedback provides the most comprehensive feeback in the evaluation process because it provides direct, varied, subjective, and experiential data from the student perspective.
robert,
You are right on. A combination approach is good for many aspects of the assessment of the online environment.
Thanks for your input.
Josh,
Peer evaluation does provide a different aspect on evaluation. You bring up a good point. Thanks!
David,
Right - it's hard to decide the best ONE way. It's good we all seek a variety of ways to get feedback.
Nice job.
Lisa,
Definitely. It's good to figure out what works and what does not work well so we can improve upon what we are doing. Sounds like you are looking at a lot of feedback to help you improve. Good job.
I believe that there is not a single form of feedback that would close the loop. A combination of different feedbacks should be used to consider the different perspectives. I use a combination of student evaluations, peer reviews and supervisor (instructional technologist). Not to forget my own evaluation of myself. However the loop never closes since it is an ongoing process that required constant adjustments.
The one that I have find to be the most helpful has been the peer evaluation. It helps to get some feedback from someone with more experience than me who can give me direction on all the different aspects of teaching online.
When students take them seriously, their evaluations can also be very helpful because they are the ones having to deal with how the course works and everything. I just wish they would take those evaluations seriously! :)
I am not certain I would conclude that any one evaluation is the "most" comprehensive since they are all looking at the material from a different point of view. These differing perspectives will impact the evaluations greatly.
I can certainly say that I personally view student feedback as the least useful. I have often found the feedback to be distributed in a very similar way as the grades for a particular class and term.
Byron ,
Getting qualitative and quantitative feedback in one inventory can provide excellent feedback. Thanks for your feedback.
Gauri ,
Student feedback is many times required through end of course evaluations. Make sure you are getting the feedback you need. Ask the right questions. Thanks.
