Perception of Biology Instructors on Using Student Evaluations to Inform Their Teaching

Abstract

Student evaluations of teaching (SETs) provide both summative and formative feedback. Although it is clear that SETs are used by administrators for summative purposes, such as providing data to support personnel decisions, it is uncertain how instructors use them for formative development such as to inform overall teaching practice. The objective of our study was to determine the frequency and nature of SET use for formative purposes, to explore the perception of SET utility to inform teaching practice, and to determine how perception of SET utility might be improved to enhance its use in a formative context. Participants were all biological sciences instructors at a large, research-intensive University. This research was conducted in two phases, using a combination of focus groups, interviews, and a survey to yield both qualitative and quantitative data. We found that while instructors generally perceive that SET feedback has formative utility, and that most instructors have used SET feedback for formative purposes at some point, there are many elements of SET administration that they are dissatisfied with, and they suggest several ways in which SETs could be improved (such as allowing in class time for SET administration or doing multiple administrations per semester) to yield more useable feedback that could inform their teaching. The results of this study can be used to further inform the ongoing debate about the role that SETs should play in higher education, as they demonstrate both the utility and concerns about using SETs for formative purposes.

Evaluating and Improving the Formative Use of Student Evaluation of Teaching

“…The survey (Appendix B) was built upon by a previous study that examined the formative use of SETs instructors in the College of Biological Sciences (CBS) at the University of Guelph (Newton et al, 2019). This initial survey was developed based on responses from focus groups and interviews involving CBS instructors, which collected information on SET perception and the usefulness of SETs to improve teaching practice.…”

“…In this study we 1) assess the variability in SET procedures within our university, 2) assess the degree to which SETs are currently being used by faculty for formative purposes, 3) identify the factors that influence their potential formative use, including SET questions and procedures, and 4) suggest revisions of the way in which SETs are administered to support formative use. We conduct our research at the University of Guelph where the SET administrative model described above as 'typical' is followed (Newton et al 2019). Here SETs are made available to students at the end of the semester, usually electronically, where completing the evaluation is optional.…”

Teacher-Student Performance Criteria During Online Classes due to COVID-19: Self-Report by Postgraduate Students in Education

“…A widespread practice in assessing teacher performance has been using students' self-evaluation questionnaires (Boysen, 2016;Newton et al, 2019;Spooren et al, 2017). These are useful to identify trends or occurrence rates of certain behaviors exercised either by the teachers or students themselves during didactic interactions.…”

Criteria for Teaching Performance in Psychology: Invariance According to Age, Sex, and Academic Stage of Peruvian Students

“…Traditionally, having students assess their professors' performance has served as a mechanism to evaluate teaching in several universities worldwide, and it has to do with administrative-academic management; it can even serve as an accountability mechanism for comparative assessment of academic programs and universities (Boysen, 2016;Darwin, 2017). Nonetheless, several opposing views have arisen regarding whether an assessment from students does represent a valid perception of didactic interactions and the efficiency of teaching (Gray and Bergmann, 2003;Boysen, 2016;Hornstein, 2017;Newton et al, 2019).…”