LCCC to allow access to Student Evaluations of Teachers
from an article in the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram:
I am not sure, at first glance, how I feel about this. I suppose I have mixed feelings. Ultimately, I suppose, I am OK with this. There are already many informal means that students use to discuss teachers - might as well allow access to the "official record" on the matter. If anything, it will help students get a more comprehensive idea of what the instructor is like - as opposed to the limited view one might get through word of mouth. The truth shall set you free - as they say.
I am sure, however, that other instructors have different views of this. What is your opinion?
Some instructors at Lorain County Community College may find classrooms either very crowded or very empty next semester, depending on what former students say about their teaching methods and style.
LCCC student Daniel Barnicle of Westlake, who is running for Student Senate president, filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the teacher evaluations students complete at the end of each semester because he wants that information made available to students.
Marcia Ballinger, vice president of strategic and institutional development at LCCC, said the evaluations are public records and will be made available.
I am not sure, at first glance, how I feel about this. I suppose I have mixed feelings. Ultimately, I suppose, I am OK with this. There are already many informal means that students use to discuss teachers - might as well allow access to the "official record" on the matter. If anything, it will help students get a more comprehensive idea of what the instructor is like - as opposed to the limited view one might get through word of mouth. The truth shall set you free - as they say.
I am sure, however, that other instructors have different views of this. What is your opinion?
posted by Mike at 10:54 AM
8 Comments:
Is this going to have any further discussion? Is it a given at this juncture. Should we not have some process/procedure/guidelines? Do we as Faculty have any "rights" to be considered? There are some privacy concerns here. I would like to hear more about this issue. This process should be fair and equitable to all parties involved. Best,
Larita Kaspar
Apparently, the multiple choice part of the evals are already available online as this was straightforward to implement. However, the written comments are not yet available.
I agree there are a lot of issues to consider - esp. for the written comments...
From what I have read though, LCCC is not the first to make evals public - it is my understanding that the Freedom of Information Act requires their disclosure (not that I am a lawyer or anything - just based on what I have read and heard)... so I am really not sure what recourse there is...
I still have mixed feelings about it
Thanks for the comment...
Mike Zellers
The Distance Learning evaluations have also been posted online along with student comments. I agree that there should be some sort of restraint.
It would be wise for the college to take it upon themselves to make this information available on the LCCC website, instead of a third party. Then they would have some control on how, when, and what gets posted. Other items can include a disclaimer on the subjectivity of these evaluations. A student ID and password should also be required for access. Perhaps this issue should be brought before the faculty senate where a subcommittee can be formed for further consideration?
I am surprised this post has not received more replies. Hundreds of college’s across the nation have adopted such policies, two of which we have University Partnerships with:
University of Toledo
Bowling Green State University
Ohio University,
Miami University
Case Western Reserve
Ohio State University
University of Mississippi
University of South Alabama
Arizona State University
University of Washington
University of Texas at Dallas
University at Buffalo
State University of New York
Brigham Young University
University of California
University of Michigan
Valdosta State University
University of Utah
Purdue
Weber State University
California State University
Chicago State University
Harvard
The Distance Learning evaluations have also been posted online along with student comments. I agree that there should be some sort of restraint.
It would be wise for the college to take it upon themselves to make this information available on the LCCC website, instead of a third party. Then they would have some control on how, when, and what gets posted. Other items can include a disclaimer on the subjectivity of these evaluations. A student ID and password should also be required for access. Perhaps this issue should be brought before the faculty senate where a subcommittee can be formed for further consideration?
I am surprised this post has not received more replies. Hundreds of college’s across the nation have adopted such policies, two of which we have University Partnerships with:
University of Toledo
Bowling Green State University
Ohio University,
Miami University
Case Western Reserve
Ohio State University
University of Mississippi
University of South Alabama
Arizona State University
University of Washington
University of Texas at Dallas
University at Buffalo
State University of New York
Brigham Young University
University of California
University of Michigan
Valdosta State University
University of Utah
Purdue
Weber State University
California State University
Chicago State University
Harvard
thanks for the update re:distance learning...
btw - i noticed you double posted your comment - probably because you didn't see it when you posted it the first time... i have comment moderation turned on, which means i have the opportunity to review anonymous comments before posting...
i think the difference is that ratemyprofessors is not affiliated with any college and does not contain the "official" student evaluations
while i still have a few reservations, it is true that there have always been informal "networks" that students use to express their opinions of instructors, whether it is old-fashioned word of mouth or outside sites like rate my professor - if anything, this will allow students to get a more complete picture of the instructor by allowing access to all the evaluations as opposed to what their friends think, or the few students that use an outside site that evaluates professors...
Mike K,
Daniel Barnicle is the site administrator for for LCCC teacher ratings at WWW.RateMyProfessors.Com
Daniel Barnicle forwarded me the following email... it is a response to an email he received from an LCCC student that disagrees with his position on making public teacher evaluations. He thought it might be of interest to readers of this blog:
Thank you for your comments and sharing your thoughts. I respect your opinion and appreciate that your level of concern was high enough to contact me. As requested, your email deserves a response.
A recent polling of nearly 200 students indicates that releasing teacher evaluations is the second to the most important issue on campus, the first being the cost of textbooks. This issue is not a personal agenda of mine. It's in the interest of the student body.
Other college's that have made their evaluations public have not experienced the scenario you describe in your email below. The common result is that students are better able to make informed decisions about their class selections and teacher's are connecting more with their students than ever before.
I'd like to share with you a partial list of colleges that publish teacher evaluations for students to view. There are hundreds more. Notice that LCCC has University Partnerships with the first two colleges:
University of Toledo
Bowling Green State University
Ohio University,
Miami University
Case Western Reserve
Ohio State University
University of Mississippi
University of South Alabama
Arizona State University
University of Washington
University of Texas at Dallas
University at Buffalo
State University of New York
Brigham Young University
University of California
University of Michigan
Valdosta State University
University of Utah
Purdue
Weber State University
California State University
Chicago State University
Harvard
I've recently posted several articles on my website from other colleges that have instituted similar policies. Interestingly enough, the adoption of this policy in many cases was not initiated by the students, but by the College Administrators:
Blog
http://campaignwindow.com/votefordan/blog/index.cfm?Fuseaction=blog§ion=blog
Press Releases
http://campaignwindow.com/votefordan/press/index.cfm?Fuseaction=press§ion=press
Latest News
http://campaignwindow.com/votefordan/news/index.cfm
I do agree with you on several points you mentioned in your email below. Primarily that a small percentage of evaluations are subject to bias, prejudice, libelous claims, etc., and that a few negative comments are not necessarily indicative of the true performance of a teacher. This is precisely why LCCC Administration should take it upon themselves to make this information available, instead of a third party. Then the college would have some control on how, when, and what gets posted, procedures for teachers to seal certain records, etc. Other items can include a disclaimer on the subjectivity of these evaluations. A student ID and password should also be required for access.
Should I be elected, I will draft a Student Senate resolution and present it to the Faculty Senate. This Resolution will request the formation of a Faculty Subcommittee on Teacher Evaluations. This subcommittee can then determine the best policy to adopt in the equal interest of all teachers and students. I direct your attention to a detailed report issued by a similar subcommittee comprised of Professors at The University of Minnesota:
http://www1.umn.edu/usenate/scep/hendelpolicy.html
This subcommittee report summarizes information about the use of student opinion data, collected through student evaluations, to assist students in making course selection decisions.
Once again, I respect your opinion. Perhaps I have not clearly stated my purpose and reasoning behind this issue. I'd like for everyone to have accurate information on the issue at hand before taking a position to be for or against the publishing of teacher evaluations.
I know this email is long; my family is calling wondering where I am at. I am late for dinner, but you have valid concerns that needed to be addressed. It is my sincere hope that my sharing this information with you has been helpful. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.
Happy Easter,
Daniel Barnicle
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