6 Guidelines for Planning an Effective Course Evaluation Process

In previous posts, we looked specifically at best practices for migrating course evaluations online. However, it is not just the implementation phase that needs to follow best practices. To ensure the success of your evaluation process, the planning stage should also follow some effective guidelines. In today’s post we will review six planning guidelines to help you achieve an effective course or teaching evaluation process.

1. Clearly determine the purpose of the evaluation. Are you looking to assess the quality of the course, the effectiveness of the instructor or the experience of the students? Be sure to communicate the purpose to all stakeholders involved in the process. Further, you need to decide how the feedback will be utilized i.e. for development, promotion, tenure, etc.
2. Establish the focus of the evaluation, which should align with the selected purpose. The focus could be on the curriculum and materials, the teaching approach or on student engagement and learning outcomes. Be sure that your questions reflect your stated purpose and focus.
3. Determine the target audience. Often evaluations are completed by students. However, some instructors desire a broader view and select colleagues to also review the quality of their teaching. The purpose and focus of the evaluation should align with the audience and the questions should be tailored.
4. Create policies & procedures surrounding the administration of the reviews. This is where you will determine the roles and responsibilities of those involved in the process (faculty, instructors, system administrators, etc.). Your procedural document will also include details on who will see the evaluation results and who is responsible for acting upon the feedback. Be sure to also include clear policies on confidentiality.
5. Utilize multiple sources and methods of evaluation. To get an overall and balanced view, you should include student, peer and self-evaluations. The use of multiple sources of feedback gives a sound basis for development opportunities and personnel decisions. Multiple methods can include online evaluations, interviews, observations, etc. Be sure to include ongoing student feedback by implementing early and/or mid-term evaluations.
6. Conduct training sessions for all involved. It is important to train all stakeholders on the evaluation process including policies & procedures and how to use the online system (set-up and reports). Separate training or information sessions will be needed for administrators, instructors and students. Faculty members that use the feedback for decision making purposes will also need to be trained on how to interpret and use ratings.