Impact on Student Success
Comprehensive faculty evaluations that consider inclusive teaching practices and student outcomes can positively impact student achievement and reduce performance gaps. Evaluation systems that promote continuous improvement in teaching quality have shown positive effects on student learning outcomes in some studies. However, large-scale implementation of new teacher evaluation systems has shown mixed results, with some studies finding limited impacts on overall student achievement.
Books
Evaluating Online Teaching by ISBN: 9781118910368Publication Date: 2015-06-02Create a more effective system for evaluating online faculty Evaluating Online Teaching is the first comprehensive book to outline strategies for effectively measuring the quality of online teaching, providing the tools and guidance that faculty members and administrators need. The authors address challenges that colleges and universities face in creating effective online teacher evaluations, including organizational structure, institutional governance, faculty and administrator attitudes, and possible budget constraints. Through the integration of case studies and theory, the text provides practical solutions geared to address challenges and foster effective, efficient evaluations of online teaching. Readers gain access to rubrics, forms, and worksheets that they can customize to fit the needs of their unique institutions. Evaluation methods designed for face-to-face classrooms, from student surveys to administrative observations, are often applied to the online teaching environment, leaving reviewers and instructors with an ill-fitted and incomplete analysis. Evaluating Online Teaching shows how strategies for evaluating online teaching differ from those used in traditional classrooms and vary as a function of the nature, purpose, and focus of the evaluation. This book guides faculty members and administrators in crafting an evaluation process specifically suited to online teaching and learning, for more accurate feedback and better results. Readers will: Learn how to evaluate online teaching performance Examine best practices for student ratings of online teaching Discover methods and tools for gathering informal feedback Understand the online teaching evaluation life cycle The book concludes with an examination of strategies for fostering change across campus, as well as structures for creating a climate of assessment that includes online teaching as a component. Evaluating Online Teaching helps institutions rethink the evaluation process for online teaching, with the end goal of improving teaching and learning, student success, and institutional results.
Assessing Teacher Effectiveness by ISBN: 0203403703Publication Date: 2012-10-12How can we really evaluate teacher effectiveness? Systems of teacher appraisal and evaluation are being created across the world in order to monitor and assess teacher performance. But do the models used really give a fair evaluation? Based on international research, the authors argue that teacher effectiveness is too narrowly conceptualised and methods of measuring it are not attuned to the real contexts in which teachers work. They propose a model of differential teacher effectiveness which takes into account that: * teachers may be more effective with some categories of students than with others * teachers may be more effective with some teaching contexts than others * teachers may be more effective with some subjects or components than with others. Building on and developing previous research on models of teacher effectiveness and current theories, the authors open up possible new debates which will be of interest to academics and researchers working in this area throughout the world.
Evaluating Teaching Quality
Multiple measures should be used to evaluate teaching quality, including classroom observations, student achievement data, and student feedback Relying solely on student evaluations can lead to incomplete or biased assessments. Developmental evaluation approaches that incorporate teachers' self-reflections and qualitative data, in addition to quantitative student surveys, can provide a more comprehensive assessment of teaching quality.
Effective evaluation systems should focus on providing constructive feedback to improve teaching practices rather than just rating instructors.
Professional Development
Faculty evaluation systems that focus on professional growth, mentorship, and collaborative teaching can help improve student success. Providing opportunities for peer observation and feedback can enhance teaching practices. Connecting evaluation results to relevant professional development opportunities is recommended.
Key Recommendations
Use multiple measures to evaluate teaching quality, including classroom observations, student feedback, and learning outcomes data. Incorporate qualitative self-reflection and peer feedback in addition to quantitative student evaluations.
Focus evaluations on providing constructive feedback to improve teaching practices.
Promote inclusive and active teaching pedagogies to enhance student engagement.
Connect evaluation results to targeted professional development opportunities.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement through mentorship and collaborative teaching practices.
Consider the impact on student outcomes and achievement gaps when assessing teaching quality.
Key Article Links
- Measuring teaching quality in higher education: assessing selection bias in course evaluationsStudent evaluations of teaching (SETs) are widely used to measure teaching quality in higher education and compare it across different courses, teachers, departments and institutions. Indeed, SETs are of increasing importance for teacher promotion decisions, student course selection, as well as for auditing practices demonstrating institutional performance.
- A Novel Approach to Evaluating College English Teaching Quality Through Dependency Factor Analysis, Incorporating Point Feature Probability Classification Dependency FactorThis paper introduces a novel approach to evaluating college English teaching quality through Dependency Factor Analysis, incorporating Point Feature Probability Classification Dependency Factor (PFP-DF). The proposed framework aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of teaching quality by analysing dependencies between various factors influencing English instruction in college settings.
- Evaluating and enhancing quality in higher education teaching practice: a meta- reviewHigh-quality teaching is central to the higher education sector. Its pursuit has become heightened with increasing competition across institutions and opportunities to study globally through various modes. This systematic meta-review provides a synthesis of evidence relating to the methods used to assess and enhance the quality of teaching practice within higher education. Key words, synonyms and subject headings were used to search six electronic databases between January 2009 and August 2019. Titles and abstracts of publications were screened and full text articles assessed against the eligibility criteria. Findings were extracted and integrated in a narrative synthesis. Thirteen review articles, revealed that the use of teaching quality: student feedback data, self-assessment tools, peer review of teaching (formative and summative) and the use of teaching portfolios. We report evidence related to the effectiveness of each of these approaches and that a multi-modal approach may be most effective but requires consideration of resourcing.
- Faculty Teaching Performance: Perceptions of a Multi-Source Method for EvaluationEvaluating college and university faculty teaching performance is necessary for multiple reasons, including assurance of student learning and informing administrative decision making. A holistic system of evaluating university teaching is needed due to several factors, including limitations of student evaluations and the complexity of assessing teaching performance. University faculty members were interviewed to determine their perceptions of the multi-source method of evaluating (MME) teaching performance after a revision of policies and procedures was approved. The MME is comprised of three primary data sources: student evaluations, instructor reflections describing attributes of their own teaching such as the teaching philosophy, and a formative external review. While the faculty perceived the MME as a useful tool, they believe it operates primarily to produce a summative product than work as a formative process, which counters the goal of the MME policy. A formative process would be supported by addressing several factors, including timing, accountability, and mentoring.
Student Engagement and Feedback
Student feedback through course evaluations can provide valuable insights, but response rates are often low, potentially biasing results.
Students generally view the evaluation process positively and are willing to provide specific feedback, especially as they progress in their studies.
Inclusive and active teaching pedagogies that engage students have been shown to improve academic performance and reduce achievement gaps between different student groups.
Selected Sources
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