2008 Woodie Awards
Editorial: Rate your professor
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: Opinion
Last October, the course evaluation form was the center of Trinity's attention as the Faculty Senate approved revisions to the question system. The changes were proposed in order to make the evaluation process more constructive for both the professor receiving the critique and the department and administrators assessing for tenure. The topic, four months later, has dwindled far from our attention and will probably stay that way until we are presented with the forms again at the end of this semester.
Course evaluation is integral to the tenure process and for departmental decisions as to a course's future. The thing is, by the time you're bubbling in an estimation of the effort you personally put in to the course and your expected grade or whizzing through the several short answer questions covering a professor's effectiveness, what is there for you, run-of-the-mill student, to gain?
This is, admittedly, a selfish way to view evaluations. But, when you're sitting in a classroom on the last day of the semester, do you honestly give that piece of paper the 15 minutes or so of attention most professors allot you?
Overall, Trinity professors are incredibly willing to help students. That is why we propose another evaluation: a mid-term evaluation. Some professors already give one informally, simply looking for their class's opinion of how the course has progressed- thus far.
The idea is unique and innovative and beneficial to everyone involved, how often does that happen? For one, it gives you, the student, a chance to speak up about something when it matters a lot to you. At this point, you have experienced the exam style of your professor, you know what to expect out of a lecture and you still have at least half of your grade to earn. Believe it or not, your professor might actually want to make the remainder of the semester something you'll get the most out of in terms of your education and enthusiasm. And if they don't, they've lost an integral part of what makes a good professor: the ability to evolve with each class to bring the joy of learning, no matter how may times they've taught the same course.
Professors should allow students the chance to offer evaluations at the midterm point and students should take this opportunity seriously. If we make evaluation a consistent, constructive aspect of the academic environment, everyone will come out better for it in the end.
Course evaluation is integral to the tenure process and for departmental decisions as to a course's future. The thing is, by the time you're bubbling in an estimation of the effort you personally put in to the course and your expected grade or whizzing through the several short answer questions covering a professor's effectiveness, what is there for you, run-of-the-mill student, to gain?
This is, admittedly, a selfish way to view evaluations. But, when you're sitting in a classroom on the last day of the semester, do you honestly give that piece of paper the 15 minutes or so of attention most professors allot you?
Overall, Trinity professors are incredibly willing to help students. That is why we propose another evaluation: a mid-term evaluation. Some professors already give one informally, simply looking for their class's opinion of how the course has progressed- thus far.
The idea is unique and innovative and beneficial to everyone involved, how often does that happen? For one, it gives you, the student, a chance to speak up about something when it matters a lot to you. At this point, you have experienced the exam style of your professor, you know what to expect out of a lecture and you still have at least half of your grade to earn. Believe it or not, your professor might actually want to make the remainder of the semester something you'll get the most out of in terms of your education and enthusiasm. And if they don't, they've lost an integral part of what makes a good professor: the ability to evolve with each class to bring the joy of learning, no matter how may times they've taught the same course.
Professors should allow students the chance to offer evaluations at the midterm point and students should take this opportunity seriously. If we make evaluation a consistent, constructive aspect of the academic environment, everyone will come out better for it in the end.
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