Self Evaluation of Teaching

Transcription

1 Self Evaluatin f Teaching Fr mre resurces, see the LTO page n the Peer Review f Teaching. All f the fllwing infrmatin was fund frm surces linked n the LTO website. resurces/teachingstrategies/peerevaluatin/ What is Self- Evaluatin Self-evaluatin is ne f the mst verlked frms f explicit evaluatin. Ideally and lgically, this shuld precede all ther frms f the evaluatin f teaching effectiveness. Fr prfessinal educatrs, the gal is always the same: mnitr and adjust instructin t increase the learning f all students. Cnscientius faculty members subject their teaching strategies, instructinal techniques and style t their wn critical evaluatin n an almst cnstant basis. This evaluatin ften des nt have a frmal structure but even a simple checklist can help t fcus ideas. Thse faculty wh are mst interested in ding their best are the nes wh tend t take selfevaluatin mst seriusly and may share their critiques and seek advice frm clleagues n hw t imprve the effectiveness f their teaching. Self-evaluatin f teaching can range frm persnal reflectin t frmal assessment intended fr prmtin r tenure. Self-evaluatin can assist yu t: imprve the educatinal experiences yu prvide fr yur students identify the prfessinal educatin yu need t further develp yur capacity t teach well prepare fr yur perfrmance review with yur supervisr assess yur readiness t apply fr prmtin and tenure (excerpted frm Self Evaluatin, Learning Develpment Centre. Warwick University, Methds fr Evaluating Yur Teaching 1. Self-mnitring: Teachers mnitr their wn perfrmance as they teach. Teachers shuld mnitr themselves while teaching. After each teaching sessin, teachers shuld ask themselves (r cmplete a brief self-evaluatin frm) n whether they have met their determined gals and bjectives, and evaluate the gd and the t-be-imprved aspects f the sessin. Teachers can keep a lg (i.e. a teaching prtfli, r vide lg as described in the next sectin) t track their wn prgress and imprvement ver time. Self-mnitring is a meaningful surce f infrmatin fr evaluating teaching. Teachers shuld take special ntice f (and recrd) the infrmatin which is particularly imprtant t them. 1

2 Hwever, self-mnitring invlves self-judgment. It is ften difficult t be ttally fair and bjective. Persnal biases and misinterpretatins f students' reactins may interfere with the effectiveness f the evaluatin. 2. Audi and vide recrding: Teachers can audi- r vide-tape their teaching sessins, which allws them t keep recrd f and investigate their actual teaching perfrmance in detail. Teachers can review the recrds with ther clleagues t discuss the areas fr imprvements. Audi and vide recrding prvide teachers with bjective infrmatin that reflects what was actually happening in the class. Recrding reflects the actual teaching perfrmance, but it is meaningless by itself. Fr example, it des nt explain whether speaking at a particular pace is gd r bad. Obtain pinins frm thers n the strengths and weaknesses in yur teaching, as well as pssible rm fr imprvements. It is a gd idea t arrange several recrding sessins thrughut the semester (e.g. ne at the beginning, ne in the middle and ne at the end f semester) t check with the prgress and imprvement f specifically targeted areas. Keeping a lg f class vide recrds can help yu track yur prgress. 3. Students feedback n teaching: Students' perceptin f learning experience in class is smetimes the mst direct way t weigh the effectiveness f teaching methds. What students perceive and experience in class directly determines hw effectively they are learning. Cllecting students' perceptin f teaching shuld be carried ut several times in the semester (at least nce at mid-term and nce at the end f term), t allw pprtunities t crrect pr practices rather than leaving them till the end f curse. Tw cmmn methds t cllect infrmatin abut students' perceptin twards teaching are questinnaires and interviews. Questinnaires: This is a cmmn methd t cllect students pinin abut teaching, and it has been used widely acrss universities as a standard practice. Standardized questins n the questinnaires cllect infrmatin abut students' backgrund, general pinins abut the curse (e.g. the tpics are interesting, curse materials are difficult, t many assignments, cmments given n assignments are helpful etc.), and an verall evaluatin n the effectiveness f the curse and the teacher, using predefined scales f quantitative scres (e.g. 1 Strngly Agree,..., 5 Strngly Disagree). Sme general pen-ended questins such as "What d yu think can be imprved in this curse?" and "What d yu like mst abut this curse?" are usually included in the questinnaires. Teachers can put dwn sme specific tpical questins in which they particularly wuld like t knw abut. Questinnaires can cllect respnses frm a large number f students simultaneusly, which prvides a cmprehensive picture that reflect the pinins f the whle class (i.e. gd representativeness), and can be efficiently administered in terms f time and resurces. Respnses in questinnaires are given annymusly, s students are mre willing t freely express what they actually think and perceive abut the curse. 2

3 Hwever, the limitatin f questinnaire lies at its standardized rganizatin f questins. Questins n the questinnaires are fixed, and therefre the teachers cannt prbe fr further infrmatin based n the respnses. Anther limitatin is that student questinnaires are mre accurate when administered by smene wh is nt in charge f the students grades. Questinnaires must be careful designed t avid cnfusin and misleading results. Interviews: Fcus-grup interviews with students can be cnducted by the teachers themselves (if trust has been built amng the teacher and students) r an utside persn (if greater level f bjectivity is required). Teachers can set the questins that they are interested in advance, and prbe mre detailed infrmatin and clarificatins frm students during the interview. It is bviusly a mre flexible ptin cmpared t large class questinnaire surveys. Directly interviewing students can usually reveal students' thughts n sme unanticipated aspects, which can generate lts f useful infrmatin. But interviews can usually nly be cnducted with a small prtin f students in the class, which may nt necessary be reflecting the bigger picture. Besides the abve methds, teachers can als deduce hw well the students are learning and acquiring knwledge frm the class by lking at their assignments and test results. Prvided that the assignments and tests are well-designed and have high validity in measuring students' learning achievements, they can be gd indicatrs f hw effective the gal f helping students t learn has been achieved. Hwever, teachers cannt infer frm assignments and test results abut what is gd r bad abut their teaching, and what causes students t learn better r wrse. One general limitatin f assessing teaching quality based n students feedback is that their pinins can be very biased t their wn perspectives. Many students may nt actually knw what they shuld knw and learn frm the curse. Als, students usually d nt pssess enugh knwledge abut hw the curse can be taught, including the pssible pedaggies and curse cntent. It is als very imprtant that yu tell students that yu are aware f and are genuinely interested in their pinins. After receiving students' feedback, describe t the students what changes are made in respnse t their pinins, and als explain the reasns why yu chse nt t change the ther practices as requested by students. Students questin the usefulness f cllecting their pinins if yu dn t let them knw their pinins are heard. (excerpted frm Centre fr the Enhancement f Teaching and Learning. University f Hng Kng. Planning steps fr cnducting a self evaluatin 1. Describe the teaching cntext: Descriptins cnvey the bjectives f the instructinal activity, innvatin r curse and include infrmatin abut the assessment purpse and intended uses. 3

4 2. Identify stakehlders and their needs: Identifying stakehlders (e.g. instructr, students, and department) and determining their needs helps t fcus the assessment prcess s that the results are f the greatest utility. 3. Determine the assessment purpse using central questins: Identifying a clear purpse by using central questins helps determine hw the assessment shuld be cnducted. 4. Identify hw yu will use the assessment results: Identify hw yu will use the assessment results fr each f yur central questins. Uses shuld directly relate t the assessment's purpse. 5. Create an assessment plan: The assessment plan is a detailed descriptin f hw the research will be implemented. (excerpted frm Instructinal Assessment Resurces, University f Texas, Austin, See the Instructinal Assessment Resurces website fr wrksheets that help create assessment plans fr each ptential methd: 1. Classrm Assessment: Simple but effective paper and pencil ways t get immediate student feedback abut classrm activities r curse cntent ( 2. Dcument Analysis: The systematic examinatin f curse dcuments such as syllabi, exams and assignments. ( 3. Observatin: The systematic peer bservatin f classrm instructin using checklists, scales r narrative t dcument behavir. ( 4. Prduct Analysis: The systematic examinatin f any student created bjects, prtflis, assignments, r writings designed t demnstrate learning. ( 5. Survey: An rdered series f questins administered t individuals in a systematic manner. ( 6. Blackbard Survey: Using the Blackbard curse management system quizzing tl t cnduct surveys. ( 7. Official Curse Surveys: The Curse Survey allws yu t btain annymus student feedback abut yur teaching ( (excerpted frm Instructinal Assessment Resurces, University f Texas, Austin, ( Additinal ways f getting feedback 1) Frm Students: Use any f the fllwing techniques t determine hw well students have learned, and hw they feel abut their learning: 4

5 a) One-minute paper: Ask students t respnd t the tpic and cncepts fr the day. Ask students t respnd t the use f activity-based learning. Please nte: it is imperative that students see yu respnd t the results f this frm f evaluatin, r any frm, in yur teaching in subsequent classes. b) Quiz: In a risk-free climate, ask students t cmplete a quiz n their learning fr the purpses f determining nt nly their success in learning, but als yur success in teaching, as well as clarifying fr the students what are the key tpics. Yu may chse t make this pen-bk, based n their ntes, r ther suggestins. c) Mid-term survey: Yu may want t survey yur students annymusly abut the learning and teaching in the curse. 2) Frm Yurself: a) Reflectin: Reflect n yur teaching after each class. Cmpare yur reflectins with the cmments frm students. b) Research: Cntinue the prcess f learning abut teaching. Read jurnal articles, attend wrkshps, r becme a part f a curriculum cmmittee, etc. (Adapted frm L. Dee Fink s Evaluating Yur Own Teaching, Sme additinal self- evaluatin tls: Teacher's Perspectives Inventry ( The Teaching Perspectives Inventry can help yu cllect yur thughts and summarize yur ideas abut teaching. It can be useful in examining yur wn teaching as well as helping clarify the teaching views f ther peple. Questins fr self appraisal ( ppraisal.pdf) (excerpted frm Self Evaluatin, Flinders University, Flinders University, General prblem slving prmpts ( Strengthening Yur Reflective Cmmentary ( The GROW Evaluatin Framewrk ( 5