The Case for Student Evaluations

Appraising Teaching Effectiveness: Beyond Student Ratings 

Donald P. Hoyt and William H. Pallett • IDEA Center

Challenging Misconceptions About Student Ratings of Instruction 

The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed, . . . a widely spread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible. ― Bertrand Russell, Marriage and Morals

Developing an Effective Faculty Evaluation System 

Those striving for perfection in these [faculty evaluation] systems may be on a collision course with disappointment. Or they may have a more subtle, Machiavellian motive, calling for a degree of perfection that they know can never be achieved in order to sabotage the whole effort. (Miller, 1987, pp. 26-27)

IDEA Student Ratings of Instruction and RSVP 

“Many of the rating scales developed by faculty committees in colleges and universities do not meet even the most basic criteria for psychometric quality required by professional and legal standards” (Berk, 2013, p. 34)

Interpreting and using student ratings data 

This article is about the accurate interpretation of student ratings data and the appropriate use of that data to evaluate faculty. 

Student Ratings of Teaching: A Summary of Research and Literature 

“Ratings of overall effectiveness are moderately correlated with independent measures of student learning and achievement. Students of highly rated teachers achieve higher final exam scores, can better apply course material, and are more inclined to pursue the subject subsequently.” (Davis, 2009, p. 534)