UNC Asheville Faculty Senate Information on Online Evaluation of Instruction

January 27, 2010

Links of Interest:

BYU Website for Online Evaluation Info: http://onset.byu.edu/index.php?title=Main_Page

Vendor: Online Course Evaluations: http://service.onlinecourseevaluations.com/

Vendor: CoursEval: http://www.academicmanagement.com/products/course_eval.php

WCU’s website on CoursEval:  http://www.wcu.edu/8356.asp

Powerpoint by Stanford University Registrar: http://registrar.stanford.edu/pdf/sample_crse_eval.pdf

Powerpoint by BYU faculty: http://www.sjsu.edu/serb/docs/Online_Student_Ratings_of_Instruction.ppt#276,31,Demographics

Yale University FAQs: http://classes.yale.edu/help/itg/oce/faq.htm#1g

Steps:

• Work with FWDC to identify concerns and suggested steps
• Identify possible product vendors
• Will develop a website with information for faculty

Potential Benefits:

• Time Saved:  Packaging forms, Distribution, Scanning, Comment Typing, Creation of Reports, Preparation of Reports to Faculty and Dept Chairs – probably the equivalent of one position.  (40x50)=2000.  Potentially 16,000 pieces of paper. 
• Quick results for faculty.  Would allow results to influence planning for the next semester.
• Results displayed in a variety of ways – more than just mean/median for each question.
• Confidential.  Faculty, Department Chair, Dean, Provost.  Current practices allow data/comments to be read by others.
• Opportunity to add custom questions by faculty.
• Some software products can categorize comment types and allow factor analysis, i.e. responses by student major, level, etc.
• In general, a more detailed analysis of results.
• One evaluation per student, per course.  Available through OnePort.
• Email reminders for non-responders.  Some provide updates to faculty on number of responders.

Potential Concerns:

• Response Rate:  There are studies that have compared response rates and response results for paper vs. online.  Although response rates frequently go down, the actual response results vary little.
  • Several opportunities to increase response rates. Examples:  Delay viewing of course grades for non-responders (Stanford, et al),  university level prize drawings, responders can see course summaries (for multiple courses – data on the course, not instructor)
• Confidentiality – as confidential or more so than paper.
• Individual students able to provide multiple responses. Not possible – all software packages provide safeguards to eliminate this possibility.