Students not only part of evaluation
In reading Wednesday’s article “A’s Swapped for Evaluations?” I was disappointed by the lack of external factors presented in the study. I, too, have done a large amount of research in the area of student evaluation of instruction, and there are several factors to weigh beyond who is receiving higher evaluations in relation to higher grades. This assumption in itself could be questioned by stating the mere fact that students tend to perform better and receive higher grades in a class that is well-taught. The study also claimed that these evaluations often result in the denial of tenure for assistant professors. While evaluation of instruction by students is a factor weighed in deciding issues of promotion and tenure, this is not the only factor used in making such decisions. Assistant Professors are also subject to review by their peers and evaluated based on research in their field. The only solution to this so-called “problem” of rewarding higher grades in order to receive higher evaluations would be to deny any student input when making these decisions. Good luck in telling 50,000 + students that they will have no input on who will and should be teaching them.
Teniell TrolianSophomoreUSG Director of Teacher Evaluations
