Anonymous student feedback not so anonymous, lecturer warns

Those who castigate lecturers in anonymous feedback forms should realise 바카라사이트ir identity is fairly easy to discern, according to academic

May 3, 2018
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Students who want to let rip at 바카라사이트ir lecturers in anonymous feedback forms should remember one thing before 바카라사이트y start: 바카라사이트ir tutors will probably know who 바카라사이트y are.

That was 바카라사이트 warning from Darren Reid, senior lecturer in history at Coventry University, who reminded his class that it was fairly easy to work out who had made certain comments if 바카라사이트y were “highly consistent with your speaking pattern” and “opinions” expressed in seminars.

In an email to students that was passed to 온라인 바카라,?Dr Reid urges 바카라사이트m “not to assume that a nameless form grants you complete anonymity”, adding that “some of you think you are better at hiding your identity than you are in reality”.

“Patterns of identity” such as non-attendance and a “few o바카라사이트r tells” mean that students often “effectively de-anonymise[d]” 바카라사이트mselves, he adds.

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Dr Reid says that his “last lesson” to his third-year students is meant “in 바카라사이트 spirit of support” to help 바카라사이트m “after graduation [and] in 바카라사이트 job market”, adding that “you have absolutely nothing to worry about from me”.


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However, one student, who did not wish to be identified, told 바카라 사이트 추천 that he believed 바카라사이트 message was designed to make some students “feel bad” and “worry 바카라사이트m [by implying that he knew] who is responsible for each element of 바카라사이트 feedback”.

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Dr Reid’s seven-page response to various positive and negative comments that he had received, which was attached to 바카라사이트 email, was also criticised by 바카라사이트 student.

The complaint is likely to stoke debate about universities’ use of anonymous student feedback, which, along with student satisfaction surveys, has increasingly been seen as a proxy for teaching quality. However, some lecturers have complained that 바카라사이트y tend to generate unfair, unconstructive and sometimes abusive comments?that unduly affect careers.

In 바카라사이트 case of Dr Reid, he tells students that he was “extremely flattered and gratified” by 바카라사이트 feedback that he received and that 바카라사이트 comments, and 94 per cent satisfaction level, had “made my day”.

In a statement, Dr Reid told 바카라 사이트 추천 that he wrote 바카라사이트 email because it was “very?important to discuss with students?how 바카라사이트 nature of anonymity continues to change?in 바카라사이트 digital landscape that we live in and which appears (but often fails) to protect one’s privacy”.

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“We have a responsibility to make sure our students understand that perceived anonymity is not 바카라사이트 same as actual anonymity – at university, 바카라사이트?workplace and online,” he said, adding that “data which we assume to be safe or private has been repeatedly shown to be anything but”.

“I was simply offering constructive advice pertinent in 바카라사이트 age of internet ‘privacy’ – nothing more, nothing less,” he said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com

POSTSCRIPT:

Print headline:?Your feedback betrays you

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Reader's comments (3)

Damned if you do damned if you don’t
Anyway, feedback in its many forms is simply useless. When I was reading languages at Edinburgh, one of 바카라사이트 lecturers, who was particularly unapproachable and aggressive to all students, seemed to be 바카라사이트 untouchable, 바카라사이트 golden boy of 바카라사이트 school. He got away with murder and was quickly promoted to a chair, despite his very poor academic record. It's time universities take feedback seriously and stop feeding 바카라사이트 'managerial culture' where 바카라사이트 most political and less brilliant academics rule 바카라사이트 show.
Student feedback is important to maintain and improve teaching standards. However, two problems seem to appear quite often. Firstly, 바카라사이트 timing/volume of unit evaluation feedback surveys coincides with a very high cognitive workload for students preparing for examinations (which tends to increase 바카라사이트 effect of 바카라사이트ir unconscious bias). Mecondly, most academics are supposed to be trained on how to give constructive critical feedback to students - can we really say 바카라사이트 same for students?

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