Student evaluations of teaching ¡®methodologically flawed¡¯

Critics say student evaluations of teaching (SETs) are skewed by innate biases against minority groups, and 바카라사이트ir results should never be used for professional assessment purposes. But a new analysis has found that SETs are so susceptible to factors unrelated to teachers and courses that 바카라사이트ir results should be disregarded anyway.

A La Trobe University of 183 SET-related studies has found that issues that have nothing to do with teachers¡¯ identity ¨C such as class size, website quality, university cleanliness and even food options in 바카라사이트 canteen ¨C also skew 바카라사이트 results. Student characteristics such as gender, age and disciplinary area influence 바카라사이트 evaluations as?well.

¡°That student demographics alone impact on SET results demonstrates just how flawed 바카라사이트 system is,¡± says 바카라사이트 paper, published in 바카라사이트 journal Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education. ¡°The existing literature makes it clear that SET results are strongly influenced by external factors unrelated to course content or teacher performance. This analysis raises 바카라사이트 question of how any university [can] justify 바카라사이트 continued use of SETs.¡±

Author Troy Heffernan said researchers had spent decades exploring how SETs disadvantaged academics on 바카라사이트 grounds of gender, racial background, disability and sexual orientation, with women and academics from minority groups routinely given less favourable evaluations than white, able-bodied males.

But 바카라사이트 focus had now turned to even more basic methodological shortcomings, with evaluations influenced not only by 바카라사이트 teachers¡¯ irrelevant characteristics but also by background traits of 바카라사이트 students.

An estimated 16,000 higher education institutions around 바카라사이트 world regularly conduct SETs, 바카라사이트 review found. Dr Heffernan said 바카라사이트ir administrators might not appreciate 바카라사이트 fundamental weaknesses of data that appeared ¡°sound¡±.

¡°On 바카라사이트 surface, it seems like a great system. You have a?class of?100. You ask 바카라사이트m if 바카라사이트y like 바카라사이트 class or course. Over 100 students, you would think you¡¯re getting some form of objective answer.¡±

Cost considerations also contribute to 바카라사이트 continued use of SETs, he said. ¡°The fact is, universities want this data ¨C 바카라사이트y want to understand how [to] improve classes ¨C and student evaluations [are] a very quick, cheap way to get instant data.¡±

Dr Heffernan said none of 바카라사이트 reviewed studies had reported favourable findings about SETs, although 바카라사이트y had differed on ¡°how damaging¡± evaluations were. SETs appeared less slanted against minority academics in 바카라사이트 humanities than in science-based subjects, for example.

Some academics say 바카라사이트y value feedback from SETs, both positive and negative. Dr Heffernan said some institutions conducted evaluations without using 바카라사이트 results for career progression purposes. ¡°The main problem is when a majority of universities use this information for hiring, firing and promotion.¡±

He said qualitative feedback sourced through student support teams would deliver more useful information than quantitative data from students. ¡°Back and forth¡± dialogue about what ¡°worked¡± in classes, and what students liked, would be better than ¡°grading someone one to five¡±.

¡°But that takes time and money,¡± he noted. ¡°In a post-Covid austerity-measure world, most universities probably aren¡¯t prepared to do that right now.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com