With the new academic year and evolving education, University evaluations have recently changed, adding more ways of attaining accurate information on teaching and learning abilities of professors and students.

In a study conducted by the Instrument Construction Work Group, which has been under development since Spring 2016-2017 academic year, they have found different ways of improving evaluation questions.

The group includes a member of Senate, CAA, BGSU-FA and Academic Affairs, as well as a graduate student and undergraduate student.

This project between the Academic Affairs and Faculty Senate to explore the development and utilization of student evaluations of teaching and learning at the University and its students has taken a turn. While investigating course evaluations and their effectiveness in increasing the framework of the University, there were 60 course evaluations collected and multiple items were looked at, as well as a survey sent to ask people which questions would be better to help with determining the effectiveness of teaching and students’ progress.

The committee conducted many data analyses, which has one committee looking at the questions and figuring out what can be changed. Another committee implements these questions into the new course evaluations. A lot of different questions and scales have been asked and used to determine whether it would be possible to change the evaluation questions. The data analysis came up with six total questions that could be the new evaluation questions.

 “It will make it more flexible for the college and departments to ask questions.”
Julia Matuga
Co-chair

Co-chair Julia Matuga commented on the new changes saying that “it will make it more flexible for the college and departments to ask questions” not limited to the six that have been created during the development.

It also helps to identify professional developments and improve teaching throughout the University, Matuga says.

Unlike many other institutions that have a common evaluation, the University has a different course evaluation for each class that range from one to eight questions for the evaluation. And with the new six questions being put into place it will give a better outlook on the framing of the University and more of an outlook for professors and departments to better shape student learning.

These six questions will be implemented and the university-wide evaluations will change as of fall 2017. These new evaluations are good not only to improve student learning, but to figure out what BGSU finds important and seeing how hard the faculty work to supporting BGSU students.

“Course evaluations helps to define a framework for BGSU,” Matuga said.