Mid-Term and Final Course Evaluations
PWR asks all instructors to conduct two evaluations during the
course, one during the fifth week of class and one during the
final week of classes. Be sure to schedule these evaluations
on your syllabus and to allow time for students to complete them.
To design your mid-term evaluation questions, you should familiarize
yourself with the University Evaluation Form used during the
last week of classes. The language of that form and the elements
it asks students to assess along with the PWR goals statements
should help to inform the teaching that you do and the language
you use to describe the learning that takes place in your course.
At mid-term, you can also take advantage of the Center for Teaching
and Learning, which can schedule a focus-group discussion following
the students’ mid-term evaluation and then present the
findings of that discussion to you. Instructors repeatedly praise
this service and say they have learned a great deal about how
to improve their classes through it.
Again, PWR uses the standard University final course evaluation
form distributed during the last week of classes by Art Palmon.
Please be sure to follow the instructions included with the forms.
Specifically,
- Make sure to allow time for students to complete the evaluation
form;
- Leave the room while students are completing the evaluation;
- Before leaving the room, assign a student to collect the
evaluations, seal them in the envelope, and return them to
the PWR Office immediately after class.
In the following term, after the Registrar’s Office has
processed and tabulated the forms, the PWR staff will return
completed final evaluations to you. When you receive the completed
evaluations, read them carefully and make notes about how these
evaluations might help you in planning for your next time teaching
the course. We also recommend that you write a reflective summary
of your student evaluations for reference in your annual review.
These Reflective Summaries can also provide the basis for a discussion
with either the Director or Associate Director about your evolving
philosophy of teaching writing and your thoughts on future directions
you’d like to take in teaching.
