Evaluating Capstone Classes and Courses

[Hank Voss]

Ryan Carter (TUMI-Wichita) and I were just emailing about what we use to evaluate our classes and capstone modules.

Here is what we use in LA right now.

1) "What's up DOCCC?" is the tool a mentor can use to self-evaluate a class, after teaching it. I encourage new mentors to do this several times in their first module teaching, and I encourage them to do it at least once each time they teach a module.

2) Module Evaluation. This is a pretty standard evaluation, I think basically the same as you get in your Multiplying Handbook.

If you use something different, or have suggestions for improvements, please post them here.

Hank

[ryancarter]

Hank,
I have reproduced here the ideas I sent you over email.

Three things stuck out to me in this evaluation form:

1) I think evaluations are best when every question has a combination of a rating system and comments.

2) I prefer for evaluations to be stated in student centered language. (You will notice that my questions are not really questions but statements about the student's experience of which they may rate the truth.)

3) I always like to give students a table with defined spaces for writing. I just think it helps feel more comfortable as they move through the form.

I have attached the student evaluation form that I created after having seen Hank's.
The form I created would not be one that a school could mass print. It would need to be adapted for every class. I realize that this may seem like a drawback, but in fact I think it is a strength. If a teacher takes the time to make a specific form for each class, I think it makes the evaluation feel less perfunctory for the student, and like their comments really will improve the course for the future.

Ryan