There are different ways of gaining feedback from your students. You can be given feedback verbally or in written form, during each lesson, after each lesson, after each session or at the very end of the course. There are positives and negatives for all these different methods of feedback. Getting feedback there and then means that some important information is not forgotten by the end of the week. On the other hand, getting feedback at the end of the course could mean that people are more truthful, or not ‘put on the spot’ as much.
The trouble with this method of feedback is if the student has other issues or there is a clash between student and teacher.
Written evaluation sheets could have ratings from one to ten, one being very poor, ten being excellent. This would be called quantitative data. You could work out the percentages of pass rates and other important information about your own teaching, the subject material and length of course. Information like this is important for progress. Students would find these type of forms easier to fill in as it is easier to pick a number than write a sentence in reply to a question.
As another option, it would be possible to pose open ended questions to students in the forms of a questionnaire. This would gain more specific feedback from students. You could collect qualitative data from these answers, in respect of the classroom surroundings and comfort, and any other issues that are raised. This sort of data is far more in depth.
‘There are three commonly used methods for collecting the students’ responses. A space may be left under the question in which the student is invited to write; alternatively one of the following methods may be adopted – both have the advantage that the responses can be easily quantified:
The question may invite a yes or no answer or a tick or cross response.
The student is asked to agree or disagree with a statement on a given scale’. (Petty. G.2004)
For this specific exercise the students from a Challenging Offending Behaviour programme have filled in evaluation forms with their own personal feedback for the course, and the tutors. There were nine students on this particular programme, which took place in February of this year. The students were prisoners at HMP, who had all been convicted of a crime, relating to their own behaviour. The course would then be highlighted, under the Offender Assessment System, for that particular prisoner to do.
The evaluation forms were given to the students on the last day of the course, to fill in. The form consists of specific questions and also asks the learners to rate parts of the course. The students were encouraged to complete the forms honestly, and in their own time. The evaluation sheet that we use is standard for all Challenging Offending Behaviour courses.
I have collated all the information from the evaluation sheets for the Challenging Offending Behaviour course. I then put all the information into the computer and made separate graphs for each of the questions.
The students gave us good ratings for each of the questions asked. The first question asked about the material covered, within the course. Only one student gave us a mark of 5 out of 10. All other students rated the material as being between 8 and ten.
The second question asked the students if they thought the course moved at the right pace for them. The majority marked the pace as being 9/10 out of 10.
We asked the students how interesting the course was to them. 75% rated it as a 10/10.
We also asked the students how useful it would be to them in the future. All answered above an 8, majority rated it a 10.
Lastly we asked how the tutors did, and they rated us between 8 and 10.
Overall the scores for the course were good. Average scores were between 8.375 and 9.625. This tells us that the students find the course an interesting one that is easy to follow and understand.
Overall the student evaluations give us valuable information about the course. It shows that the course is at a level suitable for all. It has appropriate material that ties in for all the students, and is helpful to all the students. However it doesn’t really give much insight into my personal teaching. It asks the students to rate tutors which they did. The score that they gave both of us was good, but it doesn’t highlight any areas where change could be made.
I feel that the students would give an honest evaluation of the lesson as they aren’t really bothered if they don’t make friends with staff. They don’t mince their words. My only worry would be that they were in a hurry to get out of the classroom, but seen as how they can’t leave until movements takes place, this is unlikely. As the week goes on, you tend to build a rapport with the learners and this makes the teaching process so much easier, as they are far more likely to ask for help. This in turn gives better results at the end of the week.
Bibliography
Gullickson.AR(ONLINE). Available at:URL:http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Wn1UElgQAkgC&dq=why+student+evaluation+questionnaires&pg=PP1&ots=JsnTE6M3no&source=citation&sig=rRrh9BCtETt8BH-bvoeqXEzhCEc&hl=en&prev=http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=+why+student+evaluation+questionnaires+&btnG=Search&sa=X&oi=print&ct=result&cd=1&cad=bottom-3results(Accessed 22 March 2008)
Unknown(ONLINE). Available at:URL:http://www.soas.ac.uk/ltu/forstaff/student-evaluation-of-courses-procedures/student-evaluation-of-courses-procedures.html(Accessed 22 March 2008)
Petty. G.(2004).Teaching Today.3rd Edition.Cheltenham:Nelson Thornes Ltd.