Evaluating Pedagogical Practice
Description:
The topic Evaluating Pedagogical Practice (other terms often used are educational research, pedagogical research, gathering student feedback, measuring teaching effectiveness) aims to provide an overview of the most commonly used techniques to review and evaluate lecturing practice. As a lecturer in CIT you are probably aware of the CIT student questionnaire (green QA1 forms) which exists to elicit feedback from students. Some limitations of this questionnaire are that it is generic and its aim is to evaluate lecturing and the lecturing environment. It is relatively difficult to use this tool to diagnose problems with your lectures or lecturing practice. Other tools, that are less generic and that focus on student learning may be more useful. Some of these are reviewed in the workshop. Alternative techniques such as confidence logs, interviews and focus groups are also reviewed.
The practice of obtaining feedback from students is important because it is an effective way to improve teaching practice. The available evidence suggests that student feedback is both accurate and reliable (Brennan, et al. 2003, p. 11) and therefore is worthwhile gathering this evidence. The primary resource input is time. There are options available to reduce the time implication for both the instructor and the student. A typical evaluation cycle involves formulating clear objectives and then choosing/modifying a survey or instrument. Subsequently, the instrument is applied, the results evaluated and conclusions drawn. Typically, an aim of the evaluation is to identify areas for improvement. The process would continue by designing and implementing improvements and then re-evaluating the module or component. The EDU workshop, Measuring what works … or doesn’t focuses on the most common evaluation instruments used in higher education and provides examples of their usage.
References:
Berk, (2005), ‘Survey of 12 Strategies to Measure Teaching Effectiveness’, International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Volume 17, Number 1, 48-62
Fraser, Giddings & McRobbie, (1992), ‘Assessing the Climate of Science Laboratory Classes’, Key Centre for Schools Science and Mathematics, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia
Ramsden, 1991, ‘A performance indicator of teaching quality in higher education: The Course Experience Questionnaire’, Studies in Higher Education, Vol. 16, pp. 129-150
Brennan, Brighton, Moon, Richardson, Rindl, Williams, (2003), ‘Collecting and using student feedback on quality and standards of learning and teaching in HE’ A report to HEFCE, available at http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/rdreports/2003/rd08_03/
Feldman, (1992), ‘What do they know, anyway?’, Chemical Engineering Education, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 134–135, available at http://tinyurl.com/mb2p7
Harvey, (1998), LTDI Evaluation Cookbook, Editor, Learning Technology Dissemination Initiative, available at www.icbl.hw.ac.uk/ltdi/cookbook/cookbook.pdf
Surgenor, 2010, ‘Teaching Toolkit. Gathering Feedback’ Parts 1 – 4, UCD Teaching and Learning, available at http://www.ucd.ie/teaching/resources/teachingtoolkit/gatheringfeedback/
