Using Student Evaluations To Increase Classroom Effectiveness

Economic, academic, and social forces are causing undergraduate schools to start a fresh examination of teaching effectiveness. Administrators face the complex task of developing equitable, predictable ways to evaluate, encourage, and reward good teaching in science, math, engineering, and technology. Evaluating, and Improving Undergraduate Teaching in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics offers a vision for systematic evaluation of teaching practices and academic programs, with recommendations to the various stakeholders in higher education about how to achieve change. What is good undergraduate teaching? This book discusses how to evaluate undergraduate teaching of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology and what characterizes effective teaching in these fields. Why has it been difficult for colleges and universities to address the question of teaching effectiveness? The committee explores the implications of differences between the research and teaching cultures-and how practices in rewarding researchers could be transferred to the teaching enterprise. How should administrators approach the evaluation of individual faculty members? And how should evaluation results be used? The committee discusses methodologies, offers practical guidelines, and points out pitfalls. Evaluating, and Improving Undergraduate Teaching in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics provides a blueprint for institutions ready to build effective evaluation programs for teaching in science fields.

Student evaluations of teaching effectiveness or course evaluations (SETs) are used at most universities and colleges throughout the world, and many researchers have analyzed their use in the classroom. There is a well developed literature addressing the construction of the student evaluations of teaching effectiveness. Much research has already examined the reliability and validity of the instrument, potential bias of student ratings, student perceptions of evaluations and their motivation to participate. However, despite the extensive amount of research, there is still much debate among academics as to the value and efficacy of student evaluations of teaching effectiveness. We briefly discuss these findings where relevant, and examine the possible impact of evaluations on the teaching professoriate in Ontario. The measurement of teaching effectiveness is a particularly relevant topic given the increased focus on teaching and learning in Ontario universities.

Computational Thinking in Education explores the relevance of computational thinking in primary and secondary education. As today’s school-aged students prepare to live and work in a thoroughly digitized world, computer science is providing a wealth of new learning concepts and opportunities across domains. This book offers a comprehensive overview of computational thinking, its history, implications for equity and inclusion, analyses of competencies in practice, and integration into learning, instruction, and assessment through scaffolded teacher education. Computer science education faculty and pre- and in-service educators will find a fresh pedagogical approach to computational thinking in primary and secondary classrooms.

The definitive career guide for grad students, adjuncts, post-docs and anyone else eager to get tenure or turn their Ph.D. into their ideal job Each year tens of thousands of students will, after years of hard work and enormous amounts of money, earn their Ph.D. And each year only a small percentage of them will land a job that justifies and rewards their investment. For every comfortably tenured professor or well-paid former academic, there are countless underpaid and overworked adjuncts, and many more who simply give up in frustration. Those who do make it share an important asset that separates them from the pack: they have a plan. They understand exactly what they need to do to set themselves up for success. They know what really moves the needle in academic job searches, how to avoid the all-too-common mistakes that sink so many of their peers, and how to decide when to point their Ph.D. toward other, non-academic options. Karen Kelsky has made it her mission to help readers join the select few who get the most out of their Ph.D. As a former tenured professor and department head who oversaw numerous academic job searches, she knows from experience exactly what gets an academic applicant a job. And as the creator of the popular and widely respected advice site The Professor is In, she has helped countless Ph.D.’s turn themselves into stronger applicants and land their dream careers. Now, for the first time ever, Karen has poured all her best advice into a single handy guide that addresses the most important issues facing any Ph.D., including: -When, where, and what to publish -Writing a foolproof grant application -Cultivating references and crafting the perfect CV -Acing the job talk and campus interview -Avoiding the adjunct trap -Making the leap to nonacademic work, when the time is right The Professor Is In addresses all of these issues, and many more.

Written to meet the needs of teachers, lecturers and tutors working at different levels and in many situations, this is the guide to surveying and understanding the key issues, best practices and new developments in business and management studies. Teaching in this field is a multi-faceted experience. The authors use an international perspective and support a wide range of situations by concentrating on five key areas: * the teaching and supporting of learning * the design and planning of learning activities * assessment and giving feedback to students * developing effective learning environments and student learning support systems * reflective practice and professional development. Practical and clear, this book will prove an invaluable guide for all those with an interest in developing business and management education and is essential reading for all those looking for professional accreditation for recognition of their teaching. It is also indispensable for the less experienced teacher seeking material for reflection and advice.

A hands-on guide for applying research methods to common problems, issues, projects, and questions that communication practitioners deal with on a regular basis, this text demonstrates the relevance of research in professional roles and communication and media careers. The second edition features updated material that covers major communication research methods including surveys, experiments, focus groups, and observation research while also providing key background information on ethics, validity, reliability, concept explication, statistical analysis, and other current topics. It continues to foster student engagement with research through its numerous features and practical activities, including: Research in Depth—examples of methods as applied in scholarly research Reflect & React—problems and issues that promote reflection and discussion Voices from Industry—Q&As with professionals working in communication industries End-of-Unit Activities—exercises that reinforce concepts and content The text is ideally suited to both undergraduate and graduate courses in mass communication research methods. Online resources, including sample syllabi, PowerPoint slides, and test banks are available on the companion website: www.routledge.com/cw/boyle.