Good Faculty….Bad Feedback - addressing student evaluations of faculty

1. Good Faculty….Bad Feedback -addressing student evaluations of faculty Beth Cusatis Phillips, MSN, RN, CNE Assistant Professor

2. Objectives At the end of this presentation, participants will have: • Assessed • Reasons for obtaining student evaluations • Process of obtaining evaluations • Diagnosed • Possible reasons for negative comments within student evaluations • Their school’s evaluation process for possible cracks and leaks • How they currently address and handle less than positive evaluative feedback • Planned • Ways to support self and others during evaluation time. • Strategies for changing student feedback from negative to constructive • Implemented • An appreciation for student feedback- good and bad. After returning to school, participants will also: • Implement • Changes to processes if needed • Changes in attitudes and perspectives if necessary. • Evaluate • How things can improve • How they can celebrate successes and learn from challenges

3. Assessment Why do we do these evaluations anyway? -Curricular and Course Improvement -Student participation in course improvement -Promotion -Because it is what we do…… Other reasons??

4. Assessment What processes do you use to obtain evaluations?

5. DiagnosisReasons for negative feedback • Bad Teacher • Bad Student • Combination • Communication divide • Blowing off steam • Other thoughts? Goodhart’s Law: When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.

6. Diagnosis Your school’s evaluation process- Are there cracks or leaks in the system? Monkey see, monkey do?? Timing before, during and after Volume Questions Student understanding Administrative responsibilities

7. Diagnosis Less than positive feedback……what to do?? “This professor is not open to diverse viewpoints” “I can honestly say I am dumber now than I was before I took this class.” “I am sick of the fake smile and high heels.” “You don’t belong here.” “Sorry excuse for a teacher….”

8. Planning • First things first • Prepare yourself and students in advance • Be a role model • Anticipating results • Share with a trusted colleague • Support new faculty to the process • Peer evaluation/ feedback from a trusted colleague

9. Planning Strategies -School processes Committee work “Please ensure that your written comments are as constructive as possible, in keeping with the goals of this evaluation process. Personal attacks or offensive statements are inappropriate and unhelpful.”

10. Planning/ Implementation Midterm Evaluations Honesty IS the best policy Share useless/unhelpful comments with them from previous students Before looking at your evaluations, Review course/ do a SWOT analysis of the semester. Read, put away, read, put away Helen’s Highlights

11. Learn from the feedback • Appreciate the opportunity to improve your practice. • Take what you like and leave the rest when you can. • If appropriate, • share the changes made with students • Explain why some things didn’t or can’t change

12. Now the best part….. Make change happen where you are • Find that trusted colleague to rely on Accept that Evaluation never ends…. Celebrate the successes! Grow from the challenges.

13. “When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back.” Paulo Coelho

14. Questions, comments? Thank you for coming! Beth Cusatis Phillips Beth.phillips@duke.edu