The post below was originally made in December 2014. Since then we have fully moved back to paper evaluations and will continue with that model until we can find a way to achieve a similar response rate through electronic means. When the evaluations come in from the classes, the quantitative data is processed through a scantron like process to yield the individual and summative scores. The individual comments are all typed in manually for easier consumption. Hopefully, you are looking at your scores in each area as well as reading through the comments. We never pull any comments out, even those which seem unduly harsh, thus the title of this blog. Since the recent TEBS data for Spring 2017 has or will be released soon, I thought this might be a good time to re-post this.
Rick
Dr. Chip Mason, Dean of Belhaven’s School of Business, sent me an article titled “Cruel Student Comments: Seven Ways to Soothe the Sting,” knowing we are moving back to paper evaluations for the Adult Studies courses. I’m excited about this move because it means we will get a much better response rate, which will yield better information about the course and classroom instruction. However, it also may yield more of those stinging comments which we all would rather not hear. In this article by Isis Artze-Vega, she expands on the seven points below. I encourage you to read the article. This is always a touchy subject where it is easy to get defensive, but it is also can be one of the most useful tools available if approached from the right perspective, even if painful.
Seven Ways to Soothe the Sting:
1. Analyze the Data
2. Resist the lure of the negative
3. Let your critics be your gurus
4. Find counter-evidence
5. Dwell on the positive ones.
6. Read them with a friend
7. Be proactive
Thanks, Chip, for sending this to my attention.