Ways to interpret data from student ratings of teacher performance and approaches to maximize the use of student ratings are considered, based on the experiences of the Center for Instructional Development and Research (CIDR) at the University of Washington (UW). The use of student ratings at UW and other colleges is briefly considered, along with…

Evaluators usually assume that the data they receive are valid, or at least, that the data reflect that which is being evaluated. In a recent evaluation in a large southern school district, evaluators compared their raw interview notes with interview notes edited by the teachers interviewed or project staff. The program evaluated was Project SEED,…

A guide to the evaluation and improvement of teaching was developed by the University of Washington Committee on the Evaluation and Improvement of Teaching and the university's Instructional and Faculty Development Board. The handbook contains questions and problems that departments are likely to confront in designing an evaluation program…

The use of exit surveys at the University of Washington was investigated. Objectives were to identify (1) how many departments or programs employed department-generated exit surveys to gather information from graduating students, (2) the type of information collected and its use by departments, and (3) criteria for determining the usefulness of an…

This study was conducted to examine the usefulness of survey results and the ways in which the results were used, and to gather recommendations for improving the surveys and/or the reports. The Student Satisfaction Survey (SSS) was developed to assess undergraduate students' attitudes toward their major areas, their departments, and the University…