Starting November 18, course evaluations will be offered online for students to complete in a three-week time frame, eliminating the need for paper evaluations.
The decision for this change was not made lightly, and involved the creation of a faculty senate group that has overseen the process so far along with the input of student government.
Saint Xavier Provost Dr. Paul DeVito explains that, “The paper method for evaluations was time consuming and often time faculty wouldn’t get the information back in a timely manner. Instead it would often take several months for all the data to be collected and then analyzed.”
On Monday, November 18, Saint Xavier students were sent an email containing a link that will take them to a dashboard with all of their classes and the evaluations to be filled out.
For those who fear that this technology will now link each student even more to his or her evaluation they need not fear, Dr. Graham Peck, an associate professor of History and Political Science and the head of the committee that began the transition from paper to online, explained that, “The system will remain completely anonymous with all data aggregated and any individual comments made are now even more anonymous because they’ll be typed instead of written.”
By converting from paper to an online format there is the possibility that this could lead to a higher return rate on evaluations, and professors will receive their information more quickly allowing for them to make any necessary adjustment to the course or courses that they teach. Professors will not receive their final reports until after all grades are in to ensure that reports will have no impact on students’ grades.
While the format of the evaluations has changed, there will be no changes in the questionnaire.
Students will complete course evaluations at the end of each semester for each of the classes they have taken. The function of these evaluations is for students to assess both the classes and the professors.
For now professors will be asked to continue to have students complete the evaluations during class time. By doing this there is an assurance that the return rate will stay at eighty percent.
Dr. Peck stated, “I think the percentage will not only go up, but that this will make the gathered information much easier to read.”
This new format also leaves room for future options, such as being able to make certain basic information that these evaluations find open to the students of Saint Xavier.
Provost Dr. DeVito stated, “ I want to complement the faculty group, Dr. Graham Peck in particular, for all the work they’ve put in through investigating and overseeing this process. It is my hope that the information gathered from students will help with classes in a way that is complementary for both students and faculty.”
With this new format change students and faculty are being brought into a high-speed world where course evaluation can now be completed on a smart phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer.
Catlyn Hicks
Senior News Editor