The Value of Evaluations

From the Chronicle's news blog on Sunday:

The chancellor of the Texas A&M University system wants to give faculty members bonuses of up to $10,000, based on student evaluations, but some professors are raising concerns about the plan, saying it could become a popularity contest.

And just like that, the debate surrounding student evaluations is re-sparked.

When asked for evidence regarding the reliability of student evaluations vice chancellor Frank B. Ashley III cited “Student Rating Myths vs. Research Facts,” by Lawrence M. Aleamoni. However, Aleamoni appropriately followed up this citation, noting that Texas A&M actually runs counter to a number of his findings.

Even if his research suggests that some student evaluations — designed in ways that differ from the Texas A&M approach — can be reliable, he has always stressed that these evaluations should never be the sole basis for a decision about the quality of someone’s teaching.

When the dust settles, hopefully it will be stressed that student evaluations can work, that students don't simply rank based on grades or looks. Hopefully it can be agreed that student evaluations can be an important component of a multi-faceted approach to evaluating teaching.

Just as most teachers value teaching, most students value learning. If we can agree on this fact, maybe we can finally depart from the argument that university is, or should be, nothing more than a customer service.