2008 Woodie Awards
Online Evaluations Cuse Mixed Student Reacions
Michelle Miller
Issue date: 11/10/05 Section: Campus News
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Second semester freshman Megan Fariello thinks the evaluations are important, but does not believe that students will take the time to do them now that they are online.
"Honestly, I do not think that many students read their e-mails from the administration," said Fariello. "I think that the evaluations should be mandatory in class like they have been."
Senior Lindsay Doolittle agrees that students will probably not take the time to go online to fill out the evaluations. She has been filling out the evaluations for the last three years and does not take them as seriously as she did when she was a freshman.
"After filling out five of them per semester, it got incredibly old," said Doolittle. "I believe that some students take them more seriously than other. Usually it is the upperclassmen who rush right through them."
Junior Joe Stabb thinks that it is a great idea that the evaluations are going online.
He also thinks that in order to get students to complete them there will need to be some sort of incentive.
Stabb says he does not believe that the student population sees any changes being made as a result of the evaluations.
"I am one of these students," said Stabb. "I still take the them seriously though because I hope that my suggestions and comments will help."
"I think that some professors take what we say into consideration, but I don't think they all do," said Doolittle.
Fariello believes that the evaluations are good because they give teachers an idea of how they are viewed and an idea of what they can do better to improve their classes.
"They definitely take them into consideration because it gives them something to look at and see what will make students listen or learn differently," said Fariello.
Doolittle finds herself taking more time filling out evaluations if she feels strongly about a professor. If she strongly likes or dislikes a professor, Doolittle puts forth more effort.
"I sometimes feel like I cannot be completely honest if I have something negative to say," said Doolittle. "I know that they are going to see the evaluation and I feel like they are going to recognize my handwriting."
The online version would eliminate this problem. Coordinator of Faculty Development and Assessment, Nancy Hollins, said there is no way to track responses from certain students.