Having feedback about your students' expectations, progress, or satisfaction may be very important in assessing the teaching strategies you have developed. You may also be interested in letting your students evaluate their own progress. Web-based tools can help you gather student evaluations easily and, if you wish, anonymously.

Common Goals

• Determine the skills, needs, and interests of students.
• Assess student understanding of course content.
• Collect information to assist in mid-term course adjustments.
• Solicit student feedback about course content and organization.

Options

Options for facilitating evaluation are suggested below.

Catalyst WebQ Survey Creation Tool

WebQ makes it easy to create online interactive surveys, quizzes, and questionnaires which you can use to get feedback from your students. Early in the quarter, you can for example ask your students to complete an online survey to assess their information literacy. Their responses can help you fine-tune your course content and organization.
Planning Considerations

Catalyst Umail Tool

UMail gives you the possibility of receiving anonymous mail from your students. Anonymity may encourage them to be more open in their comments and suggestions about class time or outside work. It also makes sending those "dumb" questions a lot less embarrassing. Include a link to UMail on your course Web site and encourage students to take advantage of it.
Planning Considerations

Catalyst GoPost tool

GoPost allows you to create a threaded, Web-based discussion board for your students to compare notes, discuss assignments, and work together online. Messages can be posted and read with any Web browser. You have control over who has access to the GoPost forum, and you can even allow students to use alternate screen names to make them feel more comfortable.
Planning Considerations

Catalyst Collect It tool

Use Collect It to collect your students' homework on the Web. Collect It allows students to submit their assignments in any format - including Word or text documents, PDFs, HTML and image files - using their Web browser. Likewise, you can browse and download the assignments and organize the student evaluation process. Using Collect It, you can return the students' files, provide them with helpful documents or links to online resources, and leave feedback for the student.
Planning Considerations

MERLOT (Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching)

MERLOT is an online educational portal that contains links to thousands of online learning materials created by college faculty in all subject areas. All material is peer-reviewed. You can easily find the material you need to support your teaching and address the diverse learning styles of your students.

Campus Resources

• Catalyst Workshops - The Catalyst team offers workshops to help you use the tools you need to address the diverse learning styles of your students. Participation in the Catalyst workshops is free for all UW instructors, employees, and students. Advance registration is required for some workshops.
• Office of Educational Assessment (OEA) - The OEA provides a variety of services related to educational assessment. Staff members are specialists in educational measurement and evaluation, and assist UW faculty and assistants with teaching evaluation, classroom testing, and assessment of college outcomes.
• Center for Instructional Development and Research (CIDR) - CIDR offers a variety of resources and services designed to promote effective teaching and learning. The center is open to all UW faculty and teaching assistants.

Further Reading

• Abel, R. (2005) Implementing Best Practices in Online Learning, Educause Quarterly, 28(3). Retrieved June 20, 2006 from http://www.educause.edu/apps/eq/eqm05/eqm05312.asp
• Tanrikulu Z. (2006) MISESS: Web-Based Examination, Evaluation, and Guidance , Educause Quarterly 29(1). Retrieved June 20, 2006 from http://www.thejournal.com/magazine/vault/A2089.cfm
• Clark, Andrew et al. (2003). Four Vignettes of Learner-Centered Design and Practice. Educause Resource Center, Retrieved June 20, 2006, from http://www.educause.edu/LibraryDetailPage/666?ID=NLI0320