The era of course evaluations is coming. In every class, students will be asked to comment on the past semester: how much they learned, how effective their professor was and how fairly the grades were assessed. As a fifth-year senior, I’ve filled out more of these than I can count. I know that my feedback is confidential and anonymous, but that it’s used by both SCOM and the professor.
Last Spring, I received an email from a professor, Dr. Leppington, who taught one of my favorite classes at JMU. She was asking for student comments on that course so that she could market the course to new students better. I, of course, offered my response happily. This past week, I visited her again to ask her how she uses student feedback. She said, “I try and work out to what extent I have succeeded in connecting with the students. What I try to look for is evidence of growth and learning.”
As I got ready to leave, I told Dr. Leppington that her course had been one of a handful that had really made a difference in my college career. She smiled and said, “Well that is the most helpful feedback of all.”
Have you had any experiences like mine? Share in the comments!