ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to increase student participation in written evaluation of teaching effectiveness in a team-taught course. Three consecutive academic years were evaluated (retrospective data: 1997–1998 and 1998–1999; prospective data: 1999–2000). Study interventions included providing student orientation, changing the timing of administration of tools for student assessment of teaching, and implementing a new tool with a structured, open-ended, written comment section. The rate of student participation was increased from 67.6% ± 14.8 to 86.6% ± 6.1 (p < 0.0005). The percentage of tools with written comments was significantly increased (16.4% ± 8.0 to 50.4% ± 14.2; p < 0.000005). The quality of written comments was improved with a structured comment section (83.5% versus 77.6% unstructured; p 0.05). In summary, student participation and the quality of written comments in evaluations can be improved with interventions focused at facilitating the ease of participation, orienting students to the evaluation process, and directing students with structured, open-ended items.