SELF AND STUDENT EVALUATION OF ACADEMIC STAFF

Abstract

At the University of Queensland a questionnaire to students for their evaluation of tutors’ and lecturers’ classroom presentation and classroom management has been in (increasing) use since 1982. The introduction of the evaluation questionnaire and the management of the evaluation system are based on the research lieterature on change. Student evaluations per se do not induce change. However, self evaluations focus staffs attention on their own perception as teachers, and possible discrepancies between self and student evaluation may then motivate staff to change.

Therefore self evaluation has been used in the evaluation of teaching schemesto facilitate change. Overall, there was no relationship between student ratings and staff self ratings on the question, “All things considered, how would you rate this staff member's overall effectiveness as a university teacher?” Both highly and poorly rated lecturers showed large discrepancies between their self perception and student perception. This emphasises the importance of using more than one source of evaluative information for decision makeing. An interview study found that nearly all those evaluated had implemented changes and felt positive about evaluation.