ABSTRACT
Student evaluations of teaching (SET) are widely used in both North America and the UK as a means of documenting and improving teaching quality. This article discusses current research on SET administration and interpretation in both regions. Sections of the article are dedicated to various problems associated with SETs and how these may be addressed. Attention is focused on the underlying theme of engaging students to become active participants in improving teacher quality. Given the large investment in SETs and the strong likelihood that they will continue to be used to measure teaching effectiveness and learning outcomes, it is important to maximise the practical information gained from them.
Notes on contributors
Frank Hammonds received his Ph.D. in psychology from Auburn University in 2002. His primary areas of interest are behavior analysis and the philosophical foundations of the study of human behavior.
Gina Mariano is an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology in the Division of Psychology at Troy University. Her research interests include student learning as it relates to metacognition and knowledge transfer among students in higher education settings.
Gracie Ammons graduated from Troy University in 2014 with B.S. in Psychology. She is currently pursuing an M.A. in Biblical Counseling at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina.
Sheridan Chambers received her master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Auburn University in 2015. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and is currently providing services to clients with autism and developmental delays.