Student course evaluations were collected anonymously and compiled by the MSU Office of Institutional Research. Table 1 shows a list of graduate level courses that I taught, along with the number of students enrolled and the number of hours each class met.
Table 1: Graduate Level Courses Taught, 2007 – 2009, E. Sandell[1]
| Term | Course | Title | # | Role | Hours | |
| Fall | 07 | 590-01 | Educ in the US | 20 | Teacher | 1.0 hr/wk class+field exp |
| Fall | 07 | 642-01 | Org & Admin of EC | 1 | Mentor | |
| Fall | 07 | 680-01 | Assessment | 3 | Teacher | 3.0 hr/wk class |
| Spr | 08 | 590-01 | Educ in the US | 14 | Teacher | 1.0 hr/wk class+field exp |
| Fall | 08 | 590-01 | Educ in the US | 7 | Teacher | 1.0 hr/wk class+field exp |
| Spr | 09 | 590-01 | Educ in the US | 2 | Teacher | 1.0 hr/wk class+field exp |
Table 2 presents the results of the student course evaluations collected for courses that had more than five students enrolled. (It would have been too easy to identify individual students in courses that had fewer than five students enrolled.)
Table 2: Student Course Evaluations for Graduate Level Courses
Taught, 2007 – 2009, E. Sandell[2]
[with more than 5 students enrolled]
| Item | 590 (Fall 07) | 590 (Spr 08) | 590 (Fall 08) |
| 10 | 13 | 5 | |
| Course as a whole | 4.70 | 4.23 | 4.40 |
| Instructor’s contribution to course | 4.90 | 4.62 | 5.00 |
| Use of class time | 4.90 | 4.08 | 4.80 |
| Instructor’s interest in student learning | 5.00 | 4.38 | 5.00 |
| Amount learned in course | 4.70 | 3.85 | 4.40 |
| Evaluative & grading techniques | 4.70 | 4.15 | 4.00 |
| Clarity of student responsibilities | 4.90 | 3.85 | 5.00 |
| Course organization | 4.70 | 4.25 | 4.60 |
| Instructor’s contribution to discussion | 4.90 | 4.67 | 5.00 |
| Instructor’s use of examples | 4.80 | 4.50 | 5.00 |
| Quality of questions raised by instructor | 4.90 | 4.58 | 4.80 |
| Student confidence in instructor’s knowledge | 4.80 | 4.58 | 4.80 |
| Instructor’s enthusiasm | 4.90 | 4.62 | 5.00 |
| Encouragement for student expression | 4.80 | 4.62 | 5.00 |
| Answers to student questions | 5.00 | 4.69 | 5.00 |
A comparison of student course evaluations shows consistent high scores, from a low of 3.85 to a high of 5.00 on a 5-point scale. I was very pleased with improvements in my teaching, such that average student course evaluations for my teaching have always been above 3.5.
[1] Based on reports generated by Institutional Research, Minnesota State University, Mankato. August, 30, 2007.
[2] Based on reports generated by Institutional Research, Minnesota State University, Mankato. August, 30, 2007.