The main tools for measuring teaching effectiveness are:
Peer evaluations take the form of classroom observation reports. A colleague in my department visits one of my classes each semester, writes a report, and holds a post-observation conference to discuss the results. The reports give a snapshot of what happens in my classroom and the conference provides an opportunity for feedback as well as discussion of teaching and learning in a broader context.
Student evaluations take the form of surveys distributed in class toward the end of each semester. Students complete the surveys anonymously and summaries are returned to me the following semester. As opposed to the snapshot the peer observations provide, the scope of students’ feedback is the entire course.
