Getting to Know UNO’s Course Evaluation Instrument and its Use in TABS Brian McKevitt Lisa Kelly-Vance Center for Faculty Excellence Sept. 10, 2015

Presentation Objectives ◦ Attendees will gain an understanding of UNO’s course evaluation instrument, the SEEQ. ◦ Attendees will gain familiarity with UNO’s Automated Course Evaluation (ACE) procedures. ◦ Attendees will learn about the TABS process. ◦ Attendees will know how to schedule a TABS administration and consultation if desired.

UNO’s course evaluation instrument ◦ Students’ Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ; Herbert Marsh) ◦ Extensive research ◦ Developed from a variety of sources (e.g., review of other instruments, interviews with teachers and students) ◦ Over 30 studies that included factor analysis of the SEEQ (1980s s) ◦ Nine consistent factors/dimensions

Nine dimensions of the SEEQ Dimension 1: Learning Dimension 2: Enthusiasm Dimension 3: Organization Dimension 4: Group Interaction Dimension 5: Individual Rapport Dimension 6: Breadth Dimension 7: Assessment & Evaluation Dimension 8: Assignments Dimension 9: Course workload/difficulty

How do the questions relate to the dimension? ◦ Learning/Value (Items 1-4 on SEEQ) ◦ Enthusiasm (Items 5-8) ◦ Organization/Clarity (Items 9-12) ◦ Group interaction (Items 13-16) ◦ Individual rapport (Items 17-20) ◦ Breadth of coverage (Items 21-24) ◦ Examinations/Grading (Assessment & Evaluation; Items 25-27) ◦ Assignments/Readings (Items 28-29) ◦ Workload/Difficulty (Items 32-35)

Categories Skill related dimensions Rapport related dimensions Course related dimensions Dimension 1: Learning Dimension 2: Enthusiasm Dimension 3: Organization Dimension 4: Group Interaction Dimension 5: Individual Rapport Dimension 6: Breadth Dimension 7: Assessment & Evaluation Dimension 8: Assignments Dimension 9: Course workload/difficulty

Dimension 1: Learning

Dimension 2: Enthusiasm

Dimension 3: Organization

Dimension 4: Group Interaction

Dimension 5: Individual Rapport

Dimension 6: Breadth

Dimension 7: Assessment and Evaluation

Dimension 8: Assignments

Dimension 9: Course Workload/Difficulty

Summary of results on research of SEEQ ratings Ratings are multidimensional Ratings are relatively valid when compared to other assessments of teaching Ratings are reliable, consistent over time Ratings are relatively unaffected by potential biases slide from Bill Addison PowerPoint “Assessing and Using Student Evaluations of Teaching” (

Automated Course Evaluation (ACE) ◦ Piloted Summer & Fall 2014 ◦ Full implementation Spring 2015 ◦ Questions remain unchanged ◦ When the evaluation period opens, s will notify students that links for each of their courses have been added to their Blackboard account. Reminder s will be sent to the student until every evaluation is completed or the evaluation window has closed (usually 2 weeks). ◦ After final grades have been submitted for the term, faculty gain access to cumulative course evaluation results through their Blackboard accounts. ◦ To increase response rates, faculty may allocate class time to have students complete the evaluations using their personal electronic devices

What is TABS? T eaching A nalysis B y S tudents Purpose: identify teaching strengths and weaknesses Confidential Uses the current course evaluation instrument, the Students’ Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ) Given mid-semester (weeks 5, 6, or 7) Free service for all UNO faculty and graduate teaching assistants

How does it work? Automated Course Evaluation (ACE) administered for TABS mid-semester Faculty member choses which one week window for students to complete the ACE for TABS Students receive an requesting ACE completion, and a follow-up if they have not completed it. Faculty member should notify students about the procedure. Consultation with TABS consultant after results generated Review results Identify strengths and areas for possible improvement Brainstorm strategies Can repeat over several semesters to document progress in teaching

Fall 2015 TABS Windows ◦ Week 5 ◦ Apply by 9/14 ◦ Online evaluation open 9/21-9/26 ◦ Report available 9/28 ◦ Week 6 ◦ Apply by 9/21 ◦ Online evaluation open 9/28-10/2 ◦ Report available 10/5 ◦ Week 7 ◦ Apply by 9/28 ◦ Online evaluation open 10/5-10/9 ◦ Report available 10/12

Spring 2016 TABS Windows ◦ Week 5 ◦ Apply by 2/1 ◦ Online evaluation open 2/8-2/12 ◦ Report available 2/15 ◦ Week 6 ◦ Apply by 2/8 ◦ Online evaluation open 2/15-2/19 ◦ Report available 2/22 ◦ Week 7 ◦ Apply by 2/15 ◦ Online evaluation open 2/22-2/26 ◦ Report available 2/29

Did we mention… CONFIDENTIAL NO record of your TABS scores is kept. You may report in your RPT and/or annual review files if you wish. TABS results are NOT put into Digital Measures Results purged from the UNO system on Dec. 1 for fall TABS and Jun. 1 for spring TABS If you want to keep your results, save them as a PDF (paper copy will be provided by the TABS consultant)

Process ◦ If you are interested in scheduling a TABS for your class, they are only scheduled during the fifth, sixth, or seventh weeks of the semester. 1.Contact the Center for Faculty Excellence ( or to request TABS for your class. 2.Send a course syllabus via to 3.Instructions will be sent to you. 4.Have students complete the ACE questionnaire during the specified time window. **We recommend giving time in class (~15 min) to complete it** 5.Results will be processed and a TABS consultant will contact you promptly to schedule a meeting.

THANK YOU! Brian McKevitt: ASH 347Q, , Lisa Kelly-Vance: ASH 347R, , lkelly- for more info: excellence/programs/tabs.php