U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A Reconceptualising Student Evaluation of Teaching: An ethical framework for changing times Coralie McCormack Centre for the Enhancement of Learning, Teaching & Scholarship

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A Purpose: Close the Loop  Opening the loop: Gung Ho, Al Ternative, Ima Moderator  Drawing colleagues into the loop: HERDSA listserv  Checking-in with colleagues: HERDSA conference  Initial framework suggested: ASCILITE, EdNA  Further framework development: Gung Ho, Al Ternative, Ima Moderator  Closing the Loop: Evaluations & Assessment Conference

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A Presentation Outline  Ethical Dilemmas  HE Contexts  Conversation  Ethical framework to guide practice  student feedback on teaching  evaluation practice  Discussion of:  dilemmas  guidelines

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A Contexts for Ethical Dilemmas  Assessing Quality  Developing Quality Teaching Practice Evaluation of Teaching New Learning/Teaching Technologies  Government Quality Directives

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A “ Learning and teaching performance fund allocation … systematic student evaluation of teaching and subjects that informs probation and promotion decisions … and student evaluation results would be made publicly available on an institution’s website.” (Nelson, 2003, p.29)

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A Ethical Dilemmas  Privacy  Informed Consent  Interpretation  Ownership/Authorship  Accessibility

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A Ethical Dilemmas: Private or Public Space “ It is private to the extent that only enrolled students are present, it’s also public in that the conversation is transmitted to others who are not necessarily participants in the conversation.”

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A Ethical Dilemmas: Consent “… it is somewhat implicit as to what may or may not be done with data generated through the evaluation. Also implicit is the student's consent to complete the evaluation. In such a situation where so much is implicit, surely students cannot be giving "informed consent.”

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A Ethical Dilemmas: Interpretation What happens when verbatim quotes from a bulletin board are analysed, interpreted and reported in contexts which are different from the context in which they were initially given?

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A Ethical Dilemmas: Ownership/Authorship Who owns the postings/questionnaire responses and for how long can they own them? Does verbatim quoting from an online survey or from a bulletin board (or its archived postings) infringe personal copyright?

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A Ethical Dilemmas: Accessibility Who archives survey responses or bulletin board /chat room/ postings? Where are they held? Who has access? How long are they kept? How is access monitored? Does archiving enable identification by use of internet search engines? Can we then guarantee anonymity?

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A To Investigate Ethical Dilemmas Ethical Questions Needed  Are students’ opinions given without inducement?  Are they given without preference, prejudice or bias?  Are they given freely, not under duress, fear or threat?  Are they given knowingly?  Does the person the student is evaluating exercise some power over the student? (Andresen, 2002)

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A An Emerging Ethical Framework for Student Evaluation of Teaching  Four dimensions to guide individuals & institutions:  People: individuals, groups  Power: interests, empowerment  Principles & Practices: informed by values based on mutual trust

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A Trust No university teaching evaluation system can ever achieve a robust ethical standard unless (until?) it operates within a culture of mutual trust. When ethical principles guide practice mutual trust exists.

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A Ethical Values: Mutual Trust  Autonomy & Justice  Respect & Concern for Student Opinions  Privacy  Confidentiality & Anonymity

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A Value : Privacy Principle: Students should be aware, and consent to, the use of their feedback for research and/or publication beyond the bounds of the individual subject Practice: in relation to individuals posting to bulletin boards & student ownership of copyright emoderators suggests: Copyright [NAME] Permission is hereby granted for the redistribution of this material over electronic networks, in departmental publications, or external publications by the teacher so long as this item is redistributed in full and with appropriate credit given to the author. All other rights reserved.

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A Value : Respect and concern for students’ opinions Principle: Close the feedback loop with students Practice: communicate with students  prior to evaluation (purpose, focus, process)  after evaluation (bulletin board, subject outline, first lecture)

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A N B E R R A Summary  Close the Loop  Alert those involved in online learning & teaching to potential ethical dilemmas  Suggest an ethical framework & some practice examples  Begin another Loop: stimulate ongoing discussion