Teaching Effectiveness
My plan to evaluate teaching effectiveness includes institutionally mandated instruments like Student Learning Outcomes and student opinions of instruction, as well as qualitative ratings within the course. Although student opinions of instruction have their limitations, they do provide some feedback from the student perspective that proves valuable. I typically examine these by trying to predict what students might say, and then comparing my predictions with the actual ratings. This is most beneficial when done alongside a trusted colleague who can mitigate my own bias in order identify valid critique. I focus on patterns in student feedback which better demonstrate overall strengths and areas for improvement, rather than isolated examples of either praise or criticism.
In all my classes, I require a student colloquium project which puts the student in the driver’s seat of a classroom discussion. They must apply sociological material to a current event of their choosing, while also facilitating discussion of their classmates. Achievement of this task demonstrates teaching effectiveness by showing the student has not just inwardly digested the material, but has also picked on critically thinking skills previously demonstrated in class.
Evidence within the course includes qualitative measures of student engagement such as answering questions with depth, participation, body language, eye contact, and interest. Additionally, formative learning assessments can shed some light on teaching effectiveness such as a detailed Metacognition Sheet where a student must summarize a topic, apply the topic, and write questions that remain. Also, a simple exit slip could be utilized asking students to identify one new concept they feel they have mastered, along with a concept they do not understand.
At the end of the course, I have found it most helpful to include a final exam question: What advice would you give to another student on day 1 of this class next semester? If a student can easily identify not just content, how also how to succeed in the class, then this is an important indicator of teaching effectiveness.
Continuous Learning
The best teachers are first and foremost competent learners. To stay current in the field and learn more about my class, I engage in the following:
- Stay abridged of major sociological studies by reviewing the American Sociological Review monthly
- Attend sociological conferences, especially those with an opportunity to discuss and present material on teaching & learning in sociology
- Read journals oriented to teaching at community colleges specifically, such as Community College Enterprise, Community College Journal, and Community College Review
- Actively participate in organizations that promote the community college mission, such as the Alabama Community College Association
- Conduct and publish studies on learning within my own classroom
Matthew West 