EVALUATING A NEW COURSE

After designing or revamping a unit and then implementing the new structure and content there needs to be a review of the students and your peers perceptions of the unit. The opinions can be used to evaluate the success of the new unit design and may suggest aspects for change. The Centre for Staff Development offers two survey instruments able to be used for these purposes. Firstly, a Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPOT) survey and secondly a Peer Feedback on Teaching sheet.

SPOT survey questions and format are designed by yourself to suit your particular teaching situation. When surveying for information on a newly designed course keep in mind the major goals and objectives you have implicitly and explicitly determined for the unit. There are specific areas of the question bank that would be appropriate to look for relevant items. In the Student Development section look at the sub-sections 'Knowledge and Skills' 'Attitudes and Social Skills', 'Self-Concept' and 'Vocational Skills'. Under Teaching Quality the sub-sections 'Content', 'Organisation and Integration', 'Media' and 'Resources' should have some appropriate items. Finally, depending on when in the semester you choose to do the survey, the Assessment section could have appropriate items i.e. 'Grading', 'Assignments', 'Exams', and 'Feedback'.

The Peer Feedback on Teaching sheet is intended for use by individuals wanting to learn more about their teaching through structured comments from a peer. Students can only comment on aspects relevant to their experience and so a peer can comment on areas of structure, content and outcomes that students cannot. You will need to provide your colleague with a variety of sources of information from which they can peruse to make comment. The sheet gives examples of these sources as well as highlights Focus Questions for comment. In reviewing a new unit using the Peer Feedback sheet the first three questions (and their Focus Questions) would be relevant. These being Q 1. How appropriate are the design, structure and teaching methods in achieving stated aims and objectives? Q 2. What is the quality of materials used in teaching? and Q 3. What kind of intellectual tasks were set by the teacher (or students themselves) and how did the students perform?

Both a SPOT Booklet and the Peer Feedback on Teaching sheet can be obtained from the Evaluation of Teaching Office at The Centre for Staff Development by phoning Sally Wijesundera on 380 1576 or by email sallyw@csd.uwa.edu.au.