Course Evaluation Frequently Asked Questions for Students

Course Evaluation Frequently Asked Questions for Students

How do I access my online course evaluations?

• By clicking the link in the email sent by the Associate Provost for Institutional Analysis and Effectiveness (Debra Schleef) to your university email account. You may also need to check your spam filter.
• Through Canvas. When you click on any of your courses, you will notice a link  “Student Evaluation of Courses” on the side bar of the page. Click on the link to access your evaluations

Will all my courses be evaluated this semester?

Course evaluation schedules follow guidelines described on the Provost page – http://provost.umw.edu/promotion-tenure-and-evaluation-calendars/student-course-evaluation-calendar/. Internships, practicums, individual lessons, some physical education courses, and courses with fewer than five students are typically not evaluated. Students who drop classes mid-semester will also not be invited to complete evaluations. Not all summer session courses are evaluated. You may contact the Associate Provost for Institutional Analysis and Effectiveness (Debra Schleef, x 1282) if you need additional information.

I do not have time to complete my evaluation right now.  Will my answers be lost if I stop in the middle of the evaluation?

You have the option to “save and exit” your evaluation before submission.  Responses you have given will be saved and can be submitted at a later time.

How are the results of course evaluations used?

Each faculty member receives a compilation of the responses and comments after each course to use in evaluating their own teaching and planning future courses.

Results of course evaluations are shared with the faculty and academic unit administrators (Provost, Deans, and Department Chairs).

Results of course evaluations may be used in both faculty annual performance reviews and the application for promotion and tenure.

How can I be certain that my responses are confidential?

Faculty and administrators only have access to summary reports of student responses after grades are submitted for the course.  The UMW online course evaluation module does not compromise students’ confidentiality.  Course evaluation reports are created such that student cannot be identified either through the comments or by any demographic variable (e.g., course, major, gender, race/ethnicity, etc.).

How will I know the online course evaluations are available?

Students will receive notification via an email invitation from the Office of Institutional Analysis and Effectiveness in their university email account indicating courses are now available for evaluations. Students can also access their evaluations via mobile devices (including phones and iPads).

If responses are confidential how am I able to receive email reminders that I have not yet completed my course evaluation?

The UMW online course evaluation module has the functionality which allows automatic email reminders to be sent to non-responders at pre-determined intervals.  Faculty members will not be able to identify which students have completed the evaluation.

Will evaluation results be available to faculty before grades are posted?

No.  Reports will not be available until all grades have been posted.

Who do I contact if I have more questions about the process or if I have difficulty accessing my evaluations?

Please contact the Associate Provost for Institutional Analysis and Effectiveness, Debra Schleef (dschleef@umw.edu) or call 540-654-1282 if you have any questions about the process or experience difficulty accessing your evaluations.