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Provost Office
spring 2012 poster

 

Student Course Evaluations

Background and Process

Since the fall semester of 2010, UTSA has conducted evaluation of classes and instructors online using Scantron Corporation’s Class Climate ® system. The results of these evaluations are provided to instructors, department chairs, and deans in order to improve classes and instruction at UTSA. They are also used as part of the regular performance appraisal conducted for each instructor for merit. We have assembled a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to provide more information about the evaluations.

Evaluation Content

Students enrolled in classes are provided links to the evaluation forms and given time to complete the evaluations prior to final exams (number of days varies depending on whether the semester is fall/spring or summer sessions).

Every survey sent to students must have the following four items: two essential statement and two informational questions.

Essential Statements (answered on a scale of 5 = Excellent; 4 = Above Average; 3 = Average; 2 = Below Average; 1 = Poor):
  • My overall rating of the course is:
  • My overall rating of the teaching of this course is:
    •  
    Informational Questions:
  • Was this a required course? (Yes or No)
  • What grade do you expect in this course? (A through F)

    • In addition to the four required items, departments are able to add additional questions that they feel would be most helpful in providing information to improve classes and teaching. Departments are provided a question bank of over 900 questions from which they can select those questions that best meet their needs. Each college has a staff person identified who is authorized to access the question bank through Class Climate ® in order to update or change surveys.

    Related Information

    The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has provided rules for implementation of HB 2504, part of which requires that the results of student evaluations of instruction be posted online on each institution’s website. UTSA has implemented those requirements using an institutionally-developed, web-based system, Bluebook.

    Questions

    If you have any questions about UTSA’s class and instructor system, please call Doug Atkinson (458-4709) or Lisa Johnston (458-4965), or email them at evaluate@utsa.edu.