What do you do if student evaluations aren't aligning with your teaching practices?

1 Reflect Deeply

Upon receiving evaluations that don't match your teaching practices, take a moment to reflect deeply on the feedback. Consider each point of criticism as a window into the student experience. It's essential to approach this reflection without defensiveness, understanding that your teaching style, while well-intentioned, may not resonate with every learner. Reflect on the specific areas where there is a disconnect and think about how you can adapt your methods to address these concerns.

2 Seek Clarification

If evaluations are unclear or seem to conflict with your teaching methods, seek further clarification. This could involve setting up a meeting with a student representative or conducting an anonymous survey to gather more detailed feedback. Encourage students to provide examples or elaborate on their evaluations. This additional information can provide context to their responses and help you pinpoint areas for improvement.

3 Engage Colleagues

Sometimes, gaining perspective from your peers can be incredibly valuable. Engage colleagues in a discussion about your student evaluations and teaching practices. They may offer insights into similar experiences they've had or suggest alternative teaching strategies that could align better with student expectations. Collaboration with fellow educators can lead to new approaches and shared solutions that benefit the broader teaching community.

4 Adjust Strategies

Once you've reflected, sought clarification, and engaged with colleagues, it's time to adjust your teaching strategies. This doesn't mean overhauling everything you do but rather making targeted changes that address the specific concerns raised by students. Whether it's incorporating more interactive elements, varying your instructional methods, or providing clearer guidance on assignments, small adjustments can have a significant impact on student engagement and learning outcomes.

5 Implement Changes

Implementation of changes should be done thoughtfully and incrementally. Introduce new teaching practices and clearly communicate these changes to your students, explaining the rationale behind them. Monitor the impact of these changes on student engagement and understanding, and be prepared to make further adjustments as necessary. Remember that teaching is an iterative process, and continuous improvement is a sign of dedication to your students' success.

6 Gather Feedback

After implementing changes, it's important to gather feedback to understand the effect of your adjustments. This can be done through follow-up evaluations or informal check-ins with students. Pay attention to whether the changes have improved the alignment between your teaching practices and student perceptions. Use this feedback as a continuous loop, informing your teaching methods and ensuring that you are responsive to the needs of your students.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?