Course Evaluations for Online Courses

Your voice matters!

University of Toronto policy requires that students in all courses have an opportunity to complete evaluations based on their experience in the course.  All evaluations are anonymous.

Step 1: At the end of your course, you will receive an email with a link to a course evaluation survey

Step 2: Click on the link and answer the questions 
 

If within a week of the end of a course you have not received an email for the evaluation, please contact Doug Hart providing the course number.

Importance of Completing Evaluations

We are using an online survey to provide this standard form to students in online/distance education courses. We  collect course evaluations anonymously. We can track who has completed the evaluation and who has not, so we can send reminders. It DOES NOT store any identifying information with your responses to the course evaluation questions.

Importance of Completing Evaluations

One of the problems with teaching online is getting people to do the evaluations. In a face-to-face course, you are generally handed a form in the class and you don't get out until you have completed it and handed it in to someone (not the instructor). We can't do that in this medium.

But here the process is still anonymous. You complete a form online and submit it. There is no identification on it and the instructor does not receive the evaluations until after marks have been submitted - and then they are given in a way that does not identify the person or even the date on which it was submitted.

But why the fuss? Are these things really important?
 

Evaluations are Used in 3 Ways:

First, the University of Toronto has a merit pay system. Each year all faculty are ranked on a 1 to 5 scale (and the committees must use all points on the scale). The ranking translates into a dollar amount which is added to the faculty member's base salary; i.e, the merit pay increase that you get this year affects your salary for the rest of your career and affects the calculation of your pension. In some years there is also an across-the-board percentage increase for all faculty; in other years there is only the merit award. In the ranking of faculty, student course evaluations play a large role.  Other considerations are research, publications and service to the university.

Second, student course evaluations are very important in promotion and tenure decisions. Failure to be promoted to associate professor means that an assistant professor will be given a one year nonrenewable contract. In addition to student course evaluations, promotion and tenure committees contact a sample of students for additional information.

Third, individual faculty members modify their courses based on the feedback they receive. The usefulness of the feedback depends on the kind of form used and the willingness of students to share their views.