Instructor and course evaluation based on student-identified criteria

Students have come to school for an education and it is their right to evaluate the quality of the education they are receiving. They should not have to demand or even ask for the privilege of saying what they think. Instructors should be providing the opportunity for evaluation by requesting that information from the students. No value judgment can be totally objective, but an instrument composed of mutually agreed upon statements should encourage the greatest possible degree of objectivity. Using one accepted form throughout the school, all students would be considering the same characteristics and traits for every instructor and course evaluated. Each instructor would receive similar information about personal performance and about the course presented. Students would be free to talk to the faculty or to add comments if they so desired; but, a questionnaire used in every course would allow and even encourage responses from every student enrolled. Faculty responsibility would not end with the preparation and implementation of an evaluation instrument. Instructors would have to let the students know their opinions are important and will be considered in curricular and instructional decisions. Faculty and students would be communicating and hopefully fulfilling the needs of and responsibilities to each other.