Student Evaluation of Instruction
Student Evaluation of Instruction is one of the University's most important means of improving the quality of instruction at the University. The results have a direct impact on faculty, on teaching and on students. Faculty members themselves read and care about student evaluations; they are taken seriously, and improve teaching over time. Evaluations are also read carefully by deans and department heads, who routinely consider them in their yearly merit evaluation of faculty members, as well as their tenure and promotion decisions.
Why are course evaluations important?
Course evaluations are important tools for both faculty and their departments. As faculty read the evaluations of their courses, they gain a better understanding of how well they are meeting the learning needs of students. Deans and departments use course evaluations when they review instructors’ teaching effectiveness.
Are the surveys anonymous?
Yes, surveys are anonymous. The course evaluation system will log that you have submitted your survey so that you will not continue to receive reminder emails. Student responses are stored separately from this information and cannot be associated with student names or ULIDs. Instructors will only see aggregated results and will never see any student identifiers.
When will online evaluations be available for students to complete?
Evaluations are typically open for a two-week period beginning two weeks before final exams. Students will receive an email containing a link to access their course survey. The student can either click on the link provided in the email, or access the survey from their Moodle course list ("Course Evaluation (SEI)").
Why are course evaluations not open after finals?
Course evaluations are typically open two weeks before finals began. Administration believes this gives students ample time to develop impressions about instruction, course pacing, and assignments. This timing protects instructors from students who may be unduly influenced by the final exam and their final grade. Students are protected because course evaluation results are not released to instructors until after final grades are submitted.
Does anyone really look at what students write?
YES! Student feedback can lead faculty to revising teaching methods, changing textbooks, revising assignments or implementing other changes that enhance student learning. Deans and department heads review the feedback and use the information as a measure of teaching that contributes to which courses instructors teach, faculty promotions, and other programmatic changes.
For any questions, please email course.evaluations@louisiana.edu.