How should instructors assess the effectiveness of their teaching?

The most comprehensive way for instructors to assess the effectiveness of their teaching is by using evaluations that include comments. This approach allows for a deeper understanding of how students perceive the instruction, which can include specific feedback on what was helpful, what could be improved, and suggestions for future courses. Written comments from students can provide nuanced insights that statistical scores alone may miss, enabling instructors to identify both strengths and areas for development in their teaching methods.

Using evaluations that incorporate comments encourages a dialogue between students and instructors, fostering an environment of continuous improvement. This feedback can directly inform adjustments to teaching strategies, course materials, or presentation styles, making instruction more effective in meeting students' needs.

In contrast, relying solely on informal feedback may not provide sufficient detail or structure for meaningful assessment. Conducting tests at the end of the course focuses more on measuring retention of material rather than the teaching effectiveness itself. Completing self-evaluations can be valuable, but they are often limited by the instructor’s perspective and may lack external validation from student experiences. Thus, the inclusion of comment-rich evaluations offers a more thorough and beneficial assessment method.