Why I Avoid my Student Evaluations of Teaching

Event Date & Time

Event Description

Pillar: Transformative Learning

As faculty members, we are told we need to read and respond to our student evaluations of teaching (SEoT). We work hard to provide good learning experiences for our students but the comments can be harsh and confusing and send us into a spiral of negativity and self-doubt. So, how should we respond? Should we/Do we: Avoid them? Read but ignore them? Read and obsess? Read and respond?

This session is an attempt to acknowledge and honour the difficult emotional aspects of the SEoTs and provide an opportunity for faculty members to talk about this in a collegial and empathetic environment. We will not be discussing the reliability and validity of SEoT, but rather will focus on what we need to do to take care of ourselves as it relates to the SEoT.

We do not have defined session objectives. Topics of conversation may include:

• Participants’ approaches to student evaluation of teaching (SEoT)
• Reaching out to colleagues for support
• Recalling our individual strengths, and who we are at our best, as instructors
• Faculty member’s well-being

Facilitators:

Judy Chan, Educational Consultant (CTLT) and Sessional Lecturer (Land and Food Systems) | Certified Coach

Amrit Mundy, Learning Designer | UBC Coach, Workplace Learning & Engagement, HR

Isabeau Iqbal, Educational Consultant (CTLT) | Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach