The response rate of course evaluation (Student Evluation of Teaching and Learning, SETL in short) is low. In a recent document of our Faculty, I see that one course has only 17 percent of students responding to the survey. Most courses have a response rate lower than 50%.
Who are the other non-responsive students thinking? We do not know what they think, so the best thing we can do is to trust the average SETL scores? I have my doubt.
The alternative measure is to compute bounds of SETL. For instance, suppose a teacher (teacher A) gets 20% response rate and the average SETL score is 4 (out of 5). There is a possibility that all non-responsive students rank the course highly and are supposed to give the maximum score of 5. With this assumption, this teacher is supposed to get an upper bound of average SETL score of 4.8 (4*0.2 + 5*0.8). It is also possibile that all non-responsive students rank the course poorly and are supposed to give the minimum score of 1. With this assumption, we get a lower bound of average SETL score of 1.6 (4*0.2 + 1*0.8).
To see the impact of response rate, suppose another teacher (teacher B) with 60% response rate and the same average SETL score of 4 (out of 5). The upper bound of average SETL score of 4.4 (4*0.6 + 5*0.4). The lower bound of average SETL score of 2.6 (4*0.6 + 1*0.4).
From the bounds, it is clear that the average is much more unreliable when the response rate is low.
Looking at the average SETL score, teacher A and teacher B are equally good. Looking at the upper bound, teacher A is better. Looking at the lower bound, teacher B is better.
The big question is whether the conclusion should reply on the comparison of average, upper bound or lower bound. While that has to be debated, I am inclined to the lower bound.
In any case, we need a higher response rate to make the average SETL score as a reliable measure for teacher's performance.
But, do we want to rely on average SETL scores as the major measure to evaluate a teacher or a course? I have my doubt.
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2018-09-26 | Scheduling an appointment |
2018-08-27 | None of my business |
2018-08-21 | Course evaluation bounds and response rate |
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2017-07-12 | An internship |
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2015-10-20 | Can I trust you, my friend? |
2015-10-17 | If we have the second chance to "retake", failing or getting a low grade would not be so stressful. |
2015-09-18 | My first-hand experience on why learning is not taking place in lectures! |
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2014-10-23 | Master of Finance at MIT |
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2014-03-05 | GOLDEN opportunity -- only to the hard-working students. |
2014-03-01 | What to do when your teacher's teaching style does not fit your learning style? |
2013-11-28 | A negative experience? Not completely. It can be made into a positive one! |
2013-11-27 | Many thanks for your appreciation of my teaching (II) |
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2013-06-01 | Her decision to pursue Master of Finance after her undergradaute study at HKU |
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2011-09-12 | Coach, can you teach me to swim? |
2010-02-18 | How government policy with good intention can create frustration and political instability? |
2009-12-01 | Cherish our beloved ones who are still around us -- when we still can! |
2009-11-27 | Trust your teachers, but don't trust them blindly! |
2009-11-26 | You can give me a low score but please write some comments to help me improve my teaching. |
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2009-03-09 | I dream to work in the business sector. Should I pursue a master degree before I join the private sector? |
2009-02-19 | Any economist can predict this... Can you? |
2008-12-21 | My students performed poorly in the final exam.
Help me help them.... please. |
2008-12-20 | Learning should not end with the final exam! |
2008-11-19 | Exchange in Europe can be very rewarding! |
2008-11-18 | UC Berkeley is my top choice for exchange! |
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2008-02-23 | Dialogue is preferred to monologue. |
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2007-12-16 | I want zero emission of CO2! |
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2007-11-12 | No pain, no gain! |
2007-09-14 | Teaching is to be enjoyed, and so is studying. Grades should only be secondary. |