page 8 The Fourth Wall SRTEs from page 1 reviews done, frequency of reviews ranged from six in six years to two in sixteen years. Faculty have suggested to improve the effectiveness of the SRTEs such as placing “overall quality of course” and “overall quality of instructor” at the end of the survey. Perhaps answering the specific questions first would help students to make an overall evaluation. Although most faculty members agree that SRTEs are necessary and can be useful on the whole, they feel that the current method is nothing more than a measure of “customer satisfaction.” One instructor noted that in all questions on the SRTEs, “quality” could be replaced with “satisfaction” and students would give the same response. Achampong admits that SRTEs are not perfect; however, some form of evaluation has to be performed and until a better means is developed the current SRTE format will have to be used. With twenty years of teaching experience, Achampong says that he knows students will respond to instructors who genuinely care about their education and that an instructor’s ability to reach students and teach effectively is reflected in student evaluations. Professor Kevin Boon takes a different stance on the issue. He argues that the SRTEs are biased toward the least-promising students. Boon points out thata single disgruntled student can have a devastating impact on the average score a professor receives for a course, and that the SRTEs make no distinction between how an academically excellent student ranks a professor and how a failing student who is unprepared for the demands of higher education ranks a professor. “Improving SRTE scores is. largely dependent on your ability to make every student in a class feel relatively comfortable,” Boon says. “But for some of the professorate, providing students with a quality university education involves challenging them to exceed their own expectations, and that is stressful for a large number of students, particularly during their first year.” Only 66% of students claim to take the SRTEs seriously according to a recent survey. 86% of students agree that some form of evaluation is necessary and that students should have a means of voicing their opinion of an instructor’s teaching skills. 11% of students admit to giving low SRTE scores because they “just didn’t like the instructor.” Tue Wed “Kamal” 2 Upscale and Drop 3 the Octave, Acapella Groups 8:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. ~ WSC Thu ASB Fri & WSC Due 4 p.m. Pick up at Harrisburg Bus, Station 8:15 p.m. Club Night 15 Japanese Anime Club 8 p.m. WSC “lzolda” Irish Music , Performance 8:30 p.m. WSC 16 Deadline to Sign Up for Sun. Mar. 20th Wal-Mart “When the Gays Move Into Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” 8 p.m. AUD Bowling Night AUD 19 Fashion Show Sponsored by: Signature Style Club | e30pm-230am 24 — Trips 22 RA Program Drop it Like it’s Hot - Women in the Media and How it Effects Society 8:30 p.m. WSC 20 21 25 Art Show 26 “Momentary Glances” 2 p.m. Library Wal-Mart Trip 4 p.m. & 6 p.m. Sign-up Campus Life! RA Program “Musical Chairs” s 2 py b= 28 Club Night “Karaoke Night” Volunteer Club Pe Community Easter Egg Hunt 11 a.m. -1 “LAN?” Party i 6 p.m. - 8 am. \ WSC FAD - sd NN The Gathering “Shindana Cooper” 8 p.m. Chapel Storyteller : 8:30 pm WSC Bingo 10 p.m. WSC > 31 29 LOL Tuesdays Dr. Bengali Hypnotist 9pm. AUD Resume Workshop 7-8 p.m. 304 Sci-Tech Open Mic Night < 8 p.m.-11p. 2 Late Night 10 p.m. - 12 a.m. Easter 7” N
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers