University of Memphis administrators want to know how wellprofessors are using computers and other technology in theclassroom. And soon students will get a chance to tell.
By May, the administration will have made some minor changes tothe Student Instructional Rating System to gauge the faculty'sability to incorporate technology into the classroom.
Use of technology in the classroom by both instructors andstudents has become the norm at universities across thecountry.
The use of computer technology is important, in the College ofFine Arts, for example, where so many programs, such as video andaudio production, are computer and technology based, said RichardRanta, College of Communication and Fine Arts dean.
"The reality is that no matter what field a student goes into,being able to use technology will be important to them," said CathyAllen, English instructor.
The technology questions are being added to the rating system toreflect the importance of using technology in the classroom, saidRalph Faudree, University provost.
Another SIRS change is in how the information will be related tothe instructors.
Before the changes, each instructor's performance was judged incomparison to the performance of the rest of The University'sinstructors.
This was problematic because to compare the evaluation of ageneral education class with the evaluation of an upper divisionclass didn't give a realistic picture, Faudree said.
Allen teaches a wide variety of classes, from freshman Englishto technical writing.
"Obviously, in (general education) classes, you have classes thestudent may or may not want to be in, and to continue comparingthose evaluations to the SIRS of senior level classes just wouldn'tbe fair," Faudree said.
Now professors will be compared with others in more similarcircumstances.
Also, graphical representations will accompany the SIRS reports,allowing the instructor to better visualize where they stand.
The SIRS reports indicate that the vast majority of studentsbelieve that their input is taken seriously.
However, some, like Thomas Lowery, freshman geological sciencesmajor, remain skeptical.
"I just find it hard to believe that the professors go througheach one of them," Lowery said.
Administration officials said the SIRS reports are veryimportant faculty evaluations.
"They are not the only part, but they are a valuable part of theequation that determines whether or not an instructor is offeredtenure," Faudree said.
While instructors see the SIRS results after each semester, thechair does not always hold a review session Allen said.
Some portions of the SIRS are valued more than others by theinstructors and tenured faculty.
"The questions on the front tend to be very generic. I stronglyencourage my students to take time after they have finished thefront to fill out the back," Allen said.
The suggestions on the back are very helpful in tailoringchanges to help improve the class for the next semester, sheadded.
"All of us want to be better teachers, and the SIRS is one ofthe tools to help us get there," Faudree said.
