Publication
Why It Is Wrong to Use Student Evaluations of Professors as a Measure of Teaching Effectiveness
Using student evaluations in assessing teaching effectiveness imposes a wrongful risk of harm on instructors. In this article, Eamon Aloyo argues that university supervisors should not use student evaluations of teachers as a measure of teaching effectiveness in personnel assessments.
- Author
- Eamon Aloyo
- Date
- 05 July 2023
- Links
- Read the full article here
This article argues that university supervisors should not use student evaluations of teachers (SETs) as a measure of teaching effectiveness in personnel assessments because the evidence suggests SETs likely violate several duties university supervisors have toward their instructional employees. The article focuses on the duty to not knowingly impose a wrongful risk of harm on nonconsenting and innocent others. Many university employers impose a wrongful risk of harm on instructors by not using relevant, merit-based performance indicators that have adequate construct validity, by using uncorrected indicators that likely perpetuate discrimination, and by incentivizing instructors to do wrong.
The use of SETs imposes unjust risk of harm on all instructors, but the risk is higher for women, minorities, and those in precarious, teaching-focused roles. In conclusion, Eamon Aloyo tentatively suggests some other means of evaluating student learning and assessing instructors.