A mid-quarter evaluation is a valuable tool for providing feedback and helping improve the course. This is a time to encourage students to be honest, express what they see as the course's strengths, and acknowledge areas of growth in your teaching. 

 

Why do evaluations matter? Here are five ways they benefit you as an instructor/TA and your students!

Early Feedback for Course Adjustments

• Identify areas for improvement: By receiving feedback before the end of the term, instructors can address issues promptly, making necessary changes to the course content, assignments, or teaching methods.
• Tailor instruction to student needs: Understanding students' perspectives allows instructors to adapt their approach to better meet their learning styles and needs.

Improved Student Engagement and Satisfaction

• Demonstrate responsiveness: Mid-quarter evaluations show students that their opinions matter and that the instructor is committed to their success.
• Enhance the learning experience: By making adjustments based on feedback, instructors can create a more engaging and satisfying learning environment.

Professional Development and Growth

• Self-reflection: Mid-quarter evaluations encourage instructors to reflect on their teaching practices and identify areas for growth.
• Continuous improvement: By incorporating feedback, instructors can develop their skills and become more effective educators.

Data-Driven Decision Making

• Inform future courses: Mid-quarter evaluations provide data that can be used to inform future course planning and development.
• Measure effectiveness: By tracking feedback over time, instructors can assess the effectiveness of their teaching methods and make informed decisions about their approach.

Strengthened Student-Instructor Relationships

• Open communication: Mid-quarter evaluations can foster open communication between instructors and students, leading to stronger relationships and a more supportive learning environment.
• Increased trust: When instructors are willing to listen to feedback and make changes, students are more likely to trust and respect them.

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So, how do you write an evaluation? First, encourage students to be honest and specific in their feedback:

• Provide concrete examples: Instead of general statements like "the lectures were boring," explain specific instances where you found the content or delivery lacking.
• Be constructive: Offer suggestions for improvement rather than just criticizing. For instance, if you think the pace is too fast, suggest breaking down complex topics into smaller, more digestible segments.

Employ critical areas that are relevant to you as a TA or Associate-In. 
Are you running a discussion section or lab? Have the students speak only to those aspects of their learning, the feedback they receive from you, and your time during office hours. Something as simple as this list can help provide valuable feedback to improve your section for the rest of the quarter:

• What do you enjoy about the discussion section, your experiences with your TA, or any other videos or articles provided by the TA?
• What do you think needs to be improved during the TA's future discussion sections, within conversations with students, or with the articles and videos they provided?
• If you have any other questions, comments, or concerns about the TA and their discussion facilitation, please add them here.

Are they running an entire course? Have students consider course engagement, instructional methods, course materials, and overall experience. Some questions to ask include: 

• Course Content: Is the material relevant and challenging? Is the workload manageable? Are the learning objectives clear?
• Instructional Methods: Are the lectures engaging and informative? Are the assignments and assessments fair and effective? Is the instructor approachable and helpful?
• Course Materials: Are the textbooks and online resources useful? Are the assignments well-designed and clear?
• Overall Course Experience: How satisfied are you with the course so far? What are the strengths and areas of growth of the course?

Methods of Administering the Evaluation
Midterm Evaluations can be administered in various ways, including polling devices, Google Forms, or written evaluations. Each of these methods has its advantages, but the most important is the speed of response. Students should have easy access to complete the evaluation. You can do the evaluation in class (while you step out of the room for 10-15 minutes), or they can complete it independently. What’s most important is that they do it and that you respond as soon as possible to the areas of improvement and strengths of the course. 

With that in mind, set a time for you to discuss areas of strength and improvement with the class, preferably as soon as possible after the evaluations are complete (the next class or the following week). 

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Seeking Out Additional Resources to Reflect on Evaluations
Reading these evaluations can be difficult and feel personal. As such, I recommend you talk with others about suggestions for improvement in your courses. Additionally, other practices and resources on campus can support this evaluation. The Teaching Assistant Development Program holds weekly workshops on specific topics throughout the school year to better your teaching. You can find more info here. Additionally, TADP consultants can do teaching observations of your courses, demonstrating your strengths and areas of growth as a TA/instructor. 

If your teaching reflection is causing you to want to level up your teaching, consider the University Teaching Certificate Program. The UTC Program is a two-quarter instructional training and certification program for graduate students. This program is designed to assist graduate students interested in careers as university-level instructors in developing teaching and lecturing strategies, creating a teaching philosophy, and becoming members of the professional teaching community. The UTC program aims to equip graduate students with the necessary skills to be regarded as outstanding scholars and teachers in their continued academic work. Applications for the Winter-Spring 2025 cohort are open now and close on November 21st. More info can be found here.

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Evaluation is important for the students to feel heard and for you to understand where the course is succeeding. These evaluations can also help you address issues head-on before the final evaluation. Good luck with your evaluation of the course!