Course and Learning Administration
- Online Subject Evaluation and the Who's Teaching What project
MIT has been using a paper-based subject evaluation system for ten years. While useful, its results have been plagued with transcription errors, slow result tabulation, difficulty in capturing qualitative information and cumbersome distribution. The Online Subject Evaluation project is focused on streamlining the delivery of subject evaluation information through electronic input of records and digitization of results.
Advancing from teaching to learning in our classrooms is a strategic theme of the Office of the Dean for Undergraduate Education. A paradigm shift such as this will require reliable procedures for accurate and timely feedback on subjects, pedagogic approaches, and teaching staff. The Task Force on the Undergraduate Educational Commons has recommended that assessment be made an Institute policy, including:
- Improving the breadth of coverage and the usefulness of end-of-term class evaluations.
- Encouraging the feedback cycle between students and faculty throughout the term.
- Assessing both curriculum and teaching.
Against the preceeding set of objectives the following project has been launched: a joint DUE and IS&T interdepartmental project team convened by OFS and with participation and leadership from OEIT and IS&T-SAIS. The team recommended that the online subject evaluation system be implemented through a multi-year project, beginning in FY07-08 with improvements to Who's Teaching What and pilots of the online versions of the current Institute paper survey tool and reports. OEIT provides strategic, business and technical leadership in this effort.
