INSIDE DOUGLAS COLLEGE / OCTOBER 30, 1990

 

 

Lecturing: Some Myths and a Few Truths ...continued

asked to comment, those who
receive good ratings often modestly
repeat the myth. After all, it may be
difficult for them to say, "I think the
reason I receive excellent student
ratings is because I am a truly
superb instructor.” In this case, the
truth is more complicated, because
the evaluation of excellence in
teaching is more complicated.
Educational psychologists tell me
that there is a very high correlation
between the students’ ratings and
the ratings instructors receive from
their peers. The latter are higher,
but the rank order is similar.
However, student evaluations must
not be the only criterion used to
evaluate instruction. Many
students cannot estimate the
importance of the lecture material,
nor can they assess its accuracy.
Also, instructors may make tactical
errors such as an inadvertent
remark, which the class interprets
as sexist or derogatory. Although
such errors must not be excused,
they can result in low ratings that
do not accurately reflect the overall
teaching ability.

After reviewing numerous student

evaluations of colleagues, whose

lectures I have watched closely, I

believe the following statements are

true, but I would have trouble

providing scientific proof:

¢ Students are capable of
distinguishing between the
entertaining instructors, who do
not help them to learn, and the
equally entertaining instructors
who help them to understand and
develop new ideas.

¢Students are also capable of
distinguishing between the dull
instructors who do not help them

to learn and the equally dull
instructors who effectively
organize their material ina
manner that helps them to grasp
the subject matter.

¢ Peer evaluation of instructional
content is critical. Other faculty
members can assess the
importance and relevance of the
material better than students.

elt is always wise to consider
student comments carefully, even
if you disagree with them.
Although lecturers may think
they are emphasizing the material
students need to know, the
students may not agree, and
changes must then be made.

¢ If you receive a set of negative
evaluations, do not panic; instead,
consider what might have gone
wrong. However, a second set of
negative responses is cause for
concern, and a third set of bad
evaluations indicates that
something must be changed. As
one of Ian Fleming's villains said
to James Bond, "Once is
happenstance, twice is
coincidence, and three times is
enemy action."

 

Myth #5:

| As long as the material is covered,
j the lecturer is doing the job.

Here is the death knell of successfu
teaching: "I'm no worse than
anyone else on staff." The truth is
that instructors have a tremendous
responsibility to do the best job
they can. Unlike the unsuccessful
salesperson, it is often possible for
an instructor to hang on to a paid
position, despite an abysmal
teaching record. Brilliant
researchers or graduate student

supervisors may be justified
exceptions, however, these
individuals should then be given
more time in their respective areas
and not be expected to teach. For
the rest of us who have made a
major commitment to education, it
is simply not enough to show up
and go through the motions. As
instructors, we have the great
potential to effect change — the
ability to open doors and alter lives.
Nearly everyone has had an
educator who changed their beliefs
or influenced their decisions.

In many ways, instructors are no
different than their students. If you
are fascinated by and enthusiastic
about your subject, you can make
several instructional errors
(although you probably won't) and
still do a good job. On the other
hand, no matter how organized
you are, if you care neither for the
students nor the material, you will
not be an effective instructor.
Before you conclude that the views
expressed in this article merely
restate the obvious, think about the
other instructors you work with.
Do their instructional habits
suggest that they embrace some of
these myths whole-heartedly? Of
course, how you choose to
disillusion them is up to you.

Submitted by

David Cook,

Professor & Chairman
Department of Pharmacology
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7
(403)492-0511

 

 

 

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