Why are annual student evaluations required?
The year-end program evaluation and case conference/professional development seminar leader evaluation are important to the success and quality of the Wright Institute, as they are an important means of providing feedback to faculty and administrators. We are always looking for ways to improve the program, and can't do that without your feedback and comments.
Why are annual student evaluations collected online?
For many years, the Wright Institute conducted end-of-year student evaluations using paper forms distributed and filled out in class. This was a time-consuming and labor-intensive practice that did not provide results until several months after school had ended, which does not provide much opportunity for the school to make changes based on previous student feedback. Universities nationwide are moving to online processes, and are finding that students are familiar and comfortable with online surveys. Results will now be viewable soon after school ends, allowing planners the opportunity to incorporate student feedback into the next school year. In-class teaching time will be restored and you may fill out the evaluations at your own pace in private.
How do I submit my annual student evaluations?
1. If you were enrolled in a case conference or professional development seminar this academic year, you will be required to complete the "Annual Student Evaluation of Case Conference/Professional Development Seminar Leaders". All students will submit the "Annual Student Evaluation of Program Objectives."
2. Starting the last week of each spring trimester, sign in to your student portal at: http://www.wi.edu/portal
3. Click the "Program evaluation" or "CC/PDS evaluation" link on the left side
4. Complete and submit the form
Is my feedback anonymous?
Your evaluation responses are completely anonymous. Anonymous answers are maintained within the portal software and cannot be traced back to the respondent. No personally identifiable information is captured unless you voluntarily offer personal or contact information in the comments field, which we ask that you not do in order to protect the anonymity of your classmates.
How is anonymity guaranteed?
Within the Wright Institute Portal is the functionality to perform anonymous surveys. Each person who has submitted the evaluation is recorded as "complete." The twenty-five evaluation answers and one comment field are stored in a separate database table that only holds these data and a trimester ID number. The data are not time stamped. Once submitted, the unordered data join all other responses for the year. This way, the system only knows whether or not a student has submitted the evaluations but is unable to relate the data back to the student. By using the trimester ID number, the system is then able to compile results per year. IP addresses are not recorded during the evaluation process to further ensure anonymity.
Does anyone really look at and think about what we write?
Yes! All concerned value what students report on the evaluations, so the more specific and constructive your feedback, the more likely we will take your comments to heart. Your case conference/professional development seminar feedback can lead faculty to revise teaching methods, change textbooks, revise assignments and make other changes to help you learn.
Will filling out these evaluations affect my grades?
Your feedback has no impact on your grade whatsoever. Instructors and administrators do not get to view any of the results until after final grades are submitted and they have no way to associate responses with individuals. Annual evaluations are an opportunity to have a voice and an impact on the quality of education at the Wright Institute. Just like you, instructors and the school can learn and improve from feedback.
Must I submit all evaluations at once?
No. Forms may be submitted individually at any time during the evaluation period.
What if I need to stop before I have finished an evaluation?
To ensure anonymity, progress on individual evaluations may not be saved, as this would require linking the saved data to your account. If you wish to work on your comments for an extended period of time, over several sessions, you may prepare them in another application (MS Word, NotePad, TextWrangler, etc.) and paste them into the comments field when ready.
What if I need to re-do an evaluation?
For the sake of anonymity, evaluations are not retrievable once submitted as they are not linked to individuals.
What happens to my evaluations after I submit?
After you submit your evaluations, your responses, without any personal identifiers, will become part of the database for the year. After final grades are submitted, instructors and administrators will be able to look at the aggregate data for each question on individual forms (without any identifiers).
Will I receive email reminders to complete the forms?
Yes. You will receive email reminders until all evaluations (2 max) have been submitted.
What questions are on the evaluations?
Click here to view a sample program evaluation form. Click here to view a sample CC/PDS evaluation form.
What do I do if I have other questions?
If you are experiencing any difficulty with the system, please email rating@wi.edu or call (510) 841-9230 x 171.