Organisation - December 16, 2009
Evaluation system fails the grade
Wageningen UR's evaluation system for educational quality is in need of a thorough overhaul, says Ken Giller, Professor of plant production systems.
To prevent mistakes in future, Pim Brascamp, who awards the bonuses, will do a better check on the list of teachers up for a bonus. But that is not enough for Giller. He wants another method that reflects the educational quality delivered by teachers better.
'The current system disadvantages difficult courses. You can't leave educational evaluation entirely up to students. For a meaningful evaluation, the quality should also be assessed by experts. For example, you need to know whether the content of the course and the teaching methods fit the learning aims. This is how it is done in our neighbouring countries.' The university must have a reliable evaluation system, says Giller. Especially if the evaluations are going to be the basis for a bonus system and for staffing policy (tenure track).