IU-EVAL: an electronic course evaluation system

Abstract

Course evaluations are an important instrument for assessing teaching effectiveness and maintaining the quality of our academic programs. At Indiana University South Bend students are given the opportunity to evaluate their courses at the end of each semester. The results are collected and analyzed by the corresponding academic units. The university dedicates a significant amount of monetary and human resources to conduct effective and confidential end-of-semester evaluations. In order to improve the speed, accuracy, anonymity, and privacy of course evaluations the authors have developed a web-based course evaluation system called IU-EVAL. To date, the system has been tested by approximately 23,500 students. In this paper we explore the motivations behind the development of IU-EVAL and discuss the lessons learned during the deployment and administration of the system. We will also share the results of our user survey.