Evaluation Services

CLTD offers support to academic staff to elicit feedback on effectiveness of teaching and courses for the purposes of continuous reflection to inform decisions on professional learning, enhancement of learning and teaching practice as well as accountability. Different methods should be used to ensure a holistic evaluation of teaching practice. Each method offers different benefits, and the technique chosen should be appropriate to the purpose which has prompted the evaluation process.

The following sessions are made available to all staff in order to support engagement with evaluation of teaching and courses. Staff are encouraged to enrol for the sessions according to need, alternatively contact the CLTD evaluations team for assistance.

Student Evaluation of Teaching and Courses

Academic staff with teaching responsibilities are required to conduct evaluations of their teaching and courses, and further reflect on this as part of a process to enhance the quality of offerings. CLTD believes that effective evaluation of teaching and courses requires academic staff to understand the purpose of evaluations and further create opportunities for evaluations that support reflective practice. The webinar aims to provide participants with an opportunity to do the following:

• Examine the purposes of evaluations and different tools that can be used.

• Familiarise themselves with the processes and the platform used at Wits to conduct student evaluations.

• Explore ways in which students can be encouraged to participate constructively in evaluation processes.

• Prepare for using evaluation feedback in processes of continuous improvement of teaching and courses.

Date: 9 February

Time: 12:30 – 14:00

Mode/Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

Contact: Ms Nompumelelo Mazibuko nompumelelo.mazibuko@wits.ac.za

Peer Reviews

Peer Review is a process through which valuable feedback on teaching practice and courses could be solicited by engaging the expertise of academic peers. Engaging in peer reviews provide academic staff an opportunity to triangulate data drawn through student feedback (questionnaires) in the process of self-reflection. Peer reviews create an opportunity for academic staff to examine and reflect collaboratively on teaching practice based on observed lessons and other selected teaching artefacts. The process is meant to be collegial and supportive in a manner that allows for professional learning of both the reviewer and the reviewee. The workshop targets all staff tasked with the responsibility to conduct reviews in the respective schools and those that want their teaching and course to be reviewed. The workshop provides participants with an opportunity to:

• Examine the purpose of peer reviews and relevance in supporting development of teaching competence.

• Engage with the guidelines for conducting meaningful peer reviews (i.e., clarify roles and responsibilities).

• Address different concerns or challenges related to peer review processes.

• Explore the idea of a peer review as a scholarly and collaborative reflection activity.

Date: 16 February

Time: 12:30 – 14:00

Mode/Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

Contact: Ms Nompumelelo Mazibuko nompumelelo.mazibuko@wits.ac.za

Student evaluation of teaching and courses using Blue Explorance

In 2020 the Blue Explorance system was launched across all faculties. This means all academic staff should use the online system for conducting student evaluations. CLTD will continue to support staff to use the Blue Explorance system. Support is provided to all staff through self-help material, webinars, and consultations. Faculties or schools may request for customised sessions.

Using Blue Explorance system to conduct student evaluations

This course is aimed at introducing the basic functionality of the Blue Explorance Student Evaluation of Teaching system to academic staff. The process to be followed when using the system, and the responsibilities of the different stakeholders (lecturers, students, and Evaluations team) will be explained.

Date: 23 February

Time: 12:30 – 14:00

Mode/Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

Facilitators: Ms Nompumelelo Mazibuko nompumelelo.mazibuko@wits.ac.za

Ms Nthabiseng Mokoena nthabiseng.mokoena@wits.ac.za

Contact: Ms Nompumelelo Mazibuko nompumelelo.mazibuko@wits.ac.za

Blue Explorance tools: Question Personalisation & Response rate monitor

This course is aimed at established Blue Explorance users, aiming to enhance student participation and quality of evaluations. Knowledge of Blue Explorance will be consolidated and further features for enhancing user experience will be explored. The focus of the webinar is on:

• Question personalisation tool (design evaluation forms for quality feedback), and

• Response Rate monitor (encourage student participation in evaluations).

Date: 28 February

Time: 12:30 – 14:00

Mode/Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

Facilitators: Dr Rejoice Nsibande rejoice.nsibande@wits.ac.za

Ms Nompumelelo Mazibuko nompumelelo.mazibuko@wits.ac.za

Ms Nthabiseng Mokoena nthabiseng.mokoena@wits.ac.za

Contact: Ms Nompumelelo Mazibuko nompumelelo.mazibuko@wits.ac.za

Blue Explorance Open lunch hour discussions

These discussions - 1 per semester – is aimed at academic staff and provides a forum for open discussion about the online evaluations system. CLTD Evaluation Services staff will be present to respond to questions and challenges experienced by staff when using the Blue Explorance system.

Date: 18 May Time: 13:00 14:00

Date: 21 July Time: 13:00 14:00

Mode/Venue: Online (Meeting link will be e-mailed once bookings are confirmed)

Facilitators: Dr Rejoice Nsibande rejoice.nsibande@wits.ac.za

Ms Nompumelelo Mazibuko nompumelelo.mazibuko@wits.ac.za

Ms Nthabiseng Mokoena nthabiseng.mokoena@wits.ac.za

Contact: Ms Nompumelelo Mazibuko nompumelelo.mazibuko@wits.ac.za

Self-help material

The CLTD appreciates that academics have busy schedules hence not everyone will have the opportunity to participate in organised sessions. To address this, easy-to- follow materials are developed and made accessible to all staff. Self-help material includes step -by-step guides (on how to select questions, monitor students’ participation, and access reports), a short video on evaluation process, and ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ documents (for staff and students). These are available on the ‘Better Blended Learning’ site on ulwazi, as well as on the CLTD website.

More information on evaluations

Peer Reviews

CLTD recommends that lecturers use expertise from within their Faculty or disciplines to conduct peer reviews. The CLTD is open to School/Faculty requests for a peer review workshop to support both staff identified as reviewers and those staff that require a review.

Learning and Teaching Advisors in the Faculties may be contacted for advice on using Peer Reviews. It is highly recommended that all reviewers go through training so that they are prepared for the responsibility.

It is important to remember that Peer Review is labour and time intensive. It is advisable to prepare for and schedule for the review well in advance. Academic staff are encouraged to engage with colleagues in faculty or school to conduct reviews.

Using Evaluations Constructively

CL TD’s preferred stance is to use evaluation of teaching and courses in a formative approach aimed at supporting reflective practice, rather than to make categorical judgements about an ind ivid ua l’s teaching practice. CLTD is happy to assist academic staff and academic managers in this regard.

For general information on Evaluations of Teaching and Courses at Wits University, please use the following link to access the relevant policy: http://intranet.wits.ac.za/exec/registrar/Policies/Forms/AllItems.aspx

For information on the Blue Explorance system and other evaluation matters, please contact the following CLTD staff:

• Mpumi Mazibuko

 (011) 717 1483

 Nompumelelo.Mazibuko@wits.ac.za

• Nthabiseng Mokoena

 (011) 717 1469

 nthabiseng.mokoena@wits.ac.za

For further information on conducting an evaluation of your teaching or interpreting and use of feedback data collected:

• Dr Rejoice Nsibande

 011) 717 1474

 Rejoice.Nsibande@wits.ac.za