The first step in developing items for the new student rating form was to identify essential areas or categories of items to include on the form. In identifying item categories, emphasis was placed on areas that are most important to teaching and learning and that are most relevant to BYU. Two main sources were used to identify item categories: a) research on teaching, learning, and student ratings and b) student-rating forms that have already been developed at BYU. A short description of each of these sources is below.

Research-based sources for identifying categories of student-rating items

Categories from the IDEA student-rating form

The IDEA evaluation form is one of the most used and most researched evaluation forms in the country. It was revised and updated in 1999.

Meta-analysis of student-rating research (Cohen, 1981)

Meta-analysis of 41 research studies on the correlation between student rating items and student achievement (as measured by common course exams in different sections of the same course).

Synthesis of student rating research (Feldman, 1989)

Synthesis of many studies on the correlations between student rating items and a) student achievement, b) overall evaluations, c) importance stated by students, and d) importance stated by faculty

Common categories of items found on student rating forms (Braskamp & Ory, 1994; Cashin, 1995; Centra, 1993)

Synthesis of items used on student-rating forms at universities across the country.

Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education

The 7 Principles are the results of an initiative by the American Association of Higher Education and others to distill decades of research on teaching and learning.

Student-rating forms already developed at BYU

Old BYU student-rating form (1975)

This is the form BYU has used in past semesters.

BYU student-rating form developed by university committee (1997)

This form was developed by a committee of faculty, students, and administrators and was approved by the FAC but was not implemented.

Important categories for student-rating items were identified from the sources listed above. These categories include:

• Overall course rating
• Overall instructor rating
• Student self-rating of amount learned
• Organization/planning
• Faculty-student interaction
• Assessment of learning
• Course expectations/workload
• Value of instructional/learning time
• Student involvement/active learning
• Aims of a BYU education

Based on these categories, the research on student ratings, and BYU sources and needs, items were developed for the new student rating form. Following are the item categories with the specific items on the form listed under each category.

Overall course rating

1. Course: [name of course]

Overall instructor rating

2. Instructor: [name of instructor]

Student self-rating of amount learned

3. I learned a great deal in this course.

8. This course helped me develop intellectual skills (such as critical thinking, analytical reasoning, integration of knowledge).

Organization/planning

4. Course materials and learning activities were effective in helping students learn.

5. This course was well organized.

15. The instructor provided adequate opportunities for students to get help when they need it.

17. The instructor gave students prompt feedback on their work.

Faculty-student interaction

14. The instructor showed genuine interest in students and their learning.

19. The instructor responded respectfully to students? questions and viewpoints.

20. The instructor was effective in explaining difficult concepts and ideas.

Assessment of learning

6. Evaluations of students' work (e.g., exams, graded assignments and activities) were good measures of what students learn in the course.

7. Course grading procedures were fair.

18. The instructor provided students useful feedback on their work.

Course expectations/workload

10. For this course, about how many hours per week did you spend in class?

12. For this course, about how many hours per week did you spend out of class?

Value of instructional/learning time

11. What percentage of time spent in class was valuable to your learning?

13. What percentage of time spent outside of class was valuable to your learning?

Student involvement/active learning

16. The instructor provided opportunities for students to become actively involved in the learning process.

Aims of a BYU education

9. This course provided knowledge and experiences that help strengthen my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

21. The instructor appropriately brought Gospel insights and values into secular subjects.

22. The instructor was spiritually inspiring insofar as the subject matter permits.

23. This instructor and course contributed to the Mission and Aims of a BYU Education (i.e., Spiritually Strengthening, Intellectually Enlarging, Character Building, Leading to Lifelong Learning and Service).