IDEA Student Ratings of Instruction

The IDEA Student Ratings of Instruction system takes a positive approach to soliciting student input. Rather than emphasizing the instructor's teaching techniques or personality, the IDEA system focuses on student learning.

Research has shown that there is no one correct way to teach, so The IDEA Center tailors each report to fit the instructor's teaching objectives. Teaching effectiveness is determined by student progress on goals chosen by the instructor, not by an outdated, rigid model of what effective teaching is supposed to be. Research based on our very large national database allows us to provide diagnostic assistance for those with disappointing results. Fairness is improved by taking into account the influence of factors outside the instructor’s control.

The IDEA Student Ratings of Instruction system is unique in its emphasis on using the results constructively. Reader-friendly faculty reports are produced that include not only ratings of teaching effectiveness, but also diagnostic assistance to help the instructor improve. These reports gain even more usefulness when combined across classes or years by using the Group Summary Report. No other evaluation service offers such comprehensive, longitudinal reporting services.

Why do campuses use IDEA?

• IDEA Center Experience and Expertise
  The IDEA Center has been serving institutions of higher education since 1975 and is a national leader in faculty evaluation and development. Because our mission is focused on providing products and services to evaluate and improve teaching and learning, we can provide an instrument that is based on in-depth research and leverages best practices in the area. Our experienced and dedicated staff members are available to offer consultation in how to effectively develop and implement faculty evaluation systems using IDEA.



• Student Learning Model
  While the IDEA forms and reports have been periodically updated, the model that serves as the foundation of the system has stood the test of time.
  
  Specific teaching methods influence certain types of student progress (learning) under certain circumstances.
  
  The Diagnostic Form includes 20 teaching methods, 12 learning objectives, and adjusts scores for five student and course circumstances that our research has found to influence student ratings but are beyond the control of the instructor (see Research Report 6 and Technical Report 12).
  
  While the Short Form does not address the “method” component of the model, the 12 learning objectives are included and scores are adjusted for three extraneous factors.



• Faculty Input
  Faculty members complete a Faculty Information Form for each course being surveyed. This allows them to tailor their results for each course as they identify which of the 12 learning objectives are relevant to their courses.



• Diagnostic Component
  The development of the IDEA system was focused on providing information to guide improvement efforts, which is a key element of the Diagnostic Form Report. Because of the necessity to limit the length of the Short Form, its report can only be used to provide information for administrative decisions.



• Documented Validity and Reliability
  No other nationally available student ratings instrument provides more evidence of validity and reliability. Our research efforts are continually aimed at providing quality instruments, along with information to use them wisely in improving instruction and making administrative decisions. Our publications series of Technical Reports, Research Reports, and Research Notes keep campuses well informed of our latest research findings.



• National Comparative Data
  With over 60,000 classes processed annually, IDEA has a solid basis for providing benchmark data for individual instructors, departments, and institutions.



• Scores Adjusted for Extraneous Influences
  A number of factors have been found to influence student ratings but are beyond the instructor’s control. Adjusted scores provide a mechanism to “level the playing field” for purposes of administrative decisions. We constantly focus our research efforts at refining the process for adjusting scores (Technical Report 12, Research Report 6). At this time, the Diagnostic Form adjusts for five factors
• Student motivation to take the class regardless of who taught it
• Student work habits
• Class size
• Student effort not attributable to the instructor
• Course difficulty not attributable to the instructor

The Short Form adjusts for three factors

• Student motivation to take the class regardless of who taught it
• Student work habits
• Class size


• Group Summary Reports
  Group Summary Reports provide a unique way to combine information across a number of courses. The aggregated data are not only useful for identifying local norms and potential faculty development needs, but also, because IDEA is learning centered, the data can be useful for program assessment and accreditation purposes.