Xref: utzoo comp.edu:2748 sci.edu:826 misc.misc:8683 Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!pikes!udenva!isis!csm9a!fhadsell From: fhadsell@csm9a.UUCP ( GP) Newsgroups: comp.edu,sci.edu,misc.misc Subject: Re: Are there still good teachers? Summary: teaching teachers to teach Keywords: survey Message-ID: <2050@csm9a.UUCP> Date: 3 Dec 89 12:37:27 GMT References: <1345@krafla.rhi.hi.is> <552@shuldig.Huji.Ac.IL> <2049@csm9a.UUCP> <555@shuldig.Huji.Ac.IL> Organization: Colorado School of Mines Lines: 37 In article <555@shuldig.Huji.Ac.IL>, shaig@shum.Huji.AC.IL (Shai Guday) writes: > In article <2049@csm9a.UUCP> fhadsell@csm9a.UUCP ( GP) writes: > %In article <552@shuldig.Huji.Ac.IL>, shaig@shum.Huji.AC.IL (Shai Guday) writes: > %> > %It is my impression that most US universities do something very much like > %the above. Here some 16 profs out of 200 have been removed or their > %position drastically changed on the basis of student evaluations. > > Did student evaluations form the sole basis for these changes or were > they merely contributing factors? > > One item not mentioned, which I am wondering about, are there any > requird courses for Master and Phd degrees in which they can aquire > the basic teaching skills? After all, teachers must be licensed by > some Board of Ed., what about Profs? > Student evaluations were the dominant reasons for the removal of the 16 "weakest" professors. Of course there were suspicions and informal complaints, the latter just being another form of student evaluation. In the last 30 years I have heard of a few departments that have required teaching courses for Ph.D.s. Usually the Ph.D. candidates just accumulate a little experience as teaching assistants. There is no license for College teachers in the US. Usually the Ph.D. degree is sort of a union card for those going into the professorial ranks. Recall that teaching is only one of the responsibilities of the professor. In the US, more and more, he/she is judged on the amount of money brought in. This money is essential to support graduate students. 16 "weakest" professors. Of course there were suspic tudent -- INTERNET:: fhadsell@csm9a.colorado.edu BITNET:: fhadsell@mines Frank Hadsell, Prof. of Geophysics, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401 (303) 273-3456