206+Schulte

Finding a "best fit" for online instructor evaluation || Marthann Schulte, Park University, Missouri, United States, mschulte@park.edu || Many schools are implementing online instructor evaluation mechanisms (peer or administrative evaluation). Depending upon the school and design of the distance education division, online instructor evaluation seems to vary between two extremes - adherence to policy or adherence to best practices. Attendees of this session will be encouraged to share their lessons learned with online instructor evaluation. The main question asked will be: When should you use policy and/or best practices in online instructor evaluation?
 * **Submission ID 206** ||
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Educators encourage students to find programs and degrees that are a “best fit” for their interests, career, schedule, learning style, etc. Higher education schools should embrace the concept of “best fit” as they create and tailor their distance learning support systems. Just like clothing, “one size fits all” rarely fits all. As such, schools should be willing to find a “best fit” that combines needed policy with best practices. Online instructor evaluation is one area where “best fit” is preferable to “one size fits all."

This session will be designed to include audience sharing as well as promote later reflection from participants. Attendance at recent online learning conferences indicates that many online learning programs are building online instructor evaluation mechanisms. Many of these mechanisms are "home grown" to meet the needs of the individual school or distance education division. To aid those who are building or who have built their own evaluation mechanisms for peer and administrative needs, this session will encourage discussion of lessons learned. When should you implement policy changes? When should you encourage adherence to best practices? What kind of resources are needed (personnel and technology)? At Park University, Marthann Schulte has asked many of these questions and has explored the questions with her colleagues within Park University and at other institutions. || General Session Forum Intermediate ||
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