{"id":61042,"date":"2022-01-11T13:53:58","date_gmt":"2022-01-11T18:53:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=61042"},"modified":"2022-01-11T13:53:58","modified_gmt":"2022-01-11T18:53:58","slug":"lose-some-weight-stupid-old-hag-universities-should-no-longer-ask-students-for-anonymous-feedback-on-their-teachers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/lose-some-weight-stupid-old-hag-universities-should-no-longer-ask-students-for-anonymous-feedback-on-their-teachers\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Lose some weight\u2019, \u2018stupid old hag\u2019: universities should no longer ask students for anonymous feedback on their teachers"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nStudent evaluations, in the form of anonymous online surveys, are\u00a0ubiquitous<\/a>\u00a0in Australian universities. Most students in most courses are offered the opportunity to rate the \u201cquality\u201d of their teachers and the course they take.<\/p>\n

The original intention of student surveys was to help improve the learning experience. But it\u2019s now become\u00a0much more<\/a>. Student surveys are often the only measure of teaching quality (along with pass rates). For lecturers, positive ratings and comments are often required to ensure continued employment or promotion.<\/p>\n

But these anonymous surveys have also\u00a0become a platform<\/a>\u00a0for defamatory, racist, misogynistic and homophobic comments against staff.<\/p>\n

We surveyed 791 Australian academics from different universities about their experience of anonymous student evaluations. The participating academics shared verbatim some of the non-constructive feedback students gave them. We collated examples of this feedback and published these in the journal\u00a0Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We grouped the feedback into five broad themes: attire, appearance and accent; allegations against character; general insults; projections of blame; and threats or calls for punishment.<\/p>\n

1. Attire, appearance and accent<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Often the comments about appearance were gendered, misogynistic or racist with variations on being \u201ctoo fat\u201d, \u201cugly\u201d and \u201cold\u201d.<\/p>\n

One student wrote:
\nYou look like something the cat dragged in.<\/em>
\nAnother said:
\nPeople who\u2019s [sic] mother tongue is not English should not be employed as lecturers.<\/em><\/p>\n

2. Allegations against character<\/strong><\/h4>\n

These typically accused the lecturer of incompetence, racism or having negative attitudes towards students:
\nShe is really rude which is why everyone hates her.<\/p>\n

You are a cultural Marxist, your Wokeness undermines everything you do. Not all your students are left wing nut jobs like you. You seriously need to lose some weight.<\/em><\/p>\n

3. General insults<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Most insults were clearly designed to wound the teacher and there was no pretence about the comments having anything to do with teaching \u2013 although the following was an exception:
\nWhat the fuck did you think you were doing to take a couple of days off for your grandmother\u2019s funeral when we had an assignment due?<\/em>
\nApart from variations on \u201cI hate everything about you\u201d, most insults were a combination of unimaginative adjectives or name calling including \u201cbitch\u201d, \u201cbitter\u201d, \u201ccrap\u201d, \u201cdevil\u2019s spawn\u201d, \u201cdick\u201d, \u201cdog\u201d, \u201cdinosaur\u201d, \u201cidiot\u201d, \u201closer\u201d, \u201cmentally unstable\u201d, \u201cmole\u201d, \u201cNazi\u201d, \u201cneeds to chill\u201d, \u201cout of control\u201d, \u201cpathetic\u201d, \u201cpsychotic\u201d, \u201csenile shit\u201d, \u201csmiling assassin\u201d, \u201ctrash\u201d, \u201cunhappy\u201d and \u201cuseless\u201d.<\/p>\n

4. Projections of blame<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Most student evaluation surveys are done before grades are released but many students anticipated failure and blamed the teacher:
\nThat fucking dyke bitch failed me she\u2019s fucking useless that\u2019s why I failed.<\/em><\/p>\n

5. Threats and punishment<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Hand-in-hand with projection of blame were threats or calls for punishment. Most often these called for the teacher to be sacked but also included far more harsher measures:
\nI\u2019d like to shove a broom up her arse.<\/p>\n

She should be stabbed with a pitchfork.<\/p>\n

If I was X, I would jump off the tallest building and kill myself if I was that dumb.<\/em>
\nSome managed to combine themes to achieve maximum offensiveness:
\nStupid old hag needs a good fucking.<\/p>\n

This bitch should be fired immediately. Why is someone this ugly allowed to teach? She better be careful I never see her in the car park. She needs to get a better fashion pick. Her clothes are hideous.<\/em><\/p>\n

The impacts are serious<\/strong><\/h4>\n

An\u00a0analysis of research<\/a>\u00a0on university student evaluations of teaching, published in March 2021, found they were influenced by factors that have nothing to do with teaching quality. These include student demographics, and the teaching academic\u2019s culture and identity. It also found evaluations include increasingly abusive comments.<\/p>\n

While much of the criticism may seem like playground-level name calling, the\u00a0impacts can be serious<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As part of our survey we asked teachers how anonymous student evaluations of their teaching affected their well-being, mental health, and professional and personal relationships. From our ongoing analysis of the survey data (yet to be published) a profile is emerging of a highly traumatised workforce. Early career academics, casual staff, women and minorities are disproportionately affected. Many appear to be triggered by every round of student evaluations.If Australian universities persist in employing anonymous surveys, university teachers can continue to expect to receive racist, misogynistic, defamatory comments, threats of censure and even death.
\n

<\/p>\n
\n

Career academic friends: does reading student evals ever get easier? Every year, I find myself reading tons of useful feedback and kind compliments, but I always get stuck on the one or two survey participants who go out of their way to be unkind.<\/p>\n

— Kirstin Anderson Birkhaug (@KirstinBirkhaug) December 27, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n