I am rewriting my guide to instructors for ³Using Student Evaluation Data
Wisely²....and thought this might be useful for everyone

Came across a great paper.....with a great student comment and analysis

Here is my take on this paper by Thoma....

You can encounter very negative reactions from students who insist on a
black versus white, right versus wrong world. When instructors introduce
ambiguity these students can become very uncomfortable and begin to question
authourity. Uncomfortable students, typically make instructors uncomfortable
with their feedback. The authour Thoma in his article ³The Perry Framework
and Tactics for Teaching Critical Thinking in Economics² provides a very
helpful and insightful student evaluation comment (likely from a student
struggling with accepting ambiguity):
 
 ³It wasn¹t a question of being hard or easy but rather too subjective. I
found this to be the worst course I have ever taken, taught by the worst
professor in the history of the human raceŠI have found the best course I
have ever taken to be an introduction to the biology of the cell. The course
required much more intense technical reading and a lot of work effort. But
it was very rewarding and absolutely objective in its grading policy.²
 
Likely this comment is more about where the student is at, and not so much
about the instructors teaching. These are still difficult comment to read
and process. We need to remember that these comments might not be true, but
may be true of something.


jim