Polices for the Evaluation of Teaching in the Jacobs School of Music
1. Faculty in the Jacobs School of Music are evaluated using one or more of the following methods:
Campus-Wide Evaluations
- Online Course Questionnaire (OCQ): used primarily for classroom-based courses
JSoM Evaluations (developed and administered with campus approval)
- Private Instruction Evaluation (PIE): an online evaluation used for all one-on-one studio teaching
- Ensemble Evaluation: a paper form used for all X40, X60, and X70 large ensembles
- Chamber Music/Coaching Evaluation: an online evaluation to be developed and piloted during the Spring 2018 semester. The content of this evaluation will be based on language in existing evaluations and will be used to evaluate coaching for the following:
- F450/F550, O450/O550, and Y450/Y550 chamber music
- V410/V910 Vocal Coaching
- X2 Piano Accompanying
- opera coaching assignments
2. Reporting thresholds
- OCQ: distribution of OCQ results is subject to the following clause in BFC policy B29-2015: “Results will be distributed only after grades have been submitted. For classes of fewer than five students, responses will be archived until at least five students have completed that course with that instructor.”
- PIE: in studios with five or more students enrolled, students will be invited to submit an evaluation with both quantitative and qualitative questions (as approved in Comment Period Document 1617-14). In studios with fewer than five students enrolled, students will be invited to submit a version of the PIE in which all of the same issues are addressed in a qualitative format to avoid issues with validity of statistical data.
- Ensemble evaluations: since this evaluation is used for large ensembles, reporting threshold is not an issue.
- Chamber music/coaching evaluations will follow the same reporting threshold guidelines as the PIE.
3. Every semester the results of the above evaluations are delivered to the instructor and department chair (or supervisor, as appropriate). They are also available to the deans of the Jacobs School of Music.
4. In addition to the evaluation methods described above, faculty may devise their own evaluation specific to a given course and ask their students to complete this evaluation. At the faculty member’s request, this evaluation may be included in his/her dossier for tenure and/or promotion.
5. Evaluation results are used in the JSoM to identify strengths and weaknesses and provide feedback and support for faculty to deliver the best possible instruction to students.
6. All evaluation results (including quantitative data and qualitative comments) are included in tenure and promotion dossiers, for use by IUB committees only. Faculty may choose whether to send evaluations to external evaluators.
7. Faculty may choose to have evaluation results used by other JSoM committees (e.g. salary review groups) as appropriate.
8. The evaluation methods described above comprise only one component of the overall evaluation of teaching in the JSoM. See Comment Period Document 1516-08 for a list of other factors to be considered in evaluating effective teaching.
Teaching Evaluations for Associate Instructors in the Jacobs School of Music
1. Associate Instructors (AIs) may be evaluated using any of the methods used for faculty. Most will be evaluated using the OCQ and/or the PIE, though individual departments may also choose to evaluate their AIs using other means.
2. All AIs teaching private lessons are evaluated using the qualitative version of the PIE described under #2 in the faculty policies given above. There is no minimum enrollment threshold and reports are generated each semester.
3. Every semester the results of evaluations are delivered to the AI’s supervisor. Evaluations may also be shared with other administrators in situations in which supervisors need to consult about an AI’s progress.
4. Evaluations will be used for pedagogical training and to aid in the growth and development of each AI. While these evaluations are only one component in an overall assessment of teaching success, they may also be used to determine future AI awards.
Approved by the School of Music Council as CPD 1718-14 on January 25, 2018.