The most important components of a good university are its educational quality and faculty. Institutions do their best to upgrade their courses, staff and facilities based on educational requirements and industry standards.
However, the best reviewers of any course are its students. Students are aware of a course's details and are therefore able to provide a comprehensive list of issues they faced; this forms the basis of course evaluations. All college students should acknowledge how much they can lead to the improvement of the entire educational structure.
Course evaluation is the feedback mechanism for the education system. Without proper feedback, every system starts functioning in an unbalanced way; the same goes for schools. Students are the assets for every educational institution. Higher education yearns to enrich them with knowledge and satisfy their eager brains.
However, this is an enormous task and is next to impossible without student support and cooperation. Their suggestions are carefully examined and analyzed. Many important decisions taken pertaining to improving the course are based on this feedback.
Unfortunately, many students tend to overlook the course evaluation aspect after the semester's end. It's a shame, as our criticisms can lead to an overall improvement of the system and make it easier for the future students to learn more effectively. Given the online accessibility of course surveys, we have the opportunity to make the University’s courses better than ever.
Course evaluations are not just a bunch of questions that you can answer without much thought; they require you to think carefully before giving your feedback. Most college students just go through the evaluation forms as a wearisome and obligatory job.
But it's so much more than that. It is your chance to participate in the advancing of the university in the simplest way. While providing your assessment, you may consider certain things unimportant and tend to omit them, like a large number of students in the class or the unavailability of workstations in the lab. However, things like these are all extremely critical parameters for achieving the course success. By course success, I mean the knowledge and satisfaction achieved by the students.
We should have enthusiasm in providing correct and accurate evaluations. This may not have a direct impact on our studies in any way. However, in the long run, it will. The entire student community, including the current, future and past students, will be benefited with the betterment of the university. When our small comments can result in great changes, why should we not take them seriously? Take part in the course evaluations at the end of the semester and be a part of the university’s progress and prosperity.
Reach the columnist at asahu4@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @anima_sahu
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 300 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
