Student Ratings (SRATE and SRS)

The SRATE (Student RAtings of Teaching Effectiveness) refers to RIT's new online system for student ratings of Classroom Teachers, administered online by SmartEvals.com. SRATE is required in every course every semester. The survey consists of a set of ten core questions and up to ten additional college, department and faculty questions. There are six Student Government questions. NTID requires four college questions. (See http://www.rit.edu/provost/smartevals for more information.) ASL version of SRATE questions is available on this website. The results for each course go only to students and instructors in that course.

SRS is now called Services Rating System 1:1 (SRS1:1). It is an anonymous online survey of student perceptions of their educational encounters with faculty/staff at RIT/NTID. The SRS1:1 consists of statements to which a student responds using an agreement scale. Text boxes are also available for optional comments. Statements include required Summative items and optional Formative items selected by the individual faculty/staff.

Summative Items: A group of four to five summative items are included to fulfill RIT policy relating to tenure and appraisal of tenure-track faculty. Professional Staff may also use these for appraisal and promotion purposes. A summary of student ratings on the summative items is available online for the chairperson/director. This summary of student ratings is also accessible online to the individual faculty/staff, along with all related comments.

Formative Items: A large pool of formative items is also available, from which the faculty/staff survey creator may choose questions. A maximum of 20 questions is recommended, including the summative items. A summary of student ratings and comments on the formative items is available only for the individual faculty/staff.

Students are advised that their opinions are an essential component of the large amount of information used to evaluate faculty and staff. Chairpersons/Directors are also reminded that student input is only one source of information about faculty/staff skills and accomplishments and should be used in conjunction with other information.

See https://apps.ntid.rit.edu/SRS1to1_SP/ for the Faculty/Staff login page to the SRS1:1 and log in using your DCE/username and regular password.
 

SRATE/SmartEvals (Classroom Teachers)

SRS Request Form

Click on the links below to view the videos...

Introduction

Attend Class Regularly

Course Expectations

Amount of Work

Recommend Course

Effectiveness of Instructor

Short Answers

NTID Questions

Academic Support

This section contains a bank of items to provide you with the opportunity to custom design a formative evaluation survey to be used by your students. The items have been divided into categories that have been identified as important dimensions of effective teaching (Feldman, 1989).

Important Notes

1. The purpose of a formative survey is to gather student perceptions in order to help you improve your teaching and courses. The data are not intended to be used as supporting documentation for the appraisal, promotion, or tenure processes.
2. In the future, you will be able to compare your results with the results of other classroom teachers on commonly selected items. Such comparison information will become available as enough faculty or staff choose to use a given formative item.
3. Please select and type your questions into the SRATE (SmartEvals) system.
4. A total of 6 Classroom Teacher questions is the maximum. These will be added to the required 10 RIT core questions and 4 NTID College questions. This equals a maximum of 20 items TOTAL across all the categories.
5. Students will be asked to respond to all of the formative items using a five-point Likert scale ranging from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree".

Communication-Outcome

• I understand my instructor most of the time.
• I am satisfied with this instructor's communication skill.
• My instructor understood me most of the time.

Speech-Communication

• My instructor used pauses to help make his/her speech clear.
• My instructor used clear mouth movements for speech.
• When I tried to lipread my instructor, I felt comfortable.
• My instructor's speech helped me understand.
• My instructor used writing to introduce new words before I tried to lipread them.
• When I didn't understand my instructor's speech, he/she said things a different way.

Sign-Communication

• My instructor explained course content clearly in sign language.
• My instructor's overall sign language skills were good.
• My instructor clearly separated ideas when signing.
• When my instructor signed in class, I felt comfortable.
• My instructor's fingerspelling was clear and accurate.
• My instructor knew signs for common "everyday" vocabulary.
• My instructor understood my signing.
• My instructor's signing without speech was clear and easy to understand.
• My instructor used facial expression appropriately.
• When my instructor didn't understand my signing or fingerspelling, he/she let me know.
• My instructor's signing with speech was clear and easy to understand.

1. Stimulation of Interest
   • The instructor explained concepts and principles in an interesting way.
   • The instructor encouraged student interest in the subject.
   • The instructor made it easy to pay attention.
   • The instructor was not boring.
   • The instructor seemed to enjoy teaching this course.
   • The instructor has a good sense of humor.
   • There was a good feeling in the classroom between the instructor and the students.
   • The instructor seemed to have a good understanding of the subject.
   • This course motivated me.
   • This course challenged me to think.
   • The instructor showed respect for all students.
   • The instructor learned and used students' names.
   • The instructor's lectures were exciting.
   • The homework assignments were interesting.
   • The homework assignments were challenging.
2. Preparation / Organization
   • The instructor was well prepared for each class.
   • The instructor's lectures were well organized.
   • The lectures helped me to learn what I needed to know to succeed in this course.
   • The instructor planned the activities for each class in detail.
   • The homework assignments were well planned.
   • The homework assignments helped prepare me for the tests.
   • The instructor's materials (handouts, overheads, homework assignments, etc.) were ready for each class.
   • The lab activities were clear and well planned.
   • The instructor returned graded tests quickly.
   • The instructor returned graded homework assignments quickly.
   • The instructor explained the objectives of each class or activity.
   • The instructor was able to complete all course objectives.
   • The handouts were clear and well planned.
   • The instructor used class time well.
3. Understandability / Clarity
   • The instructor made clear explanations.
   • The instructor made good use of examples and illustrations.
   • The instructor answered students' questions in a way that helped students to understand.
   • The instructor did a good job of summarizing the material.
   • The instructor communicated ideas and theories clearly.
   • The instructor's lectures were clear.
   • New information was explained clearly.
   • The instructor made good use of facial expression, lip movement, and body language.
   • The instructor's finger spelling was clear.
   • I understood the instructor most of the time.
   • The instructor understood me most of the time.
   • The instructor has good communication skills.
   • The instructor did a good job of defining new vocabulary, concepts, and principles.
4. Sensitivity to Student Needs
   • The instructor was skilled in observing student reactions.
   • The instructor was aware when students failed to keep up with the work.
   • The instructor was interested in the progress of the students.
   • The instructor showed a desire for students to learn.
   • I was never afraid to ask this instructor for help.
   • The instructor was patient.
   • The instructor was understanding and helpful when I had problems.
   • The instructor was willing to help me outside of class.
   • The instructor seemed to know when students were having problems with the course.
   • The instructor gave helpful information on corrected homework and tests.
   • The instructor's pace of covering material was good.
   • The instructor gave the students enough time to take notes.
   • The instructor passed out handouts that helped the students learn the course concepts and principles.
   • The instructor helped students prepare for tests/quizzes.
5. Clarity of Course Objectives and Requirements
   • The instructor gave the students a written course syllabus (description) that clearly explained the policies, assignments, and grading method.
   • The instructor gave students a clear idea of the course requirements.
   • The instructor clearly defined student responsibilities in the course.
   • The instructor told students the topics that were most important to study for the tests.
   • The tests were related to the class objectives.
   • The tests were appropriate.
   • The grading system was appropriate.
   • The grading system was fair.
   • I knew what skills were expected of me in this course.
   • The instructor followed the course objectives.
   • The instructor gave clear assignments.
   • The assignments were graded appropriately.
   • The assignments were related to the course objectives.
6. Perceived Outcome of Instruction
   • This course helped me learn more about myself.
   • I think this course will help me in future courses.
   • I think this course will help me when I get a job.
   • I think I will remember what I learned for a long time.
   • I had an easy time learning the concepts and principles in this course.
   • I always felt like coming to class.
   • This was an important course for me.
   • I learned more in this course than in other courses.
   • I would tell my friends to take this course.
   • I would tell my friends to take this instructor.
   • This course helped to improve my writing.
   • This course was important to my major.
   • This course helped to improve my personal/social development.
   • This was a challenging course.
   • This course challenged me to read more carefully.
   • This course challenged me to think more clearly.
7. Encouragement of Questions and Discussions
   • I felt free to ask questions and express my opinions in class.
   • The instructor encouraged students to express differences of opinion and to evaluate each other's ideas.
   • The instructor accepted criticism of his or her own ideas.
   • The instructor accepted different points of view.
   • The instructor was able to get students to participate in the discussions.
   • The instructor was able to manage discussions skillfully.
   • The instructor encouraged students to share their knowledge, opinions, and experiences.
   • The instructor provided a good mixture of lecture and discussions.
   • The class discussions were helpful to understanding the concepts and principles.
   • The instructor gave clear and understandable answers to students' questions.
   • The instructor's responses to student questions were to the point.
   • The instructor was willing to answer students' questions.
   • The instructor helped students communicate with each other.
8. Use of Class Materials and Media
   • The instructor provided clear and helpful handouts.
   • The textbook was helpful in learning the course concepts and principles.
   • The textbook was easy to read.
   • The textbook chapters were related to the course objectives.
   • The workbook was helpful in learning the course concepts and principles.
   • The workbook was easy to read.
   • The study guide was helpful in learning the course concepts and principles.
   • The study guide was easy to read.
   • The instructor's overheads were helpful in learning the course concepts and principles.
   • The instructor used video tapes effectively to illustrate course concepts and principles.
   • The instructor used the computer effectively to illustrate course concepts and principles.
   • The instructor used newspaper and magazine articles effectively to illustrate course concepts and principles.
   • The instructor provided interesting class activities to illustrate course concepts and principles.
   • The instructor used overheads and other visual aids effectively.
   • The instructor used the board effectively.
   • The captions on the videos used in this course were clear and easy to see.
   • I was able to read and understand the captions on the videos used in this course.
   • The lighting in the classroom is fine for reading, taking notes, seeing others signs, and seeing projected materials.
   • The size of pictures and words projected in the classroom was large enough to read easily.
   • The PowerPoint presentations helped me understand the ideas and concepts in this course.
   • The PowerPoint presentations made the class more interesting.
   • The PowerPoint presentations helped me get a better grade.
   • The PowerPoint presentations helped me learn more.
   • The handouts of the PowerPoint slides helped me learn the material and study for exams.
   • The PowerPoint presentations helped me be more motivated in this course.
   • I would have liked to have more PowerPoint presentations in class.
   • The PowerPoint presentations helped me interact more with other students in class.
   • I understood the teacher when he/she was giving a PowerPoint presentation.
   • The course Web site helped me understand the ideas and concepts in this course.
   • The course Web site made this class more interesting.
   • The course Web site helped me get a better grade in this course.
   • The course Web site helped me be more motivated in this course.
   • It was helpful having course materials (syllabus, schedule, handouts, etc.) on the Web site.
   • The course Web site had activities that helped me learn.
   • The course Web site helped me keep in touch with the teacher in this course.
   • I understood the teacher when he/she was showing us things on the Web site.
   • The on-line course management program (myCourses, IdeaTools, Moodle, etc.) helped me learn in this course.
   • The on-line course management program (myCourses, IdeaTools, Moodle, etc.) made this course more interesting.
   • The on-line course management program (myCourses, IdeaTools, Moodle, etc.) helped me interact with other students.
   • The on-line course management program (myCourses, IdeaTools, Moodle, etc.) helped me stay in touch with my teacher.
   • I liked having the on-line course materials that were available in the on-line course management program (myCourses, IdeaTools, Moodle, etc.)
   • I liked to be able to get my grades by checking for them in the on-line course management program (myCourses, IdeaTools, Moodle, etc.)
   • I liked to be able to take quizzes on the computer using the on-line course management program (myCourses, IdeaTools, Moodle, etc.)
   • I understood the teacher when he/she was showing us things in the on-line course management program (myCourses, IdeaTools, Moodle, etc.)
   • The technology used in this course helped me understand the ideas and concepts in this course.
   • The technology used in this course helped me improve my skills.
   • The technology used in this course made this class more interesting.
   • The technology used in this course helped me get a better grade in this course.
   • The technology used in this course helped me be more motivated in this course.
   • The technology used in this course helped me keep in touch with the teacher in this course.
   • The technology used in this course helped me interact with other students.
   • I understood the teacher when he/she was showing us things using classroom technology.
   • The technology used in this course helped me develop my "learning how to learn" skills.

If you have any questions or suggestions please contact Nicole DelVesco, LBJ, Suite 2850 or by email.

Student Surveys

• SRS1:1 system FAQs for NTID Service Providers
• SRATE SmartEval system FAQs for classroom instructors

Stacey Davis, Coordinator
Karen Beiter
Kim Kurz
Vicki Liggera
Ernest Roszkowski
Deirdre Schlehofer
Jennifer Verbakel
Nicole Delvesco