Every UDTS course is evaluated each semester around the effectiveness of achieving the curricular goals. Teaching and learning are evaluated by students using the web-based course evaluation system, EvaluationKIT by Watermark. Student information is populated into EvaluationKIT by drawing information from our learning management system, Moodle. Students evaluate courses at midterm in order to provide formative data to instructors to make changes and adjustments to courses while the courses are being taught (See the Additional Documents file, Doc 3.13 Midterm Evaluation Template.). Instructors are asked to evaluate student comments based on the midterm surveys and provide a report to indicate whether and how the student comments were used to make changes to their courses. The instructors’ feedback, as well as the data obtained from the midterm evaluations, is used as part of faculty annual reviews, and are a component of the promotion and tenure application process for instructors. We also administer end of course evaluations through EvaluationKIT to allow students to provide additional feedback on courses, instructors, and curriculum. The data from these evaluations is provided to instructors, department heads and administration for review, and is used to identify areas in need of improvement.
In addition to student course evaluation, the seminary gathers and analyzes a range of assessment data to annually evaluate the accomplishment of student learning outcome. At the beginning of each academic year the Faculty Staff Council engages in corporate reflection on data generated from the assessment process, evaluates strengths and weaknesses and propose means to address weaknesses, and suggests revised goals or activities based on this assessment process (See the Additional Documents file, Doc 3.31 Seminary Assessment Process, Docs 3.32 & 3.33 MAMD & MDiv Assessment Grids, Doc 3.34 Rubric SLO#6 Example, Docs 3.14 & 3.15 MAMD & MDiv Outcome Assessment Report, and Doc 3.26 Seminary Outcome Assessment Report.).
In addition to the evaluation process described above, all of the United Methodist Studies courses (UM History, UM Doctrine, and UM Polity) required by the United Methodist Book of Discipline are evaluated every four years internally by the Director of the United Methodist Study Program for compliance to the requirements of the UM Book of Disciple and to the UM University Senate detailed requirements for each of the UM Courses taught by UM faculty in non-United Methodist seminaries. This evaluation process of each of the UM Studies Program courses is formalized and incorporated into a Report that UDTS submits to the UM University Senate as part of the evaluation process by which the University Senate determines whether to approve UDTS as a seminary for training UM candidates for ordination and ministry for the next four years.