Last summer a new SIR data scanner was purchased including both hardware and software. This combination gave UCS the ability to scan SIR documents twenty times faster that with the old system. The new software allows us to create a flat file which is then loaded into our Oracle database. All SIR data from the 2004/2005 academic year is now stored in the Oracle database. Currently, upon request, Paul Lambert is able to generate several system reports and raw data files for any faculty member.
The Future of SIR ---
A UCS programmer is currently working on creating a web-based application that will allow any faculty member instant access to their SIR data. Initially faculty will be able to select raw, SPSS and Excel downloads for any term. Over the next several weeks I will be working with the Dean's of LAS and COE to define several initial reports that will be included in the web-based system.
The current goal is to provide a web-based system by the end of fall term that includes raw data and several reports.
A second goal would be to gather SIR data by Friday of the seventh week of each term and have results back to the faculty by the tenth week.
I would like to see additional report request submitted by faculty members. The additional reports will be added to the web-based system as resource are available to generate them. Please submit your report request as a comment to this blog.
Current SIR data for Spring 2005 can be found here.
Bill, it is neat that you will soon have for us a web-interface that will allow us download data. A year or two ago I had to make a special request for it. Neat :-)
I am opposed to the WOU practice of completing student evaluations in the middle of a term. I strongly believe they should be completed at the very end of the term, so students have the full picture of "where the class is going" which they don't have 1/2 way through the term. Those faculty wishing to have course eval results by the end of the term (for use in redesigning their course for the following term) can design their own student surveys/course evals and have students complete them at any point within the term. However, for full faculty and course evaluations (that impact faculty status) it is vital that students are able to reflect on the entire term to provide a comrehensive, fair, and accurate evaluation.
I would like to make it clear that UCS does not drive the SIR policy, we only implement the technology. Of course, this blog is open for any discussion on the topic.
Thanks,
Bill
Bill, can you break down data by the course prefix? In the Division of Health and Physical Education, I would like to be able to sort data by content area (e.g., health), and I would like to separate physical education activity courses (with prefixes of PE 100-199) from physical education theory courses.
Linda,
At this time, I can create a custom report with almost any combination of classes. With a little bit of programming, we can add this to the web-based application.
This is the kind of information we are looking for to make a better product.
-Paul
Bill, Paul, and other involved in this effort
Many thanks for the much improved system for analyzing SIR data. You have really listed to faculty and administrators' need in finding time efficient and more effective systems.
It would be great if Niki Young could work with your office to develop a short powerpoint to be sent to all faculty with directions for faculty needing to analyze their data.
I concur with Marita on the practice of collecting SIR data mid term. I will continue to advocate for a change in this policy with the Provost's office.
Faculty also analyse the SIR data in clusters for each group of questions so it would be helpful to provide the option of pulling data in that format. Also is there any way to put abbreviated terms next to the question numbers. Without more identifying info, you have to keep working between two documents.
Bill, Paul and others
Thanks very much for your attention to the vaule & use of SIR data.
As you know, Bill, I strongly support administering SIR every term as late in the term as possible - with the goal of instructors accessing their SIR data as soon as they've submitted all of their grades.
I also favor Hilda's suggestions an analysis that clusters SIR data for questions that address closely related items and having brief identifiers for each question.