MILAN - colonne di san lorenzo & subject60 party, 06/10/10

More photos of the Subject60 party in Milan are up on my visual diary.

The Value of Student Evaluations

Fascinating findings from Scott E. Carrell  and James E. West:

Results show that there are statistically significant and sizable differences in student achievement across introductory course professors in both contemporaneous and follow-on course achievement. However, our results indicate that professors who excel at promoting contemporaneous student achievement, on average, harm the subsequent performance of their students in more advanced classes. Academic rank, teaching experience, and terminal degree status of professors are negatively correlated with contemporaneous value-added but positively correlated with follow on course value-added. Hence, students of less experienced instructors who do not possess a doctorate perform significantly better in the contemporaneous course but perform worse in the follow-on related curriculum.

Student evaluations are positively correlated with contemporaneous professor value-added and negatively correlated with follow-on student achievement. That is, students appear to reward higher grades in the introductory course but punish professors who increase deep learning (introductory course professor value-added in follow-on courses). Since many U.S. colleges and universities use student evaluations as a measurement of teaching quality for academic promotion and tenure decisions, this latter finding draws into question the value and accuracy of this practice.

five. hundred. posts.

{each photo links to its shop}

holy moly. logged in and was struck by the number 499. 499 posts. what?

not nearly enough to keep up, especially this last year, but it's a nice milestone to celebrate. yay!

got me to thinking. what kinds of things can you get on etsy for $500?
here's a little bonus sampler of $500 treasures, in case you're feeling flush:






{each photo links to its shop}

i mean, come on. four-foot fiberglass banana! i heart you, etsy.

thanks to you all for sticking with me.
xoj

LONDON - larry, eastcastle street, 06/02/10

Amazon Number One

Can you guess what book is now the #1 bestseller according to Amazon's ranking?  Hint: It is written by an economist.

Click here for the answer.

Here's why.

DAFTAR HARGA JUAL NOKIA REPLIKA

LONDON - graduate fashion week, earls court, 06/08/10

The photos of my book signing/party at UK Style in Moscow are up on my visual diary.