Self-Evaluation Instrument

Lisa Bogaty, BCT

January 2001

  1. Teaching Excellence: 
    1. Features of Pedagogy. The essence of my teaching is active learning. Among the techniques I employ are case-based instruction (I use some cases developed by others as well as developing my own on a regular basis); Jitterbug student-lead discussion projects on new materials; Book ending (starting and ending each class period with an active exercise and lecturing/leading discussion in the middle); Using the internet as a supplemental instruction medium and critical thinking exercises. 
    2. Readings/projects. In addition to textbook readings, I regularly assign outside readings. For example, in my E-Commerce course, students are asked to evaluate weekly “Web @ Work” cases published in the WSJ, using a template I give them. I also assign team projects on a regular basis. This semester, my Advertising class is developing an ad campaign. They work as a team throughout the semester and present the finished product to advertising professionals. Other projects include evaluations of CLIO award winners, putting up a website for a small business in the area, evaluating web sites…Lots of things. My rationale for these assignments: Concepts make more sense in context. By using what we are learning to evaluate a case or develop an ad campaign, students are more likely to (a) really learn it and (b) remember it.
    3. New Approaches. This semester, I have tried two new approaches. First, the semester-long, single case study in Advertising.  I located an appropriate supplemental text, designed and evaluation instrument that reflects both discipline specific objectives AND departmental objectives listed in the five column plan. Students work as self-managed teams, but I have a regular schedule of deadlines they must meet. The second new approach is actually having students develop a web site for local businesses. This is new to ALL of us and reflects the hands-on emphasis I am trying to follow in all my classes. I am unsure of the strengths and weaknesses, since this is the first time I have used these techniques. What I hope the strengths are (a) active, rather than inert learning (b) the ability to transfer the concepts we are learning to different situations (c) a more interesting (and hence, effective) classroom environment (d) more integration of the general education skills listed in Workforce 2000 into my classes. The weaknesses: Since both classes are most students’ first introduction to the discipline, adding case and team components to the necessary discussion of terminology, processes and procedures is a real challenge. I have partially addressed this by having students take exams in the testing center on their own time. This frees up three class periods for group work.
    4. Field Trips/Outside Experiences. None this semester. I usually take the ADV class to HGTV. With the new project, however, I have not had time. I DO bring the outside in, in the form of a panel of experts who help evaluate their campaigns.
    5. New Materials. I have produced and incorporated significant amounts of new material into this year’s coursework. The E-Commerce class includes the weekly “Web @ Work” cases (noted above) as well as supplemental materials on how to drive traffic to your URL, how to register a URL, how to get your URL listed by major portal, what it costs to have web sites developed and hosted…all kinds of things students need to know in addition to what is covered in the text. The Advertising class has the new semester-long case and integrates the new “Choices II” (Simmons Marketing Research) software we got this year. The later has been a real bear. It was not installed until late, did not work and is just now functioning well. That should be improved (and will be) next semester. I have also developed some templates for students to use in evaluating cases and have helped students develop methods for locating information.
    6. Evaluation. My philosophy here is evaluate often and evaluate different types of learning. As you can see from my syllabus supplements, students are graded on a minimum of three exams, classroom participation (I’ve formalized the system), and casework, teamwork and regular homework assignments. I’m still not 100% happy with evaluation procedures, but feel they are much better than just a couple exams.
    7. New Course Preps. I have developed the E-Commerce class and revised the Practicum class to include event management. Preparation measures included reading every text, article and web listing I could find on the topics, evaluating textbooks from the standpoint of how well they addressed what I wanted students to learn, and looking at every college that had a program in E-commerce’s curriculum, textbook selections and (when I could get them) syllabi. I also developed the templates (noted above) I needed, isolated some good sources of information to send students to, and prepared exams. Strengths in E-Commerce are (a) very comprehensive look at the topic from a marketing perspective (b) the sources I’ve identified are excellent and (c) does not overlap what folks in other areas are doing. The weaknesses (a) because we no longer have divisions per se, it is extremely difficult (nearly impossible) to collaborate with peers in OST and CST to make our classes work in tandem. I’ve tried to structure E-Commerce so that students who are taking OST 2801,2 and 3 can use what they are learning there in what we do in class, but it’s hard to do when all you have to work with is the syllabus. I know CST teaches some of the same concepts from a programming perspective in Systems Analysis, and feel that a collaborative effort there would be quite effective too. However, there is neither time nor incentive to work together on this. (b) The process is very time intensive. With only two faculty in our department now, there are too many courses (even in the abbreviated program) to put the time needed to do an exceptional job developing courses into each course. When I get evaluations from students back, I will look for ways to improve the classes.
    8. Experimental/new courses. Other than what I noted above and the fact that I am putting the E-Commerce class on the web, I have not initiated any new or experiential courses.
    9. Extending knowledge in discipline. Yes. In addition to working with the NSF team to learn how to do a better job writing, assessing and teaching case studies, I have read extensively on e-commerce, have attended sessions at conferences where the topic was discussed at length and have spent HOURS on the web tracking down materials to help both me and my students understand what is going on better. 

  1. Professional Development. Continue to serve as team leader for the NSF SEATEC grant. This year, we have worked diligently on developing a multi-media case based on the collapse of the bridge over Route 66 in West Tennessee. In addition to leaning much more about case writing, I have also (though work with the Vanderbilt Learning Technology Center) learned much more about how students process information and how to assess their learning. The idea of transferable knowledge intrigues me, and I’m looking for ways to assess it in all my classes. I have collaborated with the NSF team, have participated in an advanced Excel class for Windows 2000 that BCS offered, have attended WebCT training, and have engaged in an intensive self-training program for e-commerce. Finally, I attend all American Marketing Association meetings. Programs focus on areas of concern to marketers: Database marketing, customer service at Delta Airlines, International Marketing, etc. I use examples of what I learn in class regularly. 

  1. Student Interaction. Because of the curriculum change in Marketing this year, I felt it was very important to advise as many of my assigned advisees as possible this year.  I sent letters to each advisee inviting them to make an appointment, followed up with an e-mail before advising started and the week before it ended and called and left messages with students I did not hear from. I advised most of my assigned advisees and about 6 students not on my list who were (a) previous advisees who I’ve established a relationship with (b) potential new students. I also schedule extra time to rehearse my classes for presentations to outside evaluators and help Tyra Barrett with the SIFE team. 
  1. College and Community Service. My students help Carolyn Carson with Career Day every year. I help with SIFE. Primarily, my role is to locate advisory committee members and help with that aspect of the club. I also solicit donations for club fund-raising and do whatever else Tyra needs help with. I serve on the Faculty Council (as President elect and Faculty Forum coordinator. This year we brought in Ron Ledbetter, chief council for UTK to discuss faculty rights and responsibilities and five legislators to discuss funding. I help the program coordinator do adjunct evaluations and locate adjuncts. In the community, I work with the League of Women Voters (Publicity Chair and coordinator of the “Make Democracy Work” essay contest with county schools), American Marketing Association (Secretary), Tennessee Women’s Political Caucus (State Membership Chairman) and Republican Executive Committee. My work with NSF-SEATEC includes writing articles for the Case Files newsletter (which goes to all colleges in the country with engineering, computer science or information technology programs) and serving as an editor for the SMET (Science Math and Engineering Technologies) Journal jointly published by SEATEC and Auburn University. I do Professional Development seminars for SEATEC as well. This year, I did one at CSTCC and was one of the two (2) folks who actually showed up to do Shelby County Schools' teacher in service. Awards I’ve picked up this year include the Gene Joyce Visionary Award and TBR’s Excellence in Education and Quality. 
  1. Summary of Student Perception Results. No data yet
  1. Goals. Here is a recap of goals for 2000, with comments. 
Goals

Lisa Bogaty

2000-2001

I.Utilize effective teaching and learning techniques/methods

A.Integrate WebCT into E-Commerce class done

B.Develop semester long ad campaign project for ADV 2500 done

C.             Complete multimedia case, "Collapse of Route 69." done

D.Develop two new courses: E-Commerce and Event Management done

E.Teach ADV 2500 on the web using WebCT done

II.Give Guidance and counsel to program majors including developing and implementing strategies to improve the persistence to graduation of BCT students

A.Contact each advisee by mail and ask them to come by and see me to review the impact of moving to the new curriculum. Done

B.Attempt to contact majors who are no longer listed on my advisee list and determine whether or not they can be convinced to finish their degrees done – two came and/or are coming back

III.Strive to provide professional development activities to expand and enhance knowledge, skills and teaching effectiveness

A.Attend Excel workshop done

B.Attend AACC conference for NSF, and possibly NISOD Attended ASEE instead – The Frontiers in Education Conference.

C.Attend AMA Winter Educator's Conference on E-commerce if possible Not possible, too expensive

IVActively participate in college and community service activities

A.Serve on steering committee for national SEATEC national conference Conference cancelled.Did develop a marketing plan for this before it was cancelled (smile)

B.Serve as SACS evaluator done. Visited South College in Georgia and Florida.

C.Participate in SACS self-study project on Institutional Purpose team on-going

D.Serve as business officer/president elect of Faculty Council done/on-going

E.Serve as faculty sponsor of SIFE team done

F.Serve as team leader of Pellissippi SEATEC team done

Next year, I’ll do about the same thing.I’m not sure what the College/Department goals will be.If the five-column plan is what we are talking about, what I’ll work on is the following:

I.Assure students have plenty of opportunities to develop effective teamwork skills by integrating teamwork into all courses I teach.

IIAssure students have plenty of opportunities to use business tools to reach decisions by having them use PowerPoint, Word and Excel regularly in all classes and Choices II in Advertising. 

There is nothing else on the five-column plan to build from.