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Web site evaluates, provides critique, information on professors |
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Thursday, 04 October 2007 |
by BOB KALBAUGH
Intern Online Reporter
RateMyProfessors.com, a Web site that provides student evaluations of professors from all across the country, is a tool used by students in making decisions on their respective class schedules.
There are instances, however, when the content on the site escalates from its primary goal of rating a professor on their classroom performance, to criticizing or complementing them on a personal level.
Heather P. Preston, a lecturer in Appalachian State University’s communication department, fell victim to some of the personal criticism displayed on the site.
“I see the Web site as a likeability contest as opposed to an actual
rating or analysis of a teacher,” she said. “You can’t weigh
information on this Web site because there is no control to test it
against. It is frequented by anonymous posters who probably did poorly
in the class.”
Though many students trust the site to help plan their schedules, there
are also students who are not influenced by the site’s content.
“I know many students who use this site to totally dictate their
schedules,” said James M. Belich, a junior accounting major. “I compare
it to not applying for a job opportunity because you heard the boss was
too demanding. It just doesn’t make any sense to go through college
like that.”
Jillian M. Teetsell, a junior accounting major, provides another view.
“It can be a really good resource,” she said. “Lots of students like
to have their bases covered when going into a class, and the Web site
helps provide that type of reliability in a sense.”
Laura Mallard, a popularly-rated professor in the geology department,
agrees that Rate My Professors can be useful if used correctly.
“Different professors have different teaching styles, personalities and
expectations,” she said. “I’m a believer that students should use all
the available tools or resources to find a good fit.”
Sociology professor Dr. Kenneth B. Muir also agrees that the site can
be positive for students, while expressing that professors are in a
position where the type of discussion on it should be expected.
“To be a professor you have to have a thick skin,” he said. “We are in
a position where we are public figures, so the students have every
right to go on there and make comments about how we teach.”
While Muir is not a supporter of Rate My Professor’s slanderous
content, he said gathering information about professors is something
students have been doing for years but now it gets put under the
proverbial microscope because of the internet.
“When I was an undergrad back in the 70’s, you could actually purchase
student ratings on certain professors across campus,” he said. “I
think that any material the students can use, they should definitely
use.”
Assistant professor in the communication department Dr. Calvin Hall,
another victim of critical anonymous postings on the site, calls the
students’ characters into question who post on the site and use it as
an adequate method of research gathering.
“I’ve never really found bulletin board material to be reliable,” he
said. “The fact that students use this site to plan their schedules and
verbally assault professors makes me question their mental toughness,
or lack thereof.”
Preston said the slanderous aspect of the Web site is another controversial factor.
“If people criticize me on the street like they do on that Web site, I
would definitely call it slander, which would make the publisher [of
the site] liable,” Preston said. “Aside from taking things from a
professional to a personal level, I feel that the students who plan
their schedules based on the site’s content are playing Russian
Roulette with their education.”
Can students trust the opinions of these anonymous postings? Belich says no.
“I’ve always believed that you evaluate people by your own personal
experiences with them,” he said. “You don’t know who these kids are or
what their individual work ethics or situations were with the
professors they are critiquing.”
Hall also provides a more blunt perspective on some of the Web Site’s content.
“It’s the equivalent of going into the men’s room and writing on the wall,” he said.
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