Kelly Unwin
Mississippi State University students now have a place to voice their thoughts on teachers and professors.
There have been posters, announcements in classes and notices on chalkboards promoting http://www.msuteachers.com. The goal of this Web site is to provide MSU students knowledge of a potential teacher. MSU students can go online to read comments on teachers from other students or to critique a past or present teacher.
“Students can use this site to either praise or vent over a teacher,” the Web site reads.
The creators of the Web site, both students, hope that students will visit the site for information on prospective teachers. Teachers benefit by seeing how students’ respond to their classes and lectures.
“Please post reviews about all of your teachers, good and bad,” the Web site states.
The creators do not want students to vent about teachers and not explain teachers’ good qualities. Students need to know teachers’ good points as well as their bad points.
“There’s nothing like this at MSU,” creators stated. The creators also want students to evaluate their teachers so other students can benefit. They want students to know the way the class and lectures are carried out, or if a teacher gives multiple-choice tests when a student may be better at short answer, all of which will affect his grade.
The creators said they created the Web site “to provide students with a resource when they register for classes.”
“This Web site helps students decide which professor will be best for them,” Ashley Wynn, junior marketing major, said.
Professors have e-mailed the creators saying that they didn’t realize how their methods of teaching affected students.
Clyde Williams, professor in the English Department, believes that thorough evaluations given by the university will benefit professors and students more than this Web site. He also said (he believes) that there is a direct correlation between evaluations and grades.
The English Department’s evaluations have a written portion where a student can critique a professor and the class, while some other departments’ evaluations are simply rating specific aspects, determined by the university and not the student.
“It should be the student’s right to have information about a teacher and their class before they elect to take it or not. After all, the students (or their parents) are the ones paying the teacher’s salary,” the Web site states.
“Please respect the site and behave in a mature fashion. Freedom of speech should not be abused,” the creators of the Web site said.
Teachers and students can e-mail their opinions to [email protected]. The creators hoped to have over reviews for preregistration and over a 1000 before registration.
*Editor’s Note-The creators of the critique Web site wished to remain anonymous for personal reasons.