The impact of an objective structured teaching evaluation on faculty teaching skills.

BACKGROUND

Objective structured teaching evaluations (OSTEs) have been utilized to evaluate educational curricula and for resident and faculty development.

PURPOSE

This study examines the impact of an OSTE on faculty teaching effectiveness and faculty satisfaction.

METHODS

From 2004 to 2007, 46 faculty members participated in the OSTE. Faculty assessed their teaching abilities with a retrospective pre-post-test analysis. Faculty teaching evaluations for the 6 months before and after the OSTE were compared. Faculty participants completed satisfaction questionnaires regarding their OSTE experience and made teaching plans for the future.

RESULTS

After the OSTE, faculty reported statistically significant improvements in all self-assessed teaching skills. There was, however, no improvement in their teaching evaluations. Faculty satisfaction with the OSTE experience was high. They indicated teaching plans incorporating lessons from the OSTE.

CONCLUSIONS

Faculty felt the OSTE was a rewarding experience and reported improvement in their teaching abilities; however, faculty teaching evaluations did not improve.