Information technology is changing the way we evaluate courses and faculty.  Moving evaluations online introduces new and sometimes complex problems that must be addressed by any effective electronic evaluation system: 1) Authentication - The system must have a way to identify users.  In the classroom this might be a seating chart.  Online systems generally use passwords, but there are other alternatives.  Password management is a non-trivial task in most systems.  2) Authorization - Once a user authenticates, the system must decide if they are authorized to perform the requested operation(s).  Access control may occur at the level of individuals, groups, or roles.  Systems often utilize a combination of all three.  Access management is also a non-trivial task in most settings.  3) Anonymity - It is often desirable (and sometimes required) that evaluation data be collected anonymously.  Anonymity must coexist with authentication and authorization.  This may be difficult, especially when the number of participants is small.  4) Submission Management - The submission process requires constant care and attention.  Forms must become available at the correct times, and disappear when they are no longer required.  Participants must be aware when submissions are due.  Administrators must be able to monitor the process in real time.  Data from other sources (including paper forms) must be integrated.  5) Report Generation - Once data have accumulated in the system, they must be analyzed and reported.  A well designed system will automate this process as much as possible while providing a degree of flexibility.  This flexibility should include direct access to raw data (with proper authorization) for specialized analysis and external use.

In this one hour IAMSE Webcast Audio Seminar, Dr. Rathe will describe the electronic evaluation program at the University of Florida, including: