Student Diary Keeping: Tool for Instructional Improvement

Abstract

There is little evidence that end-of-course evaluations of instructors by students result in any improvement in subsequent teaching. This may be because the feedback received is, on the whole, of poor quality. This article suggests that the process of diary keeping may help students deliver more useful performance feedback to instructors. Results of an experimental study in which some students used performance diaries and others did not are reported. Theoretical benefits of diary keeping are explored and practical problems are discussed.