STATEMENT ON EVALUATION
Evaluation is one of the most challenging
responsibilities of the field instructor, yet it is vital to the educational
process. As such it is a gift the field
instructor offers to the church, to the student, and to the seminary.
A. IMPORTANT
PRINCIPLES FOR CONSTRUCTIVE EVALUATION
1. A supportive, kind, and honest
context for evaluation.
2. Reasonable expectations. Students will vary in their skills. Effective evaluation will
take into account where the student is currently, where they have potential, and how they
have progressed.
3. Evaluative information should be kept as objective as possible, carefully separating
performance from the person.
4. Strengths and weaknesses are named and discussed. No student is helped by not
addressing areas of weakness. A structure for doing so should be initiated early so that it
becomes part of the expectations. On the other hand, negative criticism alone is
debilitating and destructive of learning. Students need confirmation of their particular
strengths.
5. In the unusual situation where it may seem that the
student needs to reassess vocational plans
(that is, if a student appears
to have limited gifts for ministry), it is very important that this
major
concern be addressed as early as possible. No favor is done students by failure
to address
serious
problems in style or ability. Remedial action may be available
if major problems are dealt
with
early.
The following procedure may be helpful
for field instructors:
(a) Inform the student of your assessment in as non-threatening a way as possible,
suggesting that your basis for assessing may be limited but that your
perception of ministry indicates
the possibility of serious problems. Ask
for the
student's
assessment. Suggest
remedial steps and seek to renegotiate the Learning Agenda accordingly.
(b) Discern the difference between major limitations for ministry and significant
problems and/or conflict in the setting. Both can be opportunities for growth
but only if they are properly named.
(a) Make this a regular basis for discussion for a set period of time.
(d) Inform the seminary of your assessment and discussion with the student. The
seminary may have additional resources, information or suggestions for assistance in dealing with the situation.
(e) Throughout, be completely above board with the student.
(f) If problems persist after discussing the extent of the problems with the
student, suggest that it would be helpful to involve the faculty person teaching
the course.
B. REQUIREMENTS
1. Written
evaluations are required at the end of each semester. The first is due the second
week in December. The final evaluation is due the first week in May. The forms for
these evaluations are included in the appendix. In addition, two abbreviated mid-
semester evaluations are also requested; the necessary forms are in the Appendix.
2. Students do not receive credit for this course until faculty instructors have received the
evaluations.
3. No evaluation is written or returned to the
seminary until there has been discussion between the
field instructor and
the
student regarding the evaluation. This
gives the opportunity for rewriting
the
evaluation on the basis of new
insights, understandings or information from the discussion.
This is especially essential for the final
evaluation.
C.
USE OF THE EVALUATION
1. Information in the student’s evaluation is primarily for the student’s growth and benefit.
2. The evaluation is used the by the appropriate seminary personnel to monitor the student's
growth, to advise and counsel the student in their seminary program, to ascertain
appropriate remedial action where needed, and to aid in the overall determination of a
student's readiness for ministry.
2. The student has access to her/his own file.
3. Contextual Studies faculty have access to these files.
4. Appropriate individuals or groups in the seminary officially charged by seminary policy
with the task of determining student status in the M. Div. Program have access to any
given student's files.
5. No other persons or groups have direct access to information in the Contextual Studies
files except as the student provides that information personally or requests in writing that
the seminary provide that information.