Prof Ben Britton
@bmatb.expmicromech.com
Dyslexic atomic sorcerer @ UBC, Vancouver 🍁 (he/him & 🏳️🌈). 🐕 dad.
Materials and Manufacturing Engineering (🔬⚛️), Clean Tech, Academic Governance (UBC Senate & Faculty Assoc.), EDI.
Leads @expmicromech.com.
Has too many hills to die on. Views own.
Materials and Manufacturing Engineering (🔬⚛️), Clean Tech, Academic Governance (UBC Senate & Faculty Assoc.), EDI.
Leads @expmicromech.com.
Has too many hills to die on. Views own.
Reposted by Prof Ben Britton
I once had an evaluation that said I should be more perky. 😑
January 13, 2026 at 9:42 PM
I once had an evaluation that said I should be more perky. 😑
Reposted by Prof Ben Britton
It's officially in my record that some students have found that my voice is "too high".
January 14, 2026 at 12:32 AM
It's officially in my record that some students have found that my voice is "too high".
Aaarrgh - this is so very terrible.
January 14, 2026 at 12:34 AM
Aaarrgh - this is so very terrible.
Ugh - that's rough, sorry
January 13, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Ugh - that's rough, sorry
This is partly what is argued by some of the powers that be.
Separating the quant can be useful - but we have to train students (and instructors) in how this is ultimately used, and build trust, and make sure that it's not prejudiced.
Separating the quant can be useful - but we have to train students (and instructors) in how this is ultimately used, and build trust, and make sure that it's not prejudiced.
January 13, 2026 at 10:46 PM
This is partly what is argued by some of the powers that be.
Separating the quant can be useful - but we have to train students (and instructors) in how this is ultimately used, and build trust, and make sure that it's not prejudiced.
Separating the quant can be useful - but we have to train students (and instructors) in how this is ultimately used, and build trust, and make sure that it's not prejudiced.
This is touted as a solution for the feedback return rate - but concurrently I'm troubled by how this 'experience of instruction' data is ultimately used.
If we just want feedback from students - there are plenty of avenues, e.g. via the methods above, student governance, + more
If we just want feedback from students - there are plenty of avenues, e.g. via the methods above, student governance, + more
January 13, 2026 at 10:44 PM
This is touted as a solution for the feedback return rate - but concurrently I'm troubled by how this 'experience of instruction' data is ultimately used.
If we just want feedback from students - there are plenty of avenues, e.g. via the methods above, student governance, + more
If we just want feedback from students - there are plenty of avenues, e.g. via the methods above, student governance, + more
Rebranding the "student evaluation of instruction" to the "student experience of instruction" is not a meaningful reform of this process, and the ways that UBC wants to move with the statistical relevance test for SEI data (and dashboarding etc.) - this is extremely concerning to me.
15/15
15/15
January 13, 2026 at 9:01 PM
Rebranding the "student evaluation of instruction" to the "student experience of instruction" is not a meaningful reform of this process, and the ways that UBC wants to move with the statistical relevance test for SEI data (and dashboarding etc.) - this is extremely concerning to me.
15/15
15/15
While I rant here about the process - I'm also keenly aware that this process provides direct input into major career moments, inc. the appointment, reappointment, promotion and tenure processes, as well as the recruitment and deployment of more vulnerable classes of employee (e.g. lecturers)
14/
14/
January 13, 2026 at 9:00 PM
While I rant here about the process - I'm also keenly aware that this process provides direct input into major career moments, inc. the appointment, reappointment, promotion and tenure processes, as well as the recruitment and deployment of more vulnerable classes of employee (e.g. lecturers)
14/
14/
But the whole exercise is a farce - we haven't equipped the students to provide useful feedback, I'm not incentive to engage with this broken system, and the numbers and feedback don't make sense in any way we slice it.
13/
13/
January 13, 2026 at 8:58 PM
But the whole exercise is a farce - we haven't equipped the students to provide useful feedback, I'm not incentive to engage with this broken system, and the numbers and feedback don't make sense in any way we slice it.
13/
13/
Now - I'm a white male, tenured prof, & I haven't gotten many comments nor have I had the terrible (and well documented) comments that could have made statements on how pretty I am, what I wore to class, how I spoke etc. - i.e. those which are discriminatory based upon protected characteristics
12/
12/
January 13, 2026 at 8:57 PM
Now - I'm a white male, tenured prof, & I haven't gotten many comments nor have I had the terrible (and well documented) comments that could have made statements on how pretty I am, what I wore to class, how I spoke etc. - i.e. those which are discriminatory based upon protected characteristics
12/
12/
Again - I have no right to reply on these comments, nor are they statistically meaningful, and the scores that go with this don't provide me with input into how I could/should change my class in the future to improve.
11/
11/
January 13, 2026 at 8:56 PM
Again - I have no right to reply on these comments, nor are they statistically meaningful, and the scores that go with this don't provide me with input into how I could/should change my class in the future to improve.
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11/
The comments - I will abstract them slightly - critique me for using a different method to another instructor (welcome to Engineering, there are many ways we have and can solve problems), and comments that I focused too much on the pursuit of knowledge...
10/
10/
January 13, 2026 at 8:55 PM
The comments - I will abstract them slightly - critique me for using a different method to another instructor (welcome to Engineering, there are many ways we have and can solve problems), and comments that I focused too much on the pursuit of knowledge...
10/
10/
Given the turn out in lectures (it was not >90% in the lectures etc!) there is no guarantee that students completing the SEI engaged in a discussion with me about the learning objectives, motivation etc. of my content.
9/
9/
January 13, 2026 at 8:53 PM
Given the turn out in lectures (it was not >90% in the lectures etc!) there is no guarantee that students completing the SEI engaged in a discussion with me about the learning objectives, motivation etc. of my content.
9/
9/
From my teaching - the feedback I do take on board - a cohort of students (which is larger than the 3 who returned SEI reports) turned up to every lecture they could, gave me pointers as we go, there was chatter via email/canvas, and my TA also collected feedback too.
8/
8/
January 13, 2026 at 8:51 PM
From my teaching - the feedback I do take on board - a cohort of students (which is larger than the 3 who returned SEI reports) turned up to every lecture they could, gave me pointers as we go, there was chatter via email/canvas, and my TA also collected feedback too.
8/
8/
As context, I have not liked this process for a very long time (and at more than one institution).
The difference is that I understand a bit more about the process AND I am a full professor, with tenure, so I am not invested in encouraging my students to spend their time playing a broken game.
7/
The difference is that I understand a bit more about the process AND I am a full professor, with tenure, so I am not invested in encouraging my students to spend their time playing a broken game.
7/
January 13, 2026 at 8:48 PM
As context, I have not liked this process for a very long time (and at more than one institution).
The difference is that I understand a bit more about the process AND I am a full professor, with tenure, so I am not invested in encouraging my students to spend their time playing a broken game.
7/
The difference is that I understand a bit more about the process AND I am a full professor, with tenure, so I am not invested in encouraging my students to spend their time playing a broken game.
7/
So we have a document, which is formally in our system - that is not statistically valid - and contains select responses, which I don't have a formal 'right of reply' to.
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6/
January 13, 2026 at 8:47 PM
So we have a document, which is formally in our system - that is not statistically valid - and contains select responses, which I don't have a formal 'right of reply' to.
6/
6/
These 3 reports are not glowing of my teaching - I get pretty rubbish scores, and the comments don't do me favors. The comments rile me (more later).
BUT the statistical threshold of reporting for my class cohort size is 40% return.
5/
BUT the statistical threshold of reporting for my class cohort size is 40% return.
5/
January 13, 2026 at 8:46 PM
These 3 reports are not glowing of my teaching - I get pretty rubbish scores, and the comments don't do me favors. The comments rile me (more later).
BUT the statistical threshold of reporting for my class cohort size is 40% return.
5/
BUT the statistical threshold of reporting for my class cohort size is 40% return.
5/
But we get into the incredibly sticky situation of 'how do we do this' and 'what do we do with the data collected'.
I teach 4th year students - they have done SEI for at least 7 semesters before me.
I had a return rate of <8% of the cohort I teach, and this is below statistical thresholds.
4/
I teach 4th year students - they have done SEI for at least 7 semesters before me.
I had a return rate of <8% of the cohort I teach, and this is below statistical thresholds.
4/
January 13, 2026 at 8:43 PM
But we get into the incredibly sticky situation of 'how do we do this' and 'what do we do with the data collected'.
I teach 4th year students - they have done SEI for at least 7 semesters before me.
I had a return rate of <8% of the cohort I teach, and this is below statistical thresholds.
4/
I teach 4th year students - they have done SEI for at least 7 semesters before me.
I had a return rate of <8% of the cohort I teach, and this is below statistical thresholds.
4/
I am also on record in stating that student feedback, and discussion with students, about course structure + learning styles + more - this is very useful, and provides instructors an opportunity to improve their offering for future years.
3/
3/
January 13, 2026 at 8:42 PM
I am also on record in stating that student feedback, and discussion with students, about course structure + learning styles + more - this is very useful, and provides instructors an opportunity to improve their offering for future years.
3/
3/
Note - I teach 4th year courses - so this point students should be well trained in what this 'feedback' mechanism does, and how it could work.
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2/
January 13, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Note - I teach 4th year courses - so this point students should be well trained in what this 'feedback' mechanism does, and how it could work.
2/
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