'HOTNESS' AND QUALITY Guess what characteristic gets the best evaluations from students on RateMyProfessors.com. http://insidehighered.com/news/2006/05/08/rateprof
According to the site: I think this category make the web site look more like a joke than something I should take seriously. Their other rating categories include: http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/categories.jsp
Re: Re: 'hotness' And Quality The concern is that it is well known that some members on search committees will look at RateMyProfessors ratings. In most cases that I have seen, people who have admitted looking at the ratings use it to confirm suspicions developed from regular student evaluations or on-campus interviews. You would hope that they would recognize the severe limitations of the ratings, but the very fact that they look means it's something that a prospective job candidate has to take at least consider.
I was involved in the search process twice in the past year -- in both cases, the candidates were Googled by name and email address and Rate my Professor was considered. It's actually not a bad thing IMHO -- I've selected classes based on the opinion of past students. It'd be foolish not to consider what others have to say about your prospective profs. since you're investing considerable time and money into their ability to transfer information. I think it'd be good if their class evaluation ratings were available online to review to; along with pass rates and drop rates for their classes.
I've given fair ratings to several of my professors on that site (fairer than some admittedly because I tend to not whine about teachers because I don't understand the work or turned it in late like some other students in their classes). I had wonderful teachers over at Forsyth Tech (NC), I can honestly say that I've NEVER had a "bad" teacher, all of the teachers were helpful even if I didn't do well in the class.
