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Interfaculty differences in classroom teaching behaviors and their relationship to student instructional ratings
Abstract
This study tested for differences between instructors in three college faculties in the frequency with which they exhibited various classroom teaching behaviors, and in the correlation of these behaviors with perceived teaching effectiveness. Trained observers assessed the frequency of 95 classroom teaching behaviors shown by 124 teachers in the arts and humanities, the social science, and the natural science faculties. Teaching effectiveness was measured by formal end-of-term student ratings averaged over a three-year period. Behaviors reflecting interpersonal orientation occurred more frequently in arts and social science teachers than in natural science teachers, whereas behaviors reflecting task orientation occurred more frequently in natural and social science teachers than in arts teachers. However, the pattern of correlations between teaching behaviors and overall effectiveness ratings was quite similar in all three faculties. Results are discussed in terms of understanding, evaluating, and improving college teaching.
... Research reveals that student evaluations are based on students' prior motivation or desire to take the course (Marsh, 1984), anticipated grades (Howard & Maxwell, 1982), workload (Greenwald & Gillmore, 1997;Marsh and Roche, 2000), course level (positive relationship - Braskamp et al., 1985), class size (negative relationship -Cashin & Slawson, 1977;Smith & Glass, 1980), and grading leniency of the instructor (Greenwald, 1997). Cashin's review (1988) concluded that student motivation (willingness to participate actively in the learning process) has the greatest positive influence on student satisfaction than any other instructional factor like grade expectations, sex of teacher/student, age of teacher/student, time of day, etc. Further, the relative importance of teacher behaviors varies between disciplines (Erdle & Murray, 1986;Murray, Rushton, & Paunnen, 1990). Researchers have estimated the effect of these "bias-factors" on overall teacher effectiveness, to range from 12-14 per cent (1980), 16-20 per cent (Koon & Murray, 1995), to even 80 per cent (Cohen, 1986). ...
... While most researchers have underlined the importance of instructional strategies (for e.g., Marsh & Ware, 1982;Schmidt, Finch, and Faulkner, 1992), the importance of rapport is somewhat unclear. While some (Erdle and Murray, 1986;Jackson et al., 1999;Marsh and Dunkin, 1997) have emphasized rapport, Cohen (1981) found that particular affective practices contributed only moderately to higher ratings ('Teacher rapport' r = 0.31). ...
... It is possible that a larger, more rural group representing sciences or health sciences might have different expectations for their teachers. In any case, research clearly shows that the subject one teaches (Erdle & Murray, 1986) and the profile of students (Cashin, 1988) significantly impact student evaluations. ...
Teaching is a multidimensional, complex activity. The use of the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) has the potential to be effective in improving teaching as it reveals successful behaviors by identifying key actions associated between excellent/poor performances. The present study sought to identify teaching behaviors that differentiate excellent and very poor performance of undergraduate college teachers in India using CIT, from the perspective of students. Two hundred thirty-seven critical incidents were collected from 60 female students from three different undergraduate humanities courses using questionnaires and personal interviews. Qualitative procedures emphasizing the verbatims students generated were used for data analysis. The data generated from the incidents was subjected to content analysis, and sorted into 6 categories. The six categories identified were: rapport with students, course preparation and delivery, encouragement, fairness,
spending time with students outside of class, and control. The frequency with which students reported each behavior as either good or bad is presented. The study yields specific behaviors for faculty to follow to yield improvement in teaching evaluations by students. A list of critical behaviors may have implications in selection, training and performance evaluation of teachers. The present study also underlines the robustness of CIT in education research.
... Research reveals that student evaluations are based on students' prior motivation or desire to take the course (Marsh, 1984), anticipated grades (Howard & Maxwell, 1982), workload (Greenwald & Gillmore, 1997;Marsh and Roche, 2000), course level (positive relationship - Braskamp et al., 1985), class size (negative relationship -Cashin & Slawson, 1977;Smith & Glass, 1980), and grading leniency of the instructor (Greenwald, 1997). Cashin's review (1988) concluded that student motivation (willingness to participate actively in the learning process) has the greatest positive influence on student satisfaction than any other instructional factor like grade expectations, sex of teacher/student, age of teacher/student, time of day, etc. Further, the relative importance of teacher behaviors varies between disciplines (Erdle & Murray, 1986;Murray, Rushton, & Paunnen, 1990). Researchers have estimated the effect of these "bias-factors" on overall teacher effectiveness, to range from 12-14 per cent (1980), 16-20 per cent (Koon & Murray, 1995), to even 80 per cent (Cohen, 1986). ...
... While most researchers have underlined the importance of instructional strategies (for e.g., Marsh & Ware, 1982;Schmidt, Finch, and Faulkner, 1992), the importance of rapport is somewhat unclear. While some (Erdle and Murray, 1986;Jackson et al., 1999;Marsh and Dunkin, 1997) have emphasized rapport, Cohen (1981) found that particular affective practices contributed only moderately to higher ratings ('Teacher rapport' r = 0.31). ...
... It is possible that a larger, more rural group representing sciences or health sciences might have different expectations for their teachers. In any case, research clearly shows that the subject one teaches (Erdle & Murray, 1986) and the profile of students (Cashin, 1988) significantly impact student evaluations. ...
Teaching is a multidimensional, complex activity. The use of the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) has the potential to be effective in improving teaching as it reveals successful behaviors by identifying key actions associated between excellent/poor performances. The present study sought to identify teaching behaviors that differentiate excellent and very poor performance of undergraduate college teachers in India using CIT, from the perspective of students. Two hundred thirty-seven critical incidents were collected from 60 female students from three different undergraduate humanities courses using questionnaires and personal interviews. Qualitative procedures emphasizing the verbatims students generated were used for data analysis. The data generated from the incidents was subjected to content analysis, and sorted into 6 categories. The six categories identified were: rapport with students, course preparation and delivery, encouragement, fairness, spending time with students outside of class, and control. The frequency with which students reported each behavior as either good or bad is presented. The study yields specific behaviors for faculty to follow to yield improvement in teaching evaluations by students. A list of critical behaviors may have implications in selection, training and performance evaluation of teachers. The present study also underlines the robustness of CIT in education research.
... Beyond the community-wide studies employing RTOP observations (Budd et al., 2013;Teasdale et al., 2017;Teasdale et al., 2020;Viskupic et al., 2019), the vast majority of studies described in the Results section were conducted in fields outside the geosciences or across multiple disciplines but offer models that have potential value for our field. For example, studies comparing dominant teaching practices by discipline (Alkhouri et al., 2021;Erdle & Murray, 1986;Murray & Renaud, 1995;Stains et al., 2018) have shown that behaviors related to "interpersonal orientation" (better aligned with reformed teaching practices) were documented more frequently in arts and social science teachers, behaviors related to "task orientation" (better aligned with traditional instructional practices) were more frequent for natural and social science teachers, and chemistry instructors presented for more class time than biology instructors. A similar study within the geosciences might compare norms among sub-disciplines to determine the degree of reformed teaching practice adoption within, for example, mineralogy and petrology as compared with geomorphology or atmospheric science. ...
... Many of the studies used OPs in conjunction with other instruments to test correlations between teaching behaviors and a wide range of student outcomes including student evaluation scores (Murray, 1976(Murray, , 1983Renaud & Murray, 2005;Erdle & Murray, 1986), student engagement (Lane & Harris, 2015), and student learning (Cleveland et al., 2017;Connell et al., 2016;Sawada et al., 2002). Our community might use this template to explore potential relationships between observable teaching behaviors and outcomes that are of particular interest, such as the development of spatial or temporal thinking skills or affective learning outcomes (see McConnell & van der Hoeven Kraft, 2011;McNeal et al., 2018;Ryker et al., 2018). ...
... Des chercheurs encouragent aussi ces derniers et les administrateurs de collèges et d'universités à pro mouvoir la recherche sur le climat de la classe en privilégiant l'opinion des étudiants comme instrument de mesure. Cette orientation prise par les établissement d'enseignement collégial et universitaire et cette approche préconisée par les chercheurs supposent que l'opinion des étudiants cons titue une source d'information valide et fiable pour évaluer l'efficacité de l'enseignement à l'université (McKeachie, 1979;Murray, 1980Murray, , 1991Marsh, 1984;Erdle et Murray, 1986). Cependant, la question de la validité et de la fiabilité de ce type d'instrument de mesure subsiste : peut-on se fier aux données obtenues par l'approche subjective, basée sur des perceptions? ...
... Significant variations were seen in the frequency in which teachers showed their classroom teaching behaviors. The reason for these variations in the teaching methods must be due to natural variation in the subject matter [87]. A similar study was conducted with the purpose to measure student ratings in online as well as in face-to-face (F2F) higher education courses. ...
Engineering education in India has been facing considerable challenges in regard to good teaching and knowledge deployment.
Therefore demands new teaching methods and learning approaches thus must be developed in the field. The present review explores the concept of good teaching practices affecting performance of students in higher education with special reference to engineering education in India. With the advent of new technologies and tools, it is also vital to study the effectiveness of teaching methodologies; therefore, the review is intended to demarcate the factors which can be used to evaluate the good teaching among students. This study also explains the research done on engineering education in India in the past and recognizes the major factors influencing the same.
... Enthusiasm promotes audience attentiveness, interest and enjoyability of the lecture and is thought to improve comprehensive learning (Solomon, Rosenberg, and Bezdek 1964;Gelula 1997). The perceived effectiveness of teaching has been shown to be closely related to the enthusiasm of the lecturer (Murray 1985;Erdle and Murray 1986). Students give higher ratings to lecturers which deliver lectures more expressively compared to those that do not, and students achieve higher examination scores (Ware and Williams 1975;Abrami, Leventhal, and Perry 1982). ...
Aims: to review the key features of an effective lecture and to rate a series of medical school lectures to inform a broader initiative in staff development in effective lecturingBackground: Lectures are the primary method of delivering information to an audience in tertiary education and remain a key part of medical school educationMethod: Literature review confirmed fourteen elements thought to contribute to the quality of a lecture. A lecture series was then rated using these criteria Results: The three highest rated criteria were explaining and summarising key concepts, presenting material at an appropriate level to the audience, and the use of clear audio-visual aids and voice. The three lowest rated aspects of our lecture program were stating goals of the talk, monitoring audience understanding and responding appropriately, and providing a conclusion to the talk.Conclusions: These findings will provide direction to staff development to further improve the quality of lectures provided to students.Â
... There are different versions of the TBI with more or fewer items. Factor analysis of the different versions and different research studies showed different factor structures (Erdle & Murray, 1986;Murray, 1985Murray, , 1997. It has also been adapted in different countries; the most recent version is on Philippines' students population (Murray, personal communication). ...
The assessment of the psychometric properties of Teacher Behaviors Inventory (Murray, 1983) was conducted to a sample of university students (N = 772) from Argentina. Evidence was provided of the instrument's internal structure applying exploratory factor analysis. Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach α's coefficient. Evidence for the validity testcriterion through bivariate correlations and multiple regressions with the variables boredom, enjoyment, task value, self-efficacy and attention was provided. A final version of the instrument was demonstrated, it consists of 36 items, divided into six factors. The reliability of the instrument presented satisfactory results for all scales (α = .65 and between α = .84). The factor illustration / interaction has a higher predictive value for the criterion variables, the remaining factors had significantly lower results than expected and do not coincide in all cases with the results of the bivariate correlations. Its psychometric properties show
acceptable levels of reliability and internal structure, which means that measurements of inventory in the local environment are valid and reliable for assessing teachers’ behaviors. In addition, significant data on how teachers’ behaviors in the classroom influence students' emotions (boredom and enjoyment), task value, self-efficacy and care were provided.
... There is also clear evidence suggesting that scholarly productivity and instructional effectiveness are largely independent traits (Centra, 1993;Hattie and Marsh, 1996). Moreover, it was found that the pattern of correlation between classroom teaching behaviours and student ratings of teaching effectiveness is quite similar in different academic content areas although interfaculty differences were found with regard to the frequency with which teachers exhibited specific classroom teaching behaviors (Erdle and Murray, 1986). ...
... 32,38]; (b) the protocols focus more on instructor than student behavior [e.g. 37,39]; or (c) the protocol does not sufficiently capture student resistance [e.g. 28,36,40]. ...
Student resistance is often cited as a major barrier to faculty's use of active learning, but there are few research-based strategies for reducing this barrier. To address the need for such strategies, we have initiated a project to identify specific, research-based strategies to significantly reduce student resistance to faculty's use of active learning practices. In this work-in-progress paper, we describe the first phase of our research - the development and pilot testing of a classroom observation instrument to assess student responses to faculty's use of active learning. This instrument, which draws upon other published observation protocols, will allow us to capture data about faculty's use of and students' response to active learning as we undertake our larger research project.
... 32,38]; (b) the protocols focus more on instructor than student behavior [e.g. 37,39]; or (c) the protocol does not sufficiently capture student resistance [e.g. 28,36,40]. ...
Student resistance is often cited as a major barrier to instructors' use of active learning, but there are few research-based strategies for reducing this barrier. In this paper, we describe the first phase of our research-the development and validation of a classroom observation protocol to assess student responses to instructors' use of active learning. This protocol, which draws upon other published observation protocols, allows researchers to capture data about instructors' use of and students' responses to active learning. We also present findings from four first and second year engineering courses at two institutions that demonstrate the variety of ways engineering students resist active learning and strategies that engineering instructors have employed to reduce student resistance.
... Regarding the influence of the educational level on the ratings, early works investigated the overall effectiveness of the instructor in relation to the level of the course-the first semester compared with the last, and found no differences (Erdle & Murray, 1986). However, research carried out in the 90s analyzed the ratings given to the dimensions and concluded that differences do exist between the ratings. ...
The purpose of this study was to compare the characteristics of teaching performance in accordance with the opinion of students of different academic fields and curriculum stages in a Mexican state public university. The sample was composed of 729 randomly-selected courses, distributed over four semester periods. Descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were made. The results determined significant differences when natural-exact sciences were compared with administrative sciences (p = .003), and engineering with administrative sciences (p = .022) in the overall ratings and by dimension. Moreover, differences were found in the ratings by dimension between the curriculum stages. The study concludes in favor of considering the particularities of the pedagogical context in the interpretation of ratings, and of using them as a source of information when designing strategies for improving teacher training. In the university, the evaluation of instruction plays a determining role in advancing the quality of learning. Key documents of Mexican and international educational policy recognize that instruction is important in achieving educational quality (Asociación Nacional de Universidades e Instituciones de Educación Superior, 2007; Anderson, 2004). The importance of evaluating instruction stems from its potential as a tool contributing to teachers' becoming professional and thus, improving their training. Teacher evaluation based on Student Evaluations of Teaching (SETs) effectiveness is characterized by two particularities: it is the strategy most often used in North America, Europe and Asia, and is also the one most studied (Theall & Franklin, 2000; Seldin, 1993). In this context, two situations stand out regarding rating forms: first, there is a good deal of evidence for the misuse of the ratings students give; and second, teachers show a growing unease about the use of these ratings in the making of administrative decisions. A great part of the criticism regarding rating instruction concerns the procedures of application, interpretation, and use of the results (Sproule, 2000; Díaz-Barriga, 2004). In particular, one of the most frequent errors related to the interpretation of the results is the aggregation of all the teachers' ratings without consideration for the particularities of the pedagogical context, such as the disciplinary field in which they teach and the educational stage. The purpose of this work is to compare the characteristics of the teacher's performance, according to students' opinion, by disciplinary field (natural-exact sciences, engineering and technology, and administration sciences), and curriculum stage (basic and disciplinary/final stages). The objective is to contribute to the discussion regarding the interpretation and the use of the results of students' evaluations of university teaching. In Mexico, as in other countries, the evaluation of teaching has resulted from social demands coming from different audiences with heterogeneous needs of evaluation and has been linked to the establishment of federal policies in this area. Until the end of the eighties, the evaluation of instruction was conducted primarily because of the institutions' need to obtain information on the quality of teaching and, in theory, to provide feedback on the strategies of teacher training (Arias, 1984; Luna, 2002). Since 1990, with the widespread implementation of merit pay programs, the evaluation of teaching has been included as one of the indicators of these programs. Hence, attention has been given principally to the need for administrative control over instruction (Canales & Gilio, 2008). Today, expectations for the evaluation of teaching are diverse: teachers and students expect fair and appropriate systems to improve teaching; the authorities seek to have better information for administrative decision making, allocation of courses, promotions and economic incentives; and governmental institutions seek a means of accountability for the quality of instruction (Luna, 2004; Secretaría de Educación Pública, 2007). In Mexico however, research on the evaluation of university teaching is a recent development and is still in its infancy. The investigation into the evaluation of instruction began after evaluation policies were instituted at the beginning of the nineties, and it was in 1996 that the systematic production of literature regarding the topic began (Luna & Rueda, 2008). This is unlike the situation in other countries where there is a long history and tradition regarding SETs. Furthermore, the Mexican State has promoted an evaluation of teaching associated with policies of control and wage compensation, and as a result, this type of assessment has idiosyncrasies which have transcended research—for example, the difficulty of creating evaluation procedures apart from control.
... A common finding among these studies is that faculty members at universities continually have to choose between enacting the role of either teacher or researcher (Cuban, 1992;Ellermann, Kataoka-Yahiro, & Wong, 2006;Gappa, et al., 2007;Wong, 1995). This scholarship acknowledges that the work and lives of academics are linked to socio-cultural factors (e.g., gender and disciplinary background) in the organizational and larger context (Cashin & Downey, 1995;Erdle & Murray, 1986;Green, 1993;Yuen & Ma., 2002); however, few studies examine the narratives in which academics explain the construction of their professional selves in the university context and their connection to the construction of academic life. ...
... 35 Stephen Erdle and Harry G. Murray further point out that the contribution of teaching behaviors to overall teacher effectiveness is also similar across different academic areas. 36 In addition to increasing teacher effectiveness, teaching behaviors in the classroom are directly linked to student motivation levels. As Diane M. Christophel notes, students who perceive their teachers as both verbally and nonverbally immediate (using gestures, smiles, etc.) have greater levels of motivation. ...
abstract: Student motivation can have a significant impact on the
classroom atmosphere in information literacy courses. The authors
survey the education literature that has addressed methods for enhancing
motivation and also report from their own experiences. The ARCS Motivation
Model developed by John M. Keller serves as a foundation for four aspects
of instruction that affect motivation.
... Brown and Daines (1981a) conclude that science students value logical and structured lectures more highly than arts students while arts students value insights and new perspectives. Nevertheless Erdle and Murray (1986) conclude from comparisons of lecturing effectiveness that the constituents of effective teaching do not vary markedly across the academic disciplines in arts, humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Hunter and Tetley (1999) found significant differences in lecture attendance, both quantitatively and with regard to the motivations of attending and not attending. ...
An empirical study was conducted to gain understanding about the motivations of undergraduate students in attending lectures. Students were highly heterogeneous regarding their reported lecture attendance motivations, with two segments representing prototypical extremes. The student group labelled 'idealists' in this study reported genuinely enjoying lectures, were mature-aged students with working experience and more frequent in the arts subjects surveyed. Students labelled 'pragmatics' in this study were most highly represented in the commerce subjects surveyed, were among the younger students, reported attending lectures to get the information they need to succeed in the subject and reported the lowest lecture attendance while achieving the highest grade-point average of the students in the study. Generally, as opposed to the findings of previous studies into reasons for lecture attendance in the 1970s, a shift towards pragmatism among students seems to have occurred and now defines the reality of the tertiary education environment.
... Investigaciones realizadas en los setenta y mediados de los ochenta (Feldman, 1977;Erdle y Murray, 1986) ...
A pesar de que el empleo de los cuestionarios de evaluación de la docencia se está tornando una práctica común en las más importante instituciones universitarias de México, poco se ha escrito e investigado en español sobre los factores extraclase que afectan la evaluación docente en la educación superior. El objetivo de este trabajo fue realizar una síntesis de la investigación acerca de los factores extraclase que afectan la evaluación docente en la educación superior, de acuerdo con los hallazgos de la investigación generados por el empleo de los cuestionarios de evaluación de la docencia. Se concluye que aunque los factores extraclase o sesgos influyen en la evaluación de la efectividad docente por parte de los alumnos, los cuestionarios de evaluación son instrumentos válidos y confiables para medir la efectividad docente. Sin embargo, se sugiere cautela en el uso de los cuestionarios de evaluación docente con fines sumativos. El autor sugiere algunas recomendaciones prácticas, derivadas del estudio, para el diseño y empleo de los cuestionarios de evaluación.
This study examined the relationship between self-concept, attitude of the students towards mathematics, and math achievement. Also, this study investigated the influence of study habits on achievement; study habits on attitude of students to mathematics. The influence of gender and self-concept and study habit group on achievement and attitude towards mathematics were separately investigated. The method adopted was correlation design. Two hundred (200) Senior Secondary School 2 students (Male = 74 Female =126) were used in the study. They were selected from six secondary schools from Ibadan Metropolis. Random sampling was used to select the local government, while stratified sampling technique was used to select 200 students, (male and female) used in the six schools. Data were collected using 20 items Mathematics Self Concept Questionnaire (MSCQ r= 0,86) and 20 items
Mathematics Study Habit Questionnaire (MSHQ, r = 0.70) and 30 items multiple-choice Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT, r= 0.76) respectively and analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and t-test statistics tested at 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that there was a positive relationship between students' attitude and mathematics (P200 = 0.976; P< 0.05), study habit and academic achievement (P200 = 0.563; P< 0.05) for both self-concept and study habit groups. Also, there was no significant difference in gender for both self-concept and study habit group. However, it was suggested that teachers should develop in their students a positive self-concept towards Mathematics including good study habits and pleasant teaching experience to enhance higher self-concept, good study habit and better performance in Mathematics. a conducive environment for studying, availability of textbooks, and well-equipped libraries were designated as perceived factors for poor academic performance among Nigerian students (Oke, 2005). As recent as 2012, the West African Examination Council (WAEC) stated academic performance has been
very low among secondary school students in Nigeria (WAEC, 2012). This trend in low academic performance has been attributed to certain factors including social, conomic, regional and psychological factors in which self-concept plays a role (Largea, Sanni and Brew, 2014). Bandura's studies of self concept among students in the United States established self concept as a major factor contributing to students' academic performance (Bandura, 1997). Other researchers established a link between high school students' level of engagement in school, self-efficacy and goal orientation Caraway, Trucker, Renike & Hall, 2003). Also, students' fears of failure in a variety of academic situations contributed to low effort while social supports, such as parents and teachers, could provide positive reinforcement for students' success and increase overall involvement in student learning activities to reduce negative feelings towards
school (Lashawn, Catrice & Baco, 2011). Another concept that influences student earning is study habit which combines study method and study skill. According to bore (2006) study habit refers to predispositions which students have developed owards private readings through a period of time. According to him, study habit is a gateway to successful achievement in studies.
The purpose of the study was to find out the students’ perception of teachers personality and its effects on student’s academic performance in Senior High Schools in Cape Coast North Metropolis. The research study was undertaken to find out students’ perception of teachers’ extroversion, conscientiousness and openness and their effects on their academic performance in Senior High Schools in the Cape Coast North Metropolis. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design and the research instrument used was questionnaires. A sample size was 119 of Business Management students was used. The data was analyzed using (SPSS version 21). Descriptive statistics was used for analysis since the study was descriptive in nature. The analysis of our data involved the use of mean and standard deviation. The study showed that teachers’ who are associated with extroversion, conscientiousness and openness traits have an influence on the academic performance of students in Senior High Schools. The study came up with the following recommendations: the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service should organize symposiums to offer training services to teachers on how to improve upon their personality traits. The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) should adopt checks and balances to make sure teachers comply with their codes and conducts. The school administration should organize training workshops from time to time to Business Management Teachers to upgrade or develop their personality. Finally, Business Management teachers should regularly assess themselves on their personality traits.
The purpose of this study was to examine student perceptions of the learning environment in their program major and general education classrooms. The participants were 870 undergraduate students majoring in engineering, fine arts, education, economics and nursing programs at a university in Thailand. We found significant differences in the perceptions of the classroom learning environment across various disciplines. Engineering and economics students perceived the learning environment in general education classrooms as more cooperative than the learning environment in program major classrooms. Fine arts and nursing students perceived greater involvement among students in the program major classrooms than in the general education classrooms. Our findings contribute to the body of research on inter-disciplinary differences in classroom learning environments in universities and the ways in which these differences may impact student learning outcomes.
Knowledge surveys provide a means to assess changes in specific content learning and intellectual development. More important, they promote student learning by improving course organization and planning. For instructors, the tool establishes a high degree of instructional alignment, and, if properly used, can ensure employment of all seven best practices during the enactment of the course. Beyond increasing success of individual courses, knowledge surveys inform curriculum development to better achieve, improve, and document program success.
The purpose of this study was to examine how graduate students with undergraduate majors in arts, humanities , and social sciences perceived individualized consideration , Student-Professor Engagement in Learning (SPEL), intellectual stimulation, and student deep learning, and how these variables predict effective teaching. A sample of 251 graduate students responded to a survey posted in two professional associations, and four universities in the United States and other countries. A structural equation model analyzed the influence of the independent variables on the dependent variable, effective teaching. A multiple regression analysis indicated that individualized consideration , SPEL, and deep learning were significant predictors of effective teaching. Intellectual simulation was a predictor of deep learning, which in turn influenced effective teaching.
There are numerous approaches to faculty evaluation. This chapter presents relevant research findings, references to instruments, and specific criteria and methods for evaluating teaching, research, and service.
In order to determine if there are any relationships between MIS faculty teaching effectiveness and research productivity, a questionnaire was mailed to 600 MIS faculty throughout the United States. The response rate was 15.983%. After ascertaining that there was no non-response bias, correlations between teaching effectiveness were found to be generally low. Also, no significant differences in teaching effectiveness or research productivity were found with respect to institution size, number of MIS majors, or accreditation status, when viewed on an average annual basis.
Plusieurs professeurs d'universités déplorent le fait que de nombreux étudiants semblent étudier seulement pour avoir de bonnes notes et oublient par après ce qui leur a été enseigné. Ils rencontrent alors de nombreuses difficultés lorsque vient le temps de transférer les connaissances dans d'autres cours. Pour explorer ce problème, les auteurs ont réalisé une étude corrélative dans laquelle il ont vérifié trois hypothèses concernant la relation entre trois variables: le style d'intervention pédagogique des enseignants, leurs relations affectives avec leurs étudiants et l'engagement des étudiants envers la matière enseignée. Ils ont aussi vérifié l'interaction entre ces trois variables dites principales et un certain nombre de variables confondantes. Quatre-vingt-quatorze enseignants, professeurs et chargés de cours, choisis au hasard sur le campus de l'Université Laval, ont répondu à un questionnaire mesurant leur perception de leur style d'intervention pédagogique. Plus de trois milles de leurs étudiants ont aussi répondu à un questionnaire mesurant la perception étudiante du style d'intervention pédagogique de l'enseignant, la proximité de la relation enseignant-étudiant, la satisfaction à l'égard de l'enseignement reçu, la positivité des sentiments à l'égard de l'enseignant et l'engagement des étudiants par rapport à la matière enseignée. L'étude a permis d'obtenir des corrélations significatives entre toutes les variables principales. Elle a aussi permis de vérifier des interactions significatives avec certaines variables confondantes.
Assessment requires (1) measures of results, (2) evaluation of the processes that lead to the results, and (3) a commitment to promote change for the better. Complete assessment employs both summative and formative measures. Summative evaluation is the most common. It takes place at the end of a course, is used for evaluative purposes, and commonly measures student satisfaction. Formative evaluation takes place while a class is ongoing. It is the indispensable part of assessment that provides a way for us to continuously monitor our students' learning and diagnose our own teaching practices. Knowledge surveys provide convenient ways to examine changes in students' learning. Data from knowledge surveys have both formative and summative applications. Formative surveys of teaching practices examine process and define a "fingerprint" of the professor's teaching style, which can outline specific areas for improvement. Consultation, in-class videotapes, student management teams, and classroom assessment techniques (CATs) are activities through which one can use formative data to produce real change.
The paper discusses the various situational features and linguistic devices reflected in the three most interesting and the three least interesting postgraduate second language acquisition lectures taught by three lecturers. Students attending the classes were invited to record their interest level at regular intervals throughout the session. For each lecturer observed, both the most and the least interesting lecture reported by students were chosen for detailed analysis in terms of four situational factors: lecture content, lecturing style, tasks and the personal behaviour of the lecturer as demonstrated in the lecture. Several characteristics unique to the three most interesting lectures as compared to the least interesting are discussed: the contextualisation, concretisation and personalisation of the topic through the use of vivid, concrete examples; the participatory style of the lecture where students are involved in the kind of thinking that characterises the discipline or the particular discourse community; the use of open, but goal-directed tasks which encourage exploration of ideas and disciplinary thinking, and the lecturer's demonstration of enthusiasm and positive stance towards the lecture topic. The paper also discusses various linguistic devices, which help promote the interestingness of the lecture content and its closeness to students' reality.
This article presents an interactive method of eliciting evaluation information from students through microcomputers linked by a network. The first phase, data gathering, provides students in a class with the opportunity to construct and use an instrument of their own design. In the second phase, student inputs are aggregated through a voting procedure for construction of a uniform instrument for the class. Results of this process show that students can accomplish this in a timely fashion, tend to select a multitude of rating items, do not select items that they feel are unimportant, and take the evaluation process seriously.
Student evaluation of teaching performance is often done using standardized evaluation instruments. This study presents a computerized method of collecting student evaluation information that allows students to interactively develop and use their own evaluation instruments. Because evaluation information gathered in this fashion is unique to each student, a method of aggregating the data is also proposed. The results indicate that students take the task seriously and elect to use more questions than traditionally appear on standardized instruments. Data analysis from the individualized evaluations provides more accurate and specific suggestions about improving teaching effectiveness.
The first aim of this study was to ascertain the main characteristics of an ideal secondary‐school mathematics teacher as perceived by pre‐service teachers in the science education department of Middle East Technical University (METU). The second aim was to explore cooperating teachers' views of the extent to which the pre‐service teachers acquired these characteristics, and the pre‐service teachers' views of the extent to which their cooperating teachers possessed these characteristics. Thirdly, we wanted to ascertain dissonances and consonances between pre‐service teachers and their cooperative teachers.
Arts, science, and social science teachers differ in the frequency with which they exhibit specific classroom teaching behaviors. This variation may account for disciplinary differences in student ratings of instruction.
There are good reasons for expecting informative feedback to have beneficial effects on teaching performance in large classes.
This study examines the differences in students' perceptions of the amount of improvement in dimensions of teaching skills across levels of instruction, class sizes, and disciplines. The relationship between factor scores on the dimensions of teaching and students' overall ratings are also analyzed across instructional settings.
Student ratings were collected in 2,816 classes in a Faculty of Commerce over three semesters. Using class means as a unit of analysis, the data were factor-analyzed. Factor scores were used as dependent variables in examining differences across course characteristics. Factor scores were further used to predict ratings of the overall quality of instruction. These predictions were subsequently compared across instructional settings.
In the combined sample, differences in students' perceptions were found across levels of instruction for all factors, and across class size for two factors. When analyses were conducted on these variables within separate disciplines, the results varied. The relationship between factor scores on the dimensions of teaching and students' overall ratings varied across instructional settings.
The results are discussed in relation to previous research on the dimensions of teaching and in relation to the concept of students' normative assumptions about teaching behavior. Some practical implications of the results are also described.
When I was invited to address the Special Interest Group on Faculty Evaluation and Instruction of the American Educational
Research Association (Feldman, 1995), I must admit that, initially, I was not altogether sanguine about preparing a presentation. After years of reading and
integrating the research on instructional effectiveness in higher education, particularly the research on college students’
assessment of their teachers, I felt that most (if not all) of what I had to say or report I had indeed said or reported—in
a series of research integrations (Feldman, 1976a, 1976b, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989a, 1989b, 1990a, 1992, 1993; also see Feldman and Newcomb, 1969, Chap. 8) and in some occasional pieces (Feldman, 1973, 1990b, 1994). So I was concerned about merely repeating past observations.
The relationship between research productivity and teaching effectiveness has long been a controversial topic among university professors. This study utilizes a nationwide survey of economics faculty to examine the relationship between research productivity and classroom performance, using self-reported measures of research output and teaching evaluation scores, and to solicit the participants' opinions on this issue. Findings indicate a very weak relationship between research output and teaching effectiveness. However, individual and institutional characteristics seem to explain some differences in research output and teaching evaluation scores. Further, faculty opinions on the research-teaching relationship seem to be influenced by institutional and individual characteristics.
The literature on effective teaching behaviors among postsecondary instructors in general and among library and information science (LIS) instructors in particular is reviewed. Methodology and results of process-product studies, perception studies of effective college teaching, and teacher immediacy studies investigating low-inference teaching behaviors of college and university instructors are presented and discussed. Three research-based models for the study and improvement of college teaching are described, namely, Lowman's two-dimensional model of effective college teaching, the seven principles for good practice, and a five-step process for improving teaching. Findings from the research on effective teaching in LIS are provided, and the importance of adopting a multidimensional perspective with regard to the complicated construct of teaching is discussed.
Tested the hypothesis that classroom teaching behavior mediates the relation typically found between personality and college teaching effectiveness. Colleagues rated 37 full-time college instructors on 29 personality traits, and trained observers assessed the frequency with which the same instructors exhibited 95 specific classroom teaching behaviors. Instructional effectiveness was measured by global end-of-term student ratings averaged over a 5-yr period. Path analyses revealed that approximately 50% of the relation between personality and teaching effectiveness was mediated by classroom behavior. The highly rated teacher was found to exhibit 2 types of personality traits: achievement orientation and interpersonal orientation. Results are discussed in terms of the validity of student ratings of teaching and in relation to M. J. Dunkin and B. J. Biddle's (1974) model of classroom teaching. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Reviews findings and research designs used to study students' evaluations of teaching effectiveness. The focus of the investigation is on the author's own research that has led to the development of a students' evaluations of educational quality measure, but it also incorporates a wide range of other research. Based on this overview, class-average student ratings are (a) multidimensional; (b) reliable and stable; (c) primarily a function of the instructor who teaches a course rather than the course that is taught; (d) relatively valid against a variety of indicators of effective teaching; (e) relatively unaffected by a variety of variables hypothesized as potential biases; and (f) seen to be useful by faculty as feedback about their teaching, by students for use in course selection, and by administrators for use in personnel decisions. It is suggested that in future research a construct validation approach should be used in which it is recognized that effective teaching and students' evaluations designed to reflect it are multifaceted, that there is no single criterion of effective teaching, and that tentative interpretations of relations with validity criteria and with potential biases must be scrutinized in different context and examine multiple criteria of effective teaching. (136 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Six to 8 trained observers visited classes (3 classes/lecturer) taught by 54 university lecturers receiving either low, medium, or high student ratings. The observers, using the Teacher Behaviors Inventory, estimated the frequency of occurrence of 60 specific, low-inference teaching behaviors. Significant differences among low-, medium-, and high-rated Ss were found for 26 individual behaviors divided among 7 categories of teaching. Group differences were largest for attention-getting behaviors such as speaking expressively, moving about while lecturing, using humor, and showing enthusiasm for the subject. Factor analysis of individual teaching behaviors yielded 9 interpretable factors, of which three (Clarity, Enthusiasm, and Rapport) differed significantly across groups, and all but one showed correlations with various teacher and course characteristics. Results are discussed with reference to the pivotal role of attention-getting behavior in classroom teaching, the validity of student instructional ratings, and the design of teaching improvement programs in higher education. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Reliability coefficients often take the form of intraclass correlation coefficients. In this article, guidelines are given for choosing among 6 different forms of the intraclass correlation for reliability studies in which n targets are rated by k judges. Relevant to the choice of the coefficient are the appropriate statistical model for the reliability study and the applications to be made of the reliability results. Confidence intervals for each of the forms are reviewed. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).
Based on previous work by H. G. Murray, this study examined relationships between overt classroom teaching behaviors of college instructors and student ratings of teaching effectiveness. One hundred seven students who enrolled in six sections of an introductory psychology course rated instructors on 12 measures of teaching effectiveness and reported the frequencies of 20 observable, inclass teaching behaviors. Relationships between teaching behaviors and student ratings were examined by simple, multiple, and canonical correlation procedures. A complex pattern of relationships emerged. The canonical analysis revealed a two-dimensional structure consisting of instructor clarity and student-teacher rapport dimensions. Teaching behaviors loading on these dimensions were examined.
The present study used meta-analytic methodology to synthesize research on the relationship between student ratings of instruction and student achievement. The data for the meta-analysis came from 41 independent validity studies reporting on 68 separate multisection courses relating student ratings to student achievement. The average correlation between an overall instructor rating and student achievement was .43; the average correlation between an overall course rating and student achievement was .47. While large effect sizes were also found for more specific rating dimensions such as Skill and Structure, other dimensions showed more modest relationships with student achievement. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that rating/achievement correlations were larger for full-time faculty when students knew their final grades before rating instructors and when an external evaluator graded students’ achievement tests. The results of the meta-analysis provide strong support for the validity of student ratings as measures of teaching effectiveness.
Although students' ratings of instruction have been examined in detail by educational researchers, the relationship between ratings and actual classroom behavior has not often been investigated. This study explores the relationship between student ratings and classroom observations. Twenty-eight professors from a wide range of academic disciplines participated in the study. Mean student ratings and frequencies of behavior in several categories were obtained for each professor. It was found that instructor behavior significantly predicted student questionnaire responses in three general areas. (1) When instructors spent time structuring classes and explaining relationships, students gave higher ratings on logical organization items. (2) When professors praised student behavior, asked questions and clarified or elaborated on student responses, ratings on the effectiveness of discussion leading were higher. (3) When instructor time was spent in discussions, praising student behavior, and silence (waiting for answers), students tended to rate the classroom atmosphere as being one which encourages learning.
This analysis attempts a systematic synthesis of the rather large body of research on college students'' views on teaching and their assessment of the effectiveness of various attitudes, behaviors, and pedagogical practices of instructors. Across studies, the following characteristics are consistently associated with superior college teachers or teaching (as determined in a variety of ways): stimulation of interest; clarity and understandableness; knowledge of subject matter; preparation for, and organization of, the course; and enthusiasm for the subject matter and for teaching. Friendliness (concern and respect for students), helpfulness (availability), and openness to others'' opinions (encouragement of class questions and discussion) are characteristics that students say they prefer in teachers (especially when they freely describe their ideal or best teacher and the characteristics they see as important to good teaching). However, a teacher''s standing on these characteristics appears not to be particularly important to students'' global assessment of their actual teachers on teacher-evaluation questionnaires. Finally, relative to other characteristics, certain regulative activities of the instructor are typically and consistently lower in importance for superior teaching, at least by the several indicators used in the studies under review. The analysis concludes with interpretations and cautions.
Student rating of teachers in five disciplines (science and math, education, social sciences, humanities, and business) were analyzed to determine which teacher attributes were important in predicting ratings of teaching effectiveness. Rating results from 1,439 courses taught at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale from 1973 to 1974 were used as data for this study. The results indicated that the instructor attributes rated as characteristic of effective instruction were highly consistent across disciplines, and the effective instructor was described as (1) knowing when students understood him, (2) increasing students'' appreciation of the subject matter, (3) answering impromptu questions satisfactorily, (4) achieving the objectives of the course, and (5) giving several examples to explain complex topics.
Students’ evaluations of teaching effectiveness (SETs) have been the topic of considerable interest and a great deal of research
in North America and, increasingly, universities all over the world. Research reviewed here indicated that SETs are:
The superior college teacher from the students' view Students' evaluations of university teaching: dimensionality, reliability, validity, potential biases, and utility Student ratings of faculty: a reprise Overt teaching behaviors and student ratings of instructors
- K A Feldman
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Successful Faculty Evaluation Programs. Crugers, NY: Coventry Press Intraclass correlations: uses in assessing rater reliability
- P Seldin
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- J L Fleiss
Seldin, P. (1980). Successful Faculty Evaluation Programs. Crugers, NY: Coventry Press. Shrout, E E., and Fleiss, J. L. (1979). Intraclass correlations: uses in assessing rater reliability. Psychological Bulletin 86: 420-428.
Successful Faculty Evaluation Programs
- P Seldin
- P. Seldin