How do peer groups influence academic self-concept formation? We evaluate developmental issues in the big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE; negative effects of class-average achievement on math self-concept [MSC]) and its generalizability to peer-group-average achievement (1,017 primary-school students tested in Years 4 and 6, 46 classes, 130 peer…

Reanalysis of the factor analysis of S. Simpson, B. Licht, R. Wagner, and S. Stader (1996) of children's responses to four ability-related self-perceptions shows how applying a construct validity approach leads to conclusions opposed to theirs but still consistent with previous theory and research on academic self-concept. (SLD)

In 2 studies, 53 elementary school students in Australia participating in gifted and talented programs experienced systematic declines in 3 components of academic self-concept but not in 4 components of nonacademic self-concept. Results are discussed in terms of the "big-fish-little-pond" effect proposed by H. Marsh. (SLD)

This study employed a multi-cohort multi-occasion (MCMO) design to measure self-concept and academic achievement among 5- and 6-year-olds. Preliminary findings from the first two waves of data were used to examine: (1) the structure and development of a multidimensional self-concept; (2) the stability of self-concept responses over time; (3) the…

Results of this study demonstrate student-instructor agreement on evaluations of teaching effectiveness, support the validity of student ratings for both graduate and undergraduate courses, and emphasize the importance of using multifactor rating scales that are derived through the application of factor analysis. (Author/AL)

Agreement between multidimensional self-concept ratings by preadolescents and inferred self-concept ratings by teachers and parents was studied for 188 Australian children in grades 3 through 6. Children and significant others completed the Self-Description Questionnaire I. The degree of self-other agreement is discussed. (SLD)

Campbell and Fiske (1959) developed four criteria of construct validity when measures of more than one trait are obtained with more than one method. In this study these criteria are compared with two other procedures--an analysis of variance (ANOVA) model and confirmatory factor analysis--for analyzing multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) data. The…

Research that led to the development of an instrument and a program for collecting students' evaluations of college/university teaching is summarized. The current version of Students' Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ), which is appended, was developed at the University of Southern California (USC). (The first SEEQ was developed at the…

This study compares multitrait-multimethod analyses (MTMM) performed on items and factor scores derived from the items. Based upon this demonstration, researchers are encouraged to conduct a preliminary factor analysis before analyzing MTMM data whenever there is a doubt about the underlying trait structure. (Author/PN)

Prior Subject Interest (PSI) predicted student ratings of teaching effectiveness better than any of 15 other student/course/instructor characteristics considered. Instructor self-evaluations of their own teaching effectiveness were also positively correlated with PSI. (Author/RL)

Multiple dimensions of self-concept, inferred self-concepts based upon responses by peers and by teachers, and academic achievement measures were collected in a sample of 559 fifth grade students. Exploratory/conventional factor analyses of responses to the Self Description Questionnaire (SDQ) clearly identified the eight facets of self-concept…

The impact of students' prior interest in course subject matter on their evaluations of instructional effectiveness was determined. Students' evaluations of instructional effectiveness were collected in two different university settings involving 1,102 classes, while instructor self evaluations were also collected in one of these settings…

An Australian study and a Canadian study evaluated the ability of significant others to infer multiple dimensions of self-concept of university students accurately. Subjects were 151 Australian and 941 Canadian university students. Four factor analyses (self- and other-responses by Australians and Canadians) all clearly identified the 13 factors…

The effectiveness of students' evaluations of teaching effectiveness (SETs) as a means of enhancing university teaching was evaluated using the self-evaluations of 92 teachers and their students' evaluations using the Students' Evaluations of Educational Quality instrument. Results support the effectiveness of SET feedback in improving teaching.…

Confirmatory factor analysis of responses by 211 preadolescents (M age = 10.25 years,SD = 1.48) with mild intellectual disabilities (MIDs) to the individually administered Self Description Questionnaire I-Individual Administration (SDQI-IA) counters widely cited claims that these children cannot differentiate multiple self-concept factors. Results…