Student evaluations of teaching provide valued information about teaching effectiveness, and studies support the reliability and validity of such measures. However, research also illustrates potential moderation of student perceptions based on teacher gender, attractiveness, and even age, although the latter receives little research attention. In…

This article describes a new 14-step process for using student evaluations of teaching to improve teaching. The new process includes examination of student evaluations in the context of instructor goals, student evaluations of the same course completed in prior terms, and evaluations of similar courses taught by other instructors. The process has…

We examine the validity of peer observation of classroom instruction for purposes of faculty evaluation. Using both a multi-section course sample and a sample of different courses across a university's School of Business and Economics we find that the results of annual classroom observations of faculty teaching are significantly and positively…

The present study investigated differences in the effectiveness of instructors from a variety of departments who taught the same course in both intensive and traditional formats within the same year, while controlling for many confounding variables. Results indicated that intensive courses did not significantly differ from traditional courses in…

Web sites like RateMyProfessors.com (RMP) are increasing in popularity. However, many have questioned the validity of unofficial online teaching evaluations. We first surveyed students about their use and perceptions of RMP. We then compared RMP ratings to official student evaluations of teaching (SET). We found that students believe RMP ratings…

When student end-of-course ratings are not commensurate with instructor skill and effort, one possible reason may be that students question the instructor's authority. It is proposed here that such doubts about authority are reinforced by specific instructor behaviors. This pilot study attempts to identify these behaviors in the interest of…

This study examined the statistical effect of changing from a 10-point to a 5-point response scale on students' evaluation of instruction. Participants were 5,616 students enrolled in classes offered by the College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs at a large Western university, who completed both the old evaluation (10-point response) and the…

Student evaluations of teacher performance are generally taken as an important measure of teaching effectiveness. However, they often misrepresent classroom realities. The ratings on the forms frequently reflect students' emotional experiences in their courses rather than pedagogy or the amount of learning. Finally, since education is necessarily…

Student teaching evaluations (STEs) are increasingly used in the process of determining promotion and tenure. While most research has focused on career consequences, there has been little inquiry into the remarks students write at the end of the evaluation form. The structure of the collection process, involving emotional arousal and anonymity in…

Using data from eight academic departments and 361 courses taught during a semester, the author examined differences between full-time and part-time faculty in the areas of general demographic variables, student evaluation of teaching outcomes, and the distribution of grades earned. The author expected full-time faculty to exhibit higher teaching…

Student evaluations of advising (SEA) are often limited to student ratings of the faculty member's advising skills. As with teaching evaluations, ratings of SEA may not be the best reflection of the advisor's performance. In this study, the author analyzed SEA to determine the relationship between student characteristics and evaluation items.…

This case study describes recent experiences with two classes of "Generation Me" psychology majors. The teacher compares the self-descriptions and behaviors of current college students with those of students from three earlier decades. Through self-critical reflections, he evaluates his instructional decisions with the two classes. He…

The authors examined how instructor attitudes relate to grading behavior using two attitude instruments (ascription of responsibility and approval motivation) and resulting data collected from general education instructors at a midwestern comprehensive university. The results of the research show that approval motivation is significantly related…

The issue of student evaluations of faculty has been a source of debate in higher education for many years (Arden 2002; McKeachie 1979; Ory 2001; Trout 2000). Nevertheless, this author believes that student evaluations can be a valuable source of feedback for improving the quality of instruction. Therefore, she decided to initiate the practice of…

Explores teaching evaluations with a emphasis on student evaluations of teaching effectiveness (SETEs). Discusses the role of SETEs in the scholarship of teaching; addresses their two primary uses, highlighting the difference between global and specific items contained within most instruments; briefly addresses the research on their accuracy;…