Teacher Course Evaluations

1
Teacher Course Evaluations

• A Notre Dame Perspective
• John Affleck-Graves

TCE May 2002
2
Introduction

• Campus wide conversation
• Not an end in itself
• No holy grail
• Those who think they know it all are very
  annoying to those who do!

3
Dimensions of Teaching

• Student Perception
• Curriculum Content
• Student Learning

4
ND Teacher Course Evaluations

• 13 questions related to teacher activities
• 4 other questions
• Student profile
• Course time
• Course content
• Overall perception of teaching (Q17)

5
Factor Analysis (Q1 to Q13)

• Four Basic Components
• Explain 86 of cross-sectional variation
• Highly correlated with Q17
• Highly correlated with each other

6
Component 1 Structure

• Preparation
• Organization
• Presentation
• Correlation with Q17 0.88

7
Component 2 Empathy

• Stimulates thinking
• Is enthusiastic about subject
• Cares about learning
• Welcomes outside contact
• Correlation with Q17 0.83
• Correlation with Component 1 0.73

8
Component 3 Assistance

• Helpful and patient
• Addresses questions
• Help available outside of class
• Evaluations of work are helpful
• Fair and impartial
• Correlation with Q17 0.88
• Correlation with component 1 0.75
• Correlation with component 2 0.81

9
Component 4 Examination

• Appropriately tests course material
• Correlation with Q17 0.83
• Correlation with component 1 0.73
• Correlation with component 2 0.79
• Correlation with component 3 0.75

10
Adjusted Teaching Score

• Regression of Q17 against several control
  variables
• Course level
• 100
• 200
• Senior (300 or 400)
• Section size
• Non-lecture course (Lab, tutorial, research)

11
Adjusted Score (Contd)

• Major (vs non-major)
• Elective (vs required)
• Interaction
• Instructor variables
• Gender
• Minority
• International
• Other

12
Some Results

• Division Mean Adj Score
• Fine Arts 3.53 -.039
• Languages 3.56 .035
• Humanities 3.50 -.008
• Social Science 3.40 -.006
• Business 3.37 .082
• Engineering 3.32 -.002
• Science 3.19 -.050

13
Content

• Review of course outline
• Classroom visitation
• Review of examinations

14
Learning

• Common examinations
• Review of examination scripts
• Standardized tests
• Performance in subsequent courses
• ?????

15
Summary

• 1. Factors that effect teaching perception
• -- Structure and preparation
• -- Empathy and enthusiasm
• -- Availability
• -- Examination
• 2. Unimportant factors
• -- Student time (Correlation of 0.11)
• -- Gender and ethnicity of instructor
• -- Age of instructor (until end!)
•  

16
Summary

• 3. Too much emphasis on student perception
• 4. Some attention on content
• 5. Need much more focus on what students learn
•