End-of-course student ratings of teaching are among the most frequently used methods of evaluating instruction in university courses. Experiential courses focus on knowledge application and performance, and tend to be taught and experienced differently as compared to lecture type courses. Traditional instruments used in universities to gather data about the effectiveness of instruction tend to focus on teaching behaviors relevant to lecture type courses, and have not captured a professional practice dimension one would expect to find in experiential courses. The Student Perception of Teaching Effectiveness in Experiential Courses Scale (ESPTE) was designed to measure effective teaching across a university, and includes items related to a professional practice dimension. The primary aim of the study was to further examine the dimensions of effective teaching in experiential courses using the ESPTE, and to explore the appropriateness of the ESPTE instrument for use across several different disciplines. Additionally, the student ratings were examined in terms of influence of certain characteristics of the course and student raters, including anticipated grade, class size, course level, and students’ prior interest in the course. ESPTE instruments completed by the students of 364 experiential courses were used in this study. Mean course ratings for the items of the ESPTE were used as the unit of analysis. Factor analyses were conducted for the entire data set (1998-2005) and two subgroup data sets (1998-2002 and 2003-2005) to identify and confirm the dimensions of effective teaching measured by the ESPTE. To determine whether adjustments would be needed for the ESPTE, additional correlations and one-way ANOVAs were performed using factor scores. The factor analyses identified and confirmed three dimensions of teaching in experiential courses including a dimension related to professional practice. A fourth dimension involving grading did not form in analysis of the 2003-2005 data. Of the additional analyses, a prior interest in the subject or course (a priori motivation) had considerable influence on the course ratings. With appropriate adjustment for a priori motivation, the findings of this study can be used to provide useful information to instructors and administrators related to the effectiveness of instruction in experientially-oriented courses. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Wichita State University, Dept. of Psychology. / Includes bibliographic references (leaves 57-66). / "July 2006."

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Thesis (M.A.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Communications. / Bibliography: leaves 55-56.

Thesis (M.S.) -- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2005. / Title from title page screen (viewed on Feb. 2, 2006). Thesis advisor: John Ray. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of West Florida, 2003. / Title from title page of source document. Includes bibliographical references.

This investigation focused on describing cognition in performance judgment of teaching in higher education. The influence of appraisal purpose and cue dimensionality was observed on subjective importance and utilization of information. Information integration strategies were examined in relation to purpose and cognitive complexity. Exploratory analysis focused on the measurement of good instructor schema profiles, and on the effect of cognitive complexity on halo in performance ratings. Seventy subjects were assigned randomly to two purpose conditions in the experiment: summative and formative judgment. Two questionnaires, two rating tasks, and a Role Construct Repertory grid were adminstered for data collection. The data were analyzed through regression modeling at the individual level and via analysis of variance procedures at the group level. The results indicate that the impact of cue dimensions is strong on subjective importance and utilization of information but varies with the purpose of appraisal. Raters valued and utilized trait information more than behavior information in evaluation required for personnel decisions. Where evaluation was feedback on the quality of teaching and expressed the need for improvement, raters utilized behavior information more than trait information. This pattern of information utilization suggests that saliency of information in performance judgment is a function of purpose and cue dimensionality, and that appraisal purpose has an effect on raters' cognition through schematic processing. The results also show that the use of varied strategies in mentally integrating dimensions of information is affected by raters' cognitive complexity. Although subjects mainly used compensatory strategies, the complex individuals used noncompensatory strategies as well. Exploratory analysis shows that cognitive complexity also affects halo in rating judgments. The findings seem to support the validity of student rating of instructors, and the utility of cognitive complexity construct in understanding performance judgment. It is suggested that the influence of schematic processing and cue saliency be addressed in further theorizing and research on performance judgment. As well, the inclusion of purpose of judgment and developmental constructs, such as cognitive complexity, is recommended for theorizing and research on judgment processes. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

This thesis was designed to determine if a significant relationship exists between credibility and effectiveness in seminary teachers.Teacher credibility was determined by an adaptation of McCroskey's semantic differential scales used for measuring teacher credibility. Teacher effectiveness was determined by a matching scripture test.Chi square tests produced significant relationships between teacher credibility and the following: student religiosity, teacher influence and class attitude. The tests also produced significant relationships between teacher effectiveness and these variables: sex, student religiosity, teacher influence and class attitude. These relationships largely were what one would expect. The chi square test also produced a significant relationship between teacher credibility and teacher effectiveness. Thus the major expectation of the thesis was supported by the data: more credible seminary teachers are more effective.

The purpose of this paper is to identify and examine some of the factors affecting pupil-parent evaluation of a Florida high school system for white children in a conservative county. The problem will be handled in such manner that it is expected that a group of valid findings and conclusions will emerge. It is hoped that the findings and conclusions will be of such nature that they will prove helpful to administrators and officials in this school system, and systems in other conservative counties, in formulating future plans and policy. In addition, it is expected that data will emerge that will indicate to some extent the degree to which the parents and pupils agree with the findings and recommendations of the latest evaluation of their school by an Evaluating Committee representing the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. / Advisor: Virgil E. Strickland, Professor Directing Paper. / "June, 1953." / Typescript. / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science." / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 81).

This study investigated the faculty perception of the use of a student evaluation of faculty instrument. The areas considered were use of the current Student Evaluation of Faculty (SEF) instrument to measure teaching effectiveness; use of the current instrument for annual faculty review; faculty involvement in developing the instrument; utilizing the instrument to improve teaching; and demographics of faculty gender, college/school in which they teach, and the numbers of years of higher education experience. Participants included 734 full-time instructional faculty members at Mississippi State University who taught during the fall 2012 semester and utilized the current SEF instrument. From the 734 faculty invited to participate in the study, 205 responded. The study was conducted in the fall 2013 semester. Over 71% of the participating faculty indicated a negative perception toward the current SEF instrument as an effective tool for their use in evaluating teaching effectiveness. However, 60% of the participants agree the instrument serves as an effective tool for their use to improve teaching. The faculty also indicated they would like to be able to compare their SEF results to others teaching comparable courses. Participants were asked to rate each question taken from the current SEF instrument, indicating its level of usefulness in their ability to utilize the results to improve teaching. Of the 11 questions, only 2 were found to be least useful to the faculty. One of those was related to the tests they give being fair and the other related to the student learned a great deal in the class. Almost 81% of the participants indicated that faculty involvement in the development of the current student evaluation of faculty instrument increased the usefulness in measuring teaching effectiveness. Conclusions based on the findings indicated a need to continue revising the evaluation process and instrument to include a multidimensional process. This multidimensional process should provide separate instruments to be used for annual faculty review and for improving teaching. These revisions should be carried out with faculty involvement to ensure acceptance of the processes and maintain positive perceptions.

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