An Investigation of the Relationship Between Sex of Student, Political Orientation of Instructor, and Stimulus Medium on Student Ratings of Teaching Effectiveness

Date of Graduation

Spring 1997

Degree

Master of Science in Psychology

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

David Lutz

Abstract

The present study reviews relevant literature from research on student evaluations of teaching effectiveness and provides a summary from a pilot study. Three major hypotheses of the current study were female participants would provide more favorable ratings of a female instructor than would male participants on the ten subscales of a teaching evaluation form; participants would provide less favorable ratings for an instructor introduced as a feminist lecturer than when introduced as a lecturer; participants would provide the most favorable ratings of the instructor when she was both seen and heard, the least favorable ratings when seen but not heard, and moderate ratings when just heard. The first hypothesis was supported on seven subscales of the teaching evaluation form; the second hypothesis was supported on two of the teaching evaluation subscales. Results provided limited support of the third hypothesis on three subscales. Methodological issues of the current study are presented, suggestions for improvement are offered, and implications for future research are discussed.

Subject Categories

Psychology

Copyright

© Laura Ellen Jacobs

Citation-only

Dissertation/Thesis

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