Teacher effectiveness in a community college: student and teacher perceptions

Date

1996-05

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Texas Tech University

Abstract

There is a disconcerting lack of research-based literature about the effective teacher in the community college. This study focused on student and teacher perceptions of teacher effectiveness. The research was conducted at a multi-site Texas community college, enrolling 5,866 students. Data were collected from a sample of 41 full-time faculty and 560 students. The survey instrument used was Marsh's Students' Evaluation of Educational Qualitv (SEEQ). Slight modifications were necessary to adapt the instrument to community college use, and faculty and student versions were administered. The students rated their teacher while the teacher also completed a self-report as a basis for comparing perceptions of instructional effectiveness. Subjects responded to 31 items on a nine-point Likert scale, with an additional option of "not applicable," to indicate the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with the statements. The 31-item statements were grouped into the following 10 categories: Learning/Academic Value, Instructor Enthusiasm, Organization/Clarity, Breadth of Coverage, Examinations/Grading, Assignments/Readings, Group Interaction, Individual Rapport, Instructor Accessibility, and Overall Rating. Faculty-student comparisons were made in a number of ways. To test hypotheses regarding raters (student versus faculty), type of class (general education versus technical), and their interaction effects, two-way ANOVA procedures were conducted on teacher and student perceptions in 10 categories. To test hypotheses regarding the differences between traditional and nontraditional students, and male and female students, t-tests were conducted on students perceptions in 10 categories of instruction. The results revealed significant differences in perception between students, between students and faculty, or between types of course, in the following seven categories: Learning/Academic Value, Instructor Enthusiasm, Organization/Clarity, Examinations/Grading, Assignments/Readings, Individual Rapport, and Overall Rating.

Description

Keywords

Community college teachers, Teacher effectiveness

Citation