The Use of Students’ Evaluations and an Individually Structured Intervention to Enhance University Teaching Effectiveness

Abstract

The present investigation evaluates the effectiveness of students’ evaluations of teaching effectiveness (SETs) as a means for enhancing university teaching. We emphasize the multidimensionality of SETs, an Australian version of the Students’ Evaluations of Educational Quality ( Marsh, 1987 ) instrument (ASEEQ), and Wilson’s (1986) feedback/consultation intervention. All teachers (N = 92) completed self-evaluation surveys and were evaluated by students at the middle of Semester 1 and at the ends of Semesters 1 and 2. Three randomly assigned groups received the feedback/consultation intervention at midterm of Semester 1 (MT), at the end of Semester 1 (ET), or received no intervention (control). Each MT and ET teacher ‘‘targeted” specific ASEEQ dimensions that were the focus of his or her individually structured intervention. The ratings for all groups improved over time, but only ratings for the ET group improved significantly more than those in the control group. For both ET and MT groups, targeted dimensions improved more than nontargeted dimensions. The results suggest that SET feedback coupled with consultation is an effective means to improve teaching effectiveness, and the study provides one model for feedback/consultation.