“Somebody has to teach the ‘broccoli’ course”: Administrators Navigating Student Evaluations of Teaching (SET)

Abstract

Student Evaluations of Teaching (SET) have been the most consistently administered tool, and they are still extensively used in higher education institutions to assess teaching effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to explore how SET are used by administrators in the teaching evaluation process at a large, research-intensive Canadian university. A basic qualitative research design was used in this project, and semi-structured interviews were used to obtain administrators’ experiences. The research question that guided this study was: How are SET (and other tools) used in the evaluation of teaching at this university? Findings showed that although participants mostly utilized a couple of SET statements as indicators of effective teaching, they were certainly aware of the intrinsic issues concerning these tools, and that they are continually seeking to obtain more evidence if SET results are below their benchmarks.

Limitations of Student Evaluations for Assessment of Faculty Teaching Effectiveness

“…In higher education, administrators are particularly keen to apply SETs as a criterion in their faculty assessment process in overwhelming numbers. One study reported that 86 percent of administrators (i.e., department chairs or their equivalents) used SET results to assess faculty teaching effectiveness, citing a lack of other available resources or institutional support to incorporate additional ways to evaluate teaching (Vargas-Madriz et al 2019).…”

“…An instructor's attractiveness and personality have also been associated with heightened perceptions of teaching effectiveness (Vargas-Madriz et al 2019). Such phenomena have been noted in higher education settings during formal and informal reviews.…”