Teaching Assistant Traits: Their Influence on Student Ratings

Evolving Impressions: Undergraduate Perceptions of Graduate Teaching Assistants and Faculty Members over a Semester

“…The results for some of the descriptors support the findings by Zabaleta (2007) and Bos et al . (1980) that instructor age may influence student ratings and gender can influence student ratings (Feldman, 1993; Basow, 1995; Centra and Gaubatz, 2000).…”

“…The validity of these descriptors rests with the strength of this prior research, as well as research by others who have identified similar themes and descriptors in their own research (Bos et al ., 1980; Park, 2002; Arnon and Reichel, 2007; Walker, 2008; Muzaka, 2009). Face validity, as previously described, was also used.…”

“…Likewise, Baird (1987) and Greenwald and Gillmore (1997) noted a positive relationship between student evaluation ratings and course grades received. Research investigating instructor age conducted by Bos et al (1980) noted that students rated teaching assistants in their later twenties superior to teaching assistants in their early twenties. Zabaleta (2007) found similar age influences on student evaluations; however, Zabaleta offered the caution that age is inferred by the rater and therefore may be an erroneous factor.…”

“…Zabaleta (2007) found similar age influences on student evaluations; however, Zabaleta offered the caution that age is inferred by the rater and therefore may be an erroneous factor. Inconclusive results have been found regarding the influence of instructor gender; for example, Zabaleta (2007) and Bos et al . (1980) found no significant role of instructor gender on evaluation ratings.…”

“…Teaching experience, gender, and age of the instructors will be correlated with student ratings of these instructors for some of the descriptors in this study (Bos et al ., 1980; Baird, 1987; Feldman, 1993; Basow, 1995; Greenwald and Gillmore, 1997; Centra and Gaubatz, 2000; Dunkin, 2002; Clayson et al ., 2006; Zabaleta, 2007). …”