Utility Maximization Model of Teaching Effectiveness in Economics

Abstract

The current research explored the utility maximization concept of teaching effectiveness of economics with the application of the student ratings of instruction (SRI) measuring device at a university in the southeastern US. The research methodology was quantitative, and the data were the 175 students' responses on definite items of teaching efficiency for the spring 2017 semester SRI survey at the university. Using the Cronbach's alpha statistic, the results disclosed the alpha for the 15 items on the measuring scale, which in all evaluated teaching efficiency and student motivation at the university was about .95, suggesting the items established a measuring scale that had applied internal stability dependability for the SRI design. Additionally, applying the principal axis factoring with varimax rotation, suggested the two indexes of teaching effectiveness and student self-motivation had robust positive loadings of > .40, and significantly interlinked with teaching effectiveness and student learning success. Consequently, this sanctioned the construct validity of the SRI measuring design in evaluating teaching quality. However, the research was restricted to one semester analysis of the SRI design, which may be insufficient to confirm the generalizability of the design as a measurement of teaching effectiveness. Subsequent scholarships must embrace additional semesters for a comprehensive generalizability.