Abstract
This research addressed itself to the issue of the validity of student ratings of instruction, describing and comparing the factor patterns obtained under three different sets of directions. Graduate education students (n=414) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: administrator use, instructor use, and student use. Subjects in each condition received a different cover letter which explained the purported use to which their ratings were to be put and which asked them to rate their course and instructor on a 33-item rating scale. Data were factor analyzed using principal-axes factor method followed by an oblique transformation. The factor patterns obtained were then compared using the coefficient of congruence. While two clusters (organization/structure and rapport/interaction) emerged across all three conditions, a third cluster appeared which was unique to each condition. The coefficients of congruence obtained generally indicated that the factors could not be considered invariant across the three conditions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bejar, I. I. (1975). A survey of selected administrative practices supporting student evaluation of instruction programs. Res. Higher Ed. 3:77–86.
Bendig, A. W. (1953). Student achievement in introductory psychology and student ratings of competence and empathy of the instructor. J. Psychol. 36:427–433.
Berkshire, J. R., and Highland, R. W. (1953). Forced-choice performance rating: A methodological study. Personnel Psychol. 6:356–378.
Cattell, R. B. (1965). Factor analysis: An introduction to essentials: I. The purpose and underlying models. Biometrics 21:190–215.
Cattell, R. B. (1966). The meaning and strategic use of factor analysis. In “Handbook of Multivariate Experimental Psychology” (Cattell, R. B., ed.). Chicago: Rand McNally.
Costin, F., Greenough, W. T., and Menges, R. J. (1971). Student rating of college teaching: Reliability, validity and usefulness. Rev. Ed. Res. 41:511–535.
Crittenden, K. S., and Norr, J. L. (1975). Some remarks on “Student Ratings”: The validity problem. Am. Ed. Res. J. 12:429–433.
Deshpande, A., Webb, S., and Marks, E. (1970). Student perceptions of engineering instructor behaviors and their relationship to the evaluation of instructor and courses. Am. Ed. Res. J. 7:289–305.
Doyle, L., and Whilely, S. (1974). Student ratings as criteria for effective teaching. Am. Ed. Res. J. 11:259–274.
Finkbeiner, C., Lathrop, J., and Scheurger, J. (1973). Course and instructor evaluation: Some dimensions of a questionnaire. J. Ed. Psychol. 64:159–163.
Frey. P. (1973). Comparative judgment scaling of student course ratings. Am. Ed. Res. J. 10:149–154.
Frey, P., Leonard, D., and Beatty, W. (1975). Student ratings of instruction: Validation research. Am. Ed. Res. J. 12:435–477.
Gage, N. J. (1961). The appraisal of college teaching. J. Higher Ed. 32:17–22.
Granzin, L. L., and Painter, J. J. (1973). A new explanation for students' course evaluation tendencies. Am. Ed. Res. J. 10:115–124.
Grush, J. E., and Costin, F. (1975) The student as a consumer of a teaching process. Am. Ed. Res. J. 12:55–66.
Hills, J. R. (1974). On the use of student ratings of faculty in determination of pay, promotion and tenure. Res. Higher Ed. 2:317–324.
Isaacson, R., McKeachie, W., Milholland, J., Linn, Y., Hofeller, M., Baerwaldt, J., and Zinn, K. (1964). Dimensions of student evaluations of teaching. J. Ed. Psychol. 55:344–351.
McKeachie, W. J. (1965). “Teaching Tips. A Guidebook for the Beginning College Teacher.” Ann Arbor, Mich.: George Wahr.
Meredith, G. (1969). Dimensions of faculty-course evaluation. J. Psychol. 73:217–232.
Nunnally, J. C. (1967). “Psychometric Theory.” New York: McGraw-Hill.
Riley, T. W., Ryan, B. F., and Lifshitz, M. (1950). “The Student Looks at His Teacher.” New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press.
Rodin, M., and Rodin, B. (1972). Student evaluation of teachers. Science 177:1164–1166.
Rosenshine, B., Cohen, A., and Furst, N. (1973). Correlates of student preference ratings. J. College Student Personnel 14:269–272.
Scott, C. S. (1975). Some remarks on Student ratings: Validation. Am. Ed. Res. J. 12:444–447.
Sharon, A. T., and Bartlett, C. J. (1969). Effect of instructional conditions in producing leniency on two types of rating scales. Personnel Psychol. 22:251–263.
Solomon, D. (1966). Teacher behavior dimensions, course characteristics, and student evaluations of teachers. Am. Ed. Res. J. 3:35–47.
Stewart, C. T., and Malpass, L. F. (1966). Estimates of achievement and ratings of instructors. J. Ed. Res. 59:347–350.
Taylor, E. K., and Wherry, R. J. (1951). A study of leniency in two rating systems. Personnel Psychol. 4:39–47.
Tetenbaum, T. (1975). The role of student needs and teacher orientations in student ratings of teachers. Am. Ed. Res. J. 12:417–429.
Tucker, L. (1951). “A Method for Synthesis of Factor Analysis Studies (Personnel research section report, no. 984).” Washington, D.C.: Department of the Army.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tetenbaum, T. The factor invariance of student ratings of instruction under three sets of directions. Res High Educ 6, 11–23 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00992013
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00992013