Attitudes toward higher education and course evaluation.

Abstract

Theories of central directive states and communicative balance suggest that attitudes and instructor-student congruence of attitudes may account for some of the variance in course evaluation. Accordingly, student ratings of college courses were regressed on students' and instructors' own and perceived attitudes toward higher education and college teaching, as well as on some indices of instructor-student attitudinal congruence. Regression analysis showed that attitudes account for close to 50% of evaluative variance. The most efficient subset of predictors is instructors' attitudes as perceived by students: The attribution to instructors of attitude items preferred by students is associated with positive course evaluation. These items tend to be progressive or social in orientation. In sum, the interaction of instructors' and students' attitudes in the evaluative process shows the relevance of personal dispositions and supports the hypotheses derived from directive states and balance theories.

Course evaluation and attitudes toward college teaching

“…The present findings replicate those of the previous study (Hofman and Kremer, 1980) and lend support to the claim that students' attitudes toward college teaching are part of a class of personal (student) variables that compete with situational variables, mainly instructor's performance, to account for course evaluation variance. No doubt this state of affairs is damaging to the validity of ratings, certainly with respect to the practice of basing promotion and tenure decisions on their strength.…”

“…It is in fact perceived attitudes that make the strongest contribution to evaluative variance. Abrami and Mizener (1983), despite some methodological misgivings about the Hofman and Kremer (1980) study, come to a similar conclusion. Viewing one's instructor as like-minded in some important and relevant way is to evaluate him/her positively.…”

“…Both attitude and rating scales have five-step response formats. Internal consistency estimates of reliability in the earlier study (Hofman and Kremer, 1980) were moderate for attitudes (0.40-0.50) and good for ratings (0.80-0.90). Students were asked to give the four last digits of their identification number so that returns could be matched.…”

“…, student efforts (Doyle and Whitely, 1974), prior interest in the subject taught (Marsh, 1980), and attitudes toward higher education (Hofman and Kremer, 1980). Many of these, are "personal," student-related variables which the learner "brings" to the classroom.…”

“…In an earlier study (Hofman and Kremer, 1980), course evaluation was shown to be positively related to students' own and perceived attitudes toward college teaching. Students appeared to be favoring instructors to whom they attributed opinions close to their own attitudinal position.…”