Factors Affecting Student Course Evaluations

Formal evaluation of instructors by students has become quite common in higher education. In many cases it is mandated by the state board of education or some other entity that students be involved in judging teacher effectiveness. The subsequent ratings have routinely come to be a part of promotion, tenure, and other personnel decisions pertaining to faculty members. In some institutions, student ratings are viewed as the most im-portant factor in evaluating faculty teaching performance (Centra, 1979, p. 8). Although the involvement of students in decisions regarding faculty has become institutionalized in many schools, the practice has been criticized by some faculty and administrators. Arguments both in favor of and in op-position to the use of student evaluations of faculty have been raised on both empirical and philosophical grounds (Centra, 1979; Chandler, 1978; Costin, Greenough & Menges, 1971; McKeachie, 1979; Sheehan, 1975). Wright and Ghorpade (1984) conclude that both sides appear to agree,