Ronald A. Smith

A New Look at the Effect of Course Characteristics on Student Ratings of Instruction

Faculty members who are interpreting student questionnaire results often assume that smaller class sizes and higher levels of instruction receive higher ratings, even though researchers report conflicting results. This study examined the effect of course characteristics on student ratings in a variety of instructional situations. Data were collected in 1,777 classes in five departments at all levels of instruction over 3 years. When results were analyzed overall, the generally accepted trends were confirmed; however, in specific departments, or at particular levels of instruction, the relationships varied dramatically. It was concluded that the effect of course characteristics on student ratings of instruction varied depending on the situation in which the ratings were collected, and that the relationships are complex. Comparisons among professors and the use of norms in the interpretation of the evaluation results must be done with caution and must consider the instructional setting.

Reconsidering the Unit of Analysis: A Model of Student Ratings of Instruction.

This paper describes the underlying structure of student ratings of instruction, using three units of analysis. Data were analyzed using individual ratings, class means, and deviations from class means

Perspectives on the impact of the 3M national teaching fellowship program

Abstract The 3M National Teaching Fellowship (3MNTF) is the highest award in teaching in Canada and was first awarded in 1986, yet to date there has been no research measuring its impact on individual winners and their institutions. As part of this project, two focus groups were conducted at the 3MNTF Retreat in Banff, with the 2012 cohort, 3M retreat facilitators and coordinators and the representative from 3M Canada. In 2014, we conducted two additional focus groups with senior university administrators and educational developers at the Educational Developers Caucus Conference and a third focus group with the 2013 cohort at the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education conference. This paper presents their perspectives on their unique set of experiences, both positive and negative, that reflect the impact of this award.