A comparison of the perceived teaching effectiveness of full-time faculty, graduate teaching assistants, coaches, and part-time faculty at selected universities in Tennessee.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the perceived teaching effectiveness of full-time faculty, part-time (adjunct) faculty, coaches, and graduate teaching assistants teaching physical education activities classes in five state universities in Tennessee. Students (N = 2,457) responded to 48 items on the Instructional Development and Effectiveness Assessment (IDEA) Survey developed by Kansas State University. The testing instrument was divided into seven teaching variables: instructor involvement with students, instructor communication with students, instructor enthusiasm with class and students, instructor evaluation methods, student subject mastery, student attitudes concerning physical education activity classes as a result of taking the course, and student rating of the course. Analysis of variance revealed statistical significance (p {dollar} greater than {dollar}.05) between one or more of the faculty groups in six of the seven teaching variables. Other variables indicating statistical significance differences between the four faculty groups were differences between students' ratings and instructors' gender; activity type (aerobic/anaerobic, team games); ages of instructors; time of activity; nature of the activity; class sizes; students' academic rank; students' expected grade; and students' chronological age across the four faculty groups.

Results of this study indicate that part-time faculty are consistently rated the highest across the four faculty groups. Total mean scores illustrate that female students more than male students rank male and female instructors higher. Dance/Rhythm activities are consistently rated higher than individual/dual sports and team games. The time of class appeared to influence student ratings or instructors. Activities conducted after 12:00 p.m. consistently received higher evaluation scores than classes conducted before 12:00 p.m. Data from this study also indicate that class size was a factor in student evaluations. Students attending classes with more than 15 students tend to rate instructors higher than those classes attended by 15 students or less. The academic rank and chronological age of students had no influence on evaluation scores, but students' expected grade illustrated consistent disparities in instructor evaluations. Students expecting a letter grade of an A consistently rated instructors higher compared to those expecting a letter grade of C.