Validating a Theory-Based Survey to Evaluate Teaching Effectiveness in Higher Education

Authors

  • Audrey Amrein-Beardsley Arizona State University Author
  • Thomas Haladyna Arizona State University Author

Abstract

Surveys to evaluate instructor effectiveness are commonly used in higher education. Yet the survey items included are often drawn from other surveys without reference to a theory of adult learning. The authors present the results from a validation study of such a theory-based survey. They evidence that an evaluation survey based on a theory that describes an effective instructor increases the possibility for validation, and that aligning survey items with a theoretically based description of effective teaching reduces the number of total items needed. As a result, there is less of a risk that halo rating errors will reduce subscore validity.

Published

2024-03-23