Basic questions concerning the purposes and functions of faculty evaluation in higher education are considered, along with background of the practice. It is contended that the purpose of faculty evaluation ought to be the improvement of instruction, and that the administrative uses of faculty evaluation for decisions of promotion, tenure, and…

The literature from 1973-1983 on student ratings of faculty teaching effectiveness is reviewed. Among the consistent findings over the decade are the following: high student rating scale reliability, the limited influence of instructor and student demographic variables on student ratings of teacher effectiveness, and faculty perceptions that…

Five kinds of assessment measures were used to determine whether improvements took place in the continuing education program at the State University of New York at Stony Brook as a result of a new faculty hiring plan that emphasized departmental control. The five assessment methods were: scheduling information; student evaluation of teaching data;…

Directors of forensics at research universities are subject to a conflict between attaining pedagogically justified goals for forensic activities and the realities incumbent upon the mission of a research university. The ideal, pedagogical view of forensics maintains that a forensics program should offer a broad range of activities, should be…

Three instruments used to evaluate faculty were compared: the Student Instructional Report (SIR), produced by the Educational Testing Service, the College Instructional Evaluation Questionnaire (CIEQ), produced by the University of Arizona, and the Instructional Development and Effectiveness Assessment (IDEA), produced by Kansas State University.…

A summary of what is generally thought to be taught well in internal medicine and what is taught less effectively is presented. The roles of medical students are considered in that context. Teaching contributions, evaluation of teaching, problems on clerkships, and opportunities for change are discussed. (MLW)

At Valencia Community College's Osceola Campus, adjunct instructors make up over 75% of the teaching force. Adjunct faculty are given several challenges: to contribute to every aspect of campus life; to affect major instructional instruction; and to be aware of the constraints created by college policy and a regard for instructional excellence.…

Two divergent views are contrasted: the multidimensional and the unidimensional views of faculty evaluation. The views of H. W. Marsh, the most outspoken advocate of the multidimensional view of evaluation based on factor scores, is summarized and a response to his concerns is presented. (Author/MLW)

All faculty at New York's Ulster County Community College (UCCC) are evaluated on a regular basis using student, peer, and self-evaluations. Since student and peer evaluations can be capricious and self-evaluation methods at the college have no specific guidelines, it is recommended that teaching portfolios be used to provide a credible means of…

This study examined how the awarding of tenure affects senior professors' interests in teaching and research and whether effects are uniformly negative, positive or different depending on the task. A conceptual model was used that involved intrinsic interest and extrinsic rewards, work context, and individual background variables. Data were taken…

This paper addresses the question of the assessment of faculty job performance at American colleges and universities, examining historical and current trends in faculty evaluation. It reviews the concept of faculty evaluation in the colonial period through the 20th century, focusing on recent efforts to hold faculty more accountable for their job…

This paper describes the uses of portfolios for the preparation and continuing professional development of educators, with a focus on the use of portfolios as an important part of administrator development. It looks at the use of portfolios as a way to promote more effective and intensive continued learning among educational leaders. A brief…

This paper addresses faculty evaluation and the use of performance-based assessment documents (teaching dossiers or portfolios) to promote and maintain a high level of teaching quality at the higher education level. It is suggested that an evaluation tool, such as the dossier, should emphasize teaching effectiveness and allow educational…

This paper describes a quantitative model that can be used to evaluate faculty performance for promotion decisions. Through the use of an evaluation form, the system (1) informs faculty members how they will be evaluated at the end of each academic year; (2) allows faculty growth to be documented in teaching, research, and other activities which…

An attempt was made at Mountain Empire Community College to develop and implement an impartial and equitable method of faculty evaluation. As part of this process, an instrument was developed to provide both a quantitative and qualitative student rating of faculty. The instrument contains 10 questions covering the syllabus/course outline,…