Journal of College Teaching & Learning - November 2005 Volume 2, Number 11 1 An Analysis of the Relative Importance Of Criteria Used On Student Evaluation of Teaching Effectiveness Instruments Douglas Havelka (Email: havelkdj@muohio.edu), Miami University Fred Beasley, (Email: beasley@nku.edu), Northern Kentucky University Catherine S. Neal, Northern Kentucky University ABSTRACT Student evaluation of teacher effectiveness (SETE) has become commonplace as one measure of teaching performance in higher education. A study was performed to determine which criteria taken from several SETE instruments is considered more or less critical to learning by students. The data was gathered in the form of a magnitude measurement scale from students from multiple institutions with different missions and demographics. An analysis of the similarities and differences among the sample population, i.e. students, was performed and a discussion of the results is given. INTRODUCTION tudent evaluation of teacher effectiveness (SETE) has become commonplace as one measure of teaching performance in higher education. Research has shown that institutions are using SETE for promotion and tenure decisions (summative purposes) as well as using it as a tool for improving teaching effectiveness and the quality of the learning experience (formative purposes). A study was performed to determine what criteria on a common SETE instrument are considered more or less critical to learning by students from multiple institutions of higher education. The data was gathered using the items from several SETE instruments in the form of a magnitude measurement scale. Students, and a small sample of parents of students, from multiple institutions with different missions and demographics were surveyed. A statistical analysis of some of the differences among the sample population, i.e. students and parents, was performed as well as a comparison of the institutions of the respondents. The details of the study, the outcomes of the data collection, the results of the statistical analysis, a discussion of the results and implications for various stakeholders, and suggestions for further research are presented below. BACKGROUND Student evaluation of teaching effectiveness (SETE) is often the most influential measure of performance used in promotion and tenure decisions at colleges and universities focused on teaching (Emery, Kramer et al. 2003). SETE is also used by students to select instructors prior to taking a course (Lewin 2003). SETE has been criticized for many reasons including: it is insufficient for measuring teacher performance(Sproule 2002), it is a disincentive to introducing rigor in the classroom (Millea and Grimes 2002; Emery, Kramer et al. 2003), it leads to grade inflation (Eiszler 2002), students’ perceptions are inaccurate(Trinkaus 2002), and it is unrelated to student learning (Greimel- Fuhrmann and Geyer 2003). In addition, research has found that students’ evaluations are primarily based on teacher behavior, but also are affected by the students’ liking or affection for the teacher or the teacher’s charisma (Shevlin, Banyard et al. 2000) and affected by students’ interest in the subject matter (Greimel-Fuhrmann and Geyer 2003). Some prior research has investigated factors that influence teaching effectiveness and learning, and students perceptions of these factors. Hill et al. found that the quality of the lecturer and the student support systems were most influential for quality education S