Do learner's gender and ethnicity really matter for academic performance evaluation

This study aims to determine whether different perceptions based on a learner's characteristics of age, gender, ethnicity, and duration of stay in Australia provide an explanation of teaching performance evaluations. Perceptions determine interpersonal behaviour (including communication and motivation) and the way a learner believes that they are going to be assessed by the teacher. Thereby, this will impact on a student's formal evaluation of teaching performance through a student survey of teaching (SST). This study considers the existence of ethnic and gender bias in postgraduate students undertaking accounting-related courses. The study applies a combination of quantitative online and offline surveys which include SST data and additional questions identifying demographic data to demonstrate that a learner's evaluation of teaching performance is influenced by the learner's perceptions. Whilst there were no significant findings related to gender, the authors identified that students from certain ethnic backgrounds and citizenship, had different perceptions of a teacher's performance. In addition age and duration of stay in Australia were identified as two demographic elements which were also statistically significant. [Author abstract, ed]