Differences in Student Evaluations of Limited-Term Lecturers and Full-Time Faculty

This study compared student evaluations of teaching (SET) for limited-term lecturers (LTLs) and full-time faculty (FTF) using a Likert-scaled survey administered to students (N = 1,410) at the end of university courses. Data were analyzed using a general linear regression model to investigate the influence of multi-dimensional evaluation items on the overall rating item (Overall, I would rate the instructor of this course as outstanding) on the SET. Results showed that students provided higher ratings for LTLs than FTF, but they value different items when rating the overall evaluation of LTLs and FTF. Some survey items (for instance, those about instructor planning and enthusiasm) influence more on the rating of the overall item for LTLs than for FTF, whereas other, multi-dimensional items (for instance, those about assessment strategies and instructor's availability) influence more on the overall rating for FTF than for LTLs. Data and discussions of results identify the differences and suggest strategies for improving teaching effectiveness based on the ratings provided by students.