The Effects of Instructor Personality and Other Instructor and Course Characteristics on Student Evaluations of Teaching Effectiveness

The present study explored the relation between instructor personality and student ratings of teaching effectiveness. There has been little research in this area and none which specifically addresses the Impact of personality traits, as measured by the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, on ratings of college instructors. In addition, assigned grades, course type, class size, and Instructor gender were also examined in their relations to teaching effectiveness. Previous literature concerning these variables has yielded contradictory and inconclusive results. Participants included instructors teaching classes at Fort Hays State University. The participants first completed the NEO PI-R and also authorized the campus computing center to release teaching effectiveness scores, as measured by TEVALs completed by their students, as well as other pertinent information. Results indicated that instructor personality was not a significant predictor of teacher effectiveness ratings. In addition, course type, class size, and instructor gender were not significantly related to ratings provided by students. However, a positive significant relation was found between assigned grades and teacher effectiveness ratings. This finding is consistent with previous literature