Statistical investigative analysis of the factors which contribute to the productivity of the academic teachers with respect to scientific research output and teaching effectiveness

The investigation of productivity of Academic Teachers in terms of research and teaching effectiveness is a subject which has attracted considerable research and which determines the economic level and prospects of a country. In this paper we investigate the factors which influence the academic teachers’ effectiveness in the Greek Academic Institutions, either Universities or Technological Educational Institutions, with respect to their research and teaching. We have carried out two sampling surveys. In the first one, a questionnaire has been sent to 128 Professors at Greek Academic Institutions. In the second one, a questionnaire has been sent to 374 students studying at Greek Institutions of Higher Education, either Universities or Technological Educational Institutions. The Statistical Methods employed were the following: Descriptive Statistics, Chi-Square Tests and T-Tests, Linear Models, Factor Analysis and Reliability Analysis. The results are the following: A) The productivity of an academic teacher, which is defined as research output and teaching effectiveness, depends on the following factors: A1) The number of publications in internationally recognized journals, Indexed in databases with impact factor. A2) The number of citations to his papers from other authors working on similar subjects. A3) His Teaching effectiveness measured by the annual reports of evaluation by his students, A4) The type of the Academic institution where he works, A5) His educational 2 background and his studies, A6) His work previous experience. Another important result is the following: According to the answers to the questionnaire by the Academic teachers, research productivity is the principal characteristic of a productive academic, but according to the students’ answers to their questionnaire , the characteristic which is of paramount importance for an academic is his teaching effectiveness in terms of making clear the subject of his courses, his daily contact with the students, his readiness to answer questions to his students and his general attitude to improve the knowledge of his students with respect to the subject which he teaches. The Chi-Square Test has revealed a strong association between work previous experience and the following variables: research activity, rank, knowledge of foreign languages, type and principle schools affiliated to an academic institution and level of undergraduate curriculum subjects, which the professor teaches. A general conclusion is that the type of Institution, the existence of post-graduate programs and the previous work experience of the Professor determine his effectiveness as teacher and research worker