The impact of individual consultation on the teaching of younger versus older faculty

This study examines the effect of age of instructor on student ratings of teaching performance after individual consultation. Instructors self-presented over an 11-year period at a large Canadian university teaching service, where each received one of three interventions. End of term student ratings of the teaching of younger and older instructors are compared before consultation, immediately post consultation, and 1–3 years after year of consultation. Younger faculty obtained significantly improved ratings immediately after consultation, while older faculty achieved significant rating increases 1–3 years post consultation. Results from an earlier study on the impact of individual consultation on teacher ratings are reevaluated using this larger sample of faculty. Generally, results in this analysis parallel the original research. Consultation produced changes in student ratings both immediately after consultation as well as longitudinally, thus confirming the utility of intervention in producing enduring pedagogical improvements. Control analyses ensured that improvements were a result of the interventions and not an artefact of time.