Interpreting Students' Course Evaluations

Student evaluation of courses and instructors are accorded an important role in schools of social work in relation to educational planning and faculty promotion, tenure and salary decisions. This study examined the dimensions underlying student rating to aid in the interpretation of student judgements of teaching effectiveness. Exploratory factor analyses identified three dimensions of teaching effectiveness: Instructional Merit or Skill; Evaluation Process or Feedback; and Course Value and Content. Implications of the factor structure for social work education are discussed.