STUDENTS EVALUATION OF TEACHING PROCESSES AND THEIR ACADEMICS PERFORMANCE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Problem  

The sustainability of any education system, whether formal or informal, is dependent on teacher effectiveness, teacher quality, and learners comprehension of the subject presented. According to Mayer and Ibrahim (2015), education is the deliberate process of attempting to change behavior in socially desirable directions through learning. As observed by Farrell & Farmer (2017), learning may be defined as permanent change since it is brought about in students by a teacher through tactics such as improving certain abilities, altering some attitudes, or comprehending specific scientific laws that operate within a learning environment. However, in order to be an engaged learner in a formal school, each student expects to be regarded as an adult learner with some control over the learning environment, such as the ability to ask questions and clarify uncertainties (Godfrey 2015). That is, student anticipate having control over the learning process. To buttress further, David (2017) asserts that students expect their teacher to be cooperative and amusing, to educate clearly and to utilize relevant examples so that the course content being taught becomes easy to learn, which is becoming increasingly important in classrooms today.

Etymologically, the teaching and learning process may be regarded as a knowledge transformation process from teachers to students. It includes procedures such as preparation, execution, assessment, and revision of a specified learning aim. Regardless, it important to establish an evaluation mechanism to gauge the effectiveness of the process. According to Jones (2015) evaluating instructional processes becomes required in order to identify the extent to which socially desirable behaviour is being attained by students who has been exposed to a teaching-learning situation. Smith (2010) referenced in Chen & Hoshower  (2019) submits that evaluation is the process of acquiring and assessing data about students' challenges and progress toward reaching desired educational goals. It is a vital and necessary component of all learning. 

On the importance of evaluating the teaching process, Marsh  (2020) averred that feedback and evaluation provided by students are intuitively one of the most essential tools for student learning, instructor effectiveness, and professional growth which is phenomenally identified as Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET). Student evaluations of an instructor, according to Theall, Abrami, and Mets (2016), gives a reliable, valid appraisal of that teacher's efficacy, especially when assessments represent the perspectives of a considerable number of students participating in multiple course settings. Murdoch (2010) mentioned in Ryan Anderson  & Birchler, (2018) believes that while students' perspectives should be addressed in a teacher-supportive evaluation system, teacher assessment is generally viewed as secondary in contrast to problems such as updating curricula and teaching materials and introducing new technologies. Murray (2017) added that SET may also be utilized to build materials and programmes while keeping the student viewpoint in mind.

On the other hand, several scholars has perused the shortcomings of Student Evaluation  of Teaching. Renaud & Murray (2015) asserts that one of its detrimental effects on academic skills has been discovered, since it may promote grade inflation and degrade academic standards. The author further posits  that faculty members are hesitant to assign low grades since they are aware that student ratings are considered in personnel decisions. They believe that bad grades will result in students seeking retaliation in the form of negative teacher evaluations, and that instructors will respond by boosting grades, implying that SET may not be a reliable grading system. In support of Renaud & Murray (2015) idea, Ory, & Ryan  (2018) asserts that at least one-third of teachers in their survey had significantly reduced their grading criteria and degree of course difficulty. In one study by Marsh (2020), it was also shown that students feel instructors frequently overlook the outcomes of student evaluations of instruction, which causes them to get disheartened and cease revealing their true ideas .

Despite its limitations, student evaluation of teaching (SET) is becoming more common in the education industry. As a result, research has concentrated on expanding knowledge of the factors influencing SET, its significance to student academic performance as well as how to structure SET in terms of content and administration.

1.2 Statement of the Problem  

In recent times, it appears that the problem of weak conceptual comprehension of some essential subject has resurfaced in the educational sector such that students frequently have difficulties to study and do not attain success as a result of their efforts. According to Patrick (2015), this could be due to the fact that they do not establish adequate comprehension of basic concepts in each subject as explained by the teacher, or the teacher did not use appropriate pedagogy during the teaching-learning process, which disrupts realization of the learning objectives. David ( 2017) lament that it is pitiful that some teachers are unable to teach subjects that exemplify students' life experiences in their environment; most of their lessons are abstract and involve purposeless modification of numbers, symbols, and relationships (especially in subjects like mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology), while providing non-scholastic interpretation for concepts and phenomena in art and commercial subjects. According to Jones (2016), most students nowadays are unable to understand essential ideas in chemical processes, display competency in abilities such as problem solving, critical thinking, mastery and comprehension of scientific techniques and processes, and applying information in real-life settings.

The aforementioned issues, among many others, have intensified researchers' and educators' concern about the necessity to evaluate educational procedures using students' judgement. Murray (2016) asserts that student assessment of teaching is fast expanding over the world and has an influence on three areas: faculty personnel choices, teaching quality improvement, and  academic achievement. They go on to say that student evaluation of instruction, particularly written comments, makes teacher evaluation data more compelling and relevant, and hence contributes to teaching improvement. McKeachie (2006) cited in Mayer & Ibrahim (2015) on contrarily identifies four major criticisms of Student Evaluation of Teaching where  they criticized that using SET, students are unable to make informed and consistent judgments about their instructors; students are unable to make accurate judgments until a certain period of time has elapsed after the course; student ratings are negatively related to student learning; and student ratings are based on expected grades in the course. From the authors study, they established that student evaluation of teaching processes should not be the only basis for administrative decisions like promotion, retention or lay-off of teacher, even though SET is necessary for improving teachers effectiveness which in turn promotes learning outcome.

Notably, although various studies has been conducted on student evaluation of teaching (SET) with emphasis on teacher’s performance, little or no attention has been given to how student evaluation of teaching process impacts their  academic performance. Upon this premise, the researcher seeks to close the perceived gap on students evaluation of teaching processes and their academics performance.

1.3 Purpose / Objectives of the Study  

The broad purpose of this study if focused on students evaluation of teaching processes and their academics performance. In other to achieve the broad purpose, the study was broken down into the following specific objectives:

To  investigate the different teaching processes adopted by teachers .

To ascertain ways students evaluate teachers’ teaching processes.

To examine the most effective teaching process preferred by students.

To ascertain whether teaching processes adopted by teachers significantly impact students performance.

1.4 Significance of the Problem  

This study is significant in terms of revealing the relationship between student and teachers ratings, which indicate that students are in fact able to make judgments which accord with other judgments. However, findings of the study will enables school management of secondary schools  to define appropriately what they desire to achieve using Student Evaluation of Teaching processes. The study will also guide them in such ways that no matter what the purpose SET is, they should be wary of using such an evaluation by itself for administrative decision-making purpose such as promotion, dismissal, and tenure of teachers without reference to other evaluation methods. On the other hand, SET seems to be a reliable source for improvement in the quality of teaching, as long as the improvement process is well-structured, for example, by including action plans, observations and post-observations. This can raise the self-awareness, self-reflection and critical thinking skills of teachers towards putting their best in order to improve student academic performance. 

Empirically, the study will contribute on Evaluation of Teachers’ Performance literature and further serve as a reference material to scholars who wishes to conduct further studies in related topics.

1.5 Scope of the Study  

The scope of this study borders on students evaluation of teaching processes and their academics performance. The study will discuss further on  teaching processes adopted by teachers, ways students evaluate teachers’ teaching processes,the most effective teaching process preferred by students and whether teaching processes adopted by teachers significantly impact students performance. The study is however delimited to selected secondary schools in Lagos State.

1.6 Research Questions 

In order to achieve the purpose of the study, the following research questions were constructed in line with the research objectives:

What are  the different teaching processes adopted by teachers in  secondary schools in Lagos State?

In what way do students evaluate teachers’ teaching processes in  secondary schools in Lagos State?

What are  the most effective teaching process preferred by students in  secondary schools in Lagos State?.

Does teaching processes adopted by teachers significantly impact students performance?

1.7 Hypotheses 

Ho: Teaching processes adopted by teachers has no significant impact students performance.

Hi: Teaching processes adopted by teachers has no significant impact students performance.

1.8 Definitions of Terms

Teaching: Teaching consists of getting students involved in the active construction of knowledge. A teacher requires not only knowledge of subject matter, but knowledge of how students learn and how to transform them into active learners.

Teaching Processes: Teaching process comprises the principles and methods used by teachers to enable student learning. It is referred as the combination of various elements within the process where an educator identifies and establish the learning objectives and develop teaching resources and implement the teaching and learning strategy.

Student Teaching Evaluation: This is a process or an avenue by which student rate their teacher’s performance base on the outcome of the teaching-learning process. This is sometimes base on their performance in that course or grade in class activity.

Academic performance: Academic performance is the measurement of student achievement across various academic subjects. Teachers and education officials typically measure achievement using classroom performance, graduation rates and results from standardized tests.

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