9th August 2024
New research reveals the impact of teacher confidence on student evaluations and highlights gender disparities in academia
Effective teaching requires teacher confidence, which significantly impacts teachers' performance and students' reactions and learning outcomes. However, there are major differences between male and female professors regarding self-confidence, student evaluations, and the connection between the two. This study reveals that elevating the self-confidence of female professors in their ability to design a course is one of the most effective ways that schools can engage with teachers to raise student evaluations.
The research identified three distinct types of teacher confidence:Confidence in designing courses. Confidence in managing classroom activities and students. Confidence in giving feedback to students. The study collected self-perceptions from 84 professors on these aspects and correlated them with over 20,000 evaluations from more than 1,300 students.
In almost all circumstances, teachers with higher levels of self-confidence received higher student evaluations. While the causal relationship is unclear, the strong correlation suggests that boosting teacher confidence could be an effective strategy for improving student satisfaction and learning outcomes.
The study revealed significant gender differences: Male professors reported higher levels of confidence in all three areas compared to female professors. Male professors received, on average, almost 0.1 higher evaluations from students than female professors on a scale of 1 to 5. Given that 83% of students rated courses either 4 or 5, this 0.1 difference translates to a 10% higher course evaluation for male professors on average.
The research found that while increased confidence generally led to higher evaluations for both genders, there were notable differences: For female professors, increased confidence in course design had the largest positive impact on student evaluations. Surprisingly, for male professors, increased confidence in course design led to a slight decline in student evaluations, suggesting that overconfidence might lead to course designs that don't align well with student expectations.
The study suggests that universities should: Focus on boosting teacher confidence, particularly for female professors, as a strategy to improve student evaluations. Consider direct mentorship and personal connections between teachers and administrators to provide specific, authentic feedback. Re-evaluate hiring practices, considering that poor prior student evaluations might reflect low confidence rather than lack of teaching talent. Be cautious about short-term optimization based solely on student evaluations, as this could perpetuate gender biases.
This groundbreaking research highlights the complex interplay between teacher confidence, gender, and student evaluations in higher education. By focusing on building teacher confidence, particularly for female educators, universities can work towards improving overall teaching quality and addressing gender disparities in academia. The findings underscore the importance of nuanced approaches to faculty development and evaluation, moving beyond traditional training methods to foster a more inclusive and effective educational environment.