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Activity Number: 567
Type: Contributed
Date/Time: Wednesday, August 6, 2014 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
Sponsor: Section on Statistical Education
Abstract #313294
Title: Characterizing Professors and Courses Based on Student Perceptions
Author(s): Leo Upchurch*+ and Fan Wu
Companies: Tuskegee University and Tuskegee University
Keywords: Domain Defining Set (DDS) ; IKOFF ; Student Evaluator ; Five Factors Theory of Personality (FFTP)
Abstract:

This paper characterizes professors and courses based on student perceptions. Whatever student evaluators of professors and courses perceive is most certainly latent (feelings and ideas not easily articulated). How a student feels about a given professor/course experience is not adequately captured in a binary sense ("The professor was my cup of tea" /the professor was the pits" ... similarly for the course). We create and employ a device known as a domain defining set (DDS) which offers a mechanism for addressing the latency problem. Primary objectives include examination of differences in perceptions across disciplines, e.g., natural sciences, social sciences, engineering, and computer science and especially the development of a measure herein labeled 'IKOFF' (interesting, knowledgeable, organized, fair, and friendly). This measure is a composite of the adjectives, attributes, qualities, traits, characteristics [AADQTCs] that student evaluators most often use to capture their feelings about courses and professors / teachers. Additionally, an instrument linked to the five-factor theory of personality assessment (FFTP) is employed to try to gauge tendencies of student evaluators. Use of 'online' methodology has facilitated this work, particularly in ease of gathering data.


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