International Journal of Education and Development using ICT

International Journal of Education and Development using ICT > Vol. 16, No. 2 (2020)

Revisiting the Online vs. Face to Face teaching evaluations

Carlos M Baldo, Colorado Mesa University
Johnny Snyder, Colorado Mesa University
Ana Holguin, Colorado Mesa University

Abstract
Although most literature in relation to student teaching evaluations argue that when the administrative format is switched from paper based to online, the impact on professors’ teaching scores is minimal, but faculty may still resist change from one format to another. This article describes a pilot study at a medium sized, western university whose primary mission is teaching, and which is transitioning the student teaching evaluations from a paper to an online format. To gain faculty support and proceed with the format change, a comparative study was carried out in the business department, one of the larger departments in the university. Statistical differences between 24 (paper) and 22 (online) teaching evaluations from 21 professors were compared using inferential statistics (t-test). While the main finding (no difference between the two administrative formats) follows the topic literature, some additional evidence argues that students teaching evaluations tend to be lower on business courses that develop quantitative skills. In spite of limitations related to sample size and teaching score used for the comparative analysis, the findings offer positive support to the university administration in switching formats. However, when analyzing these differences individually, substantial implications for faculty and their performance evaluations may arise.

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