Exploration of Predictors of Teaching Effectiveness: The Professor’s Perspective

Abstract

This research is an exploratory investigation of what attributions college professors place upon the cause of teaching effectiveness and success. Student evaluations of teaching are used as a proxy for teaching effectiveness. The study is supported by Attribution Theory in that perceptions and attributions of causality affect motivation and success. The research evaluates data that supported Attribution Theory. The data was collected using Qualtrics through a web-based survey. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the survey data, with interesting conclusions. The most interesting difference was that between the perceptions of causal attribution of tenured and non-tenured professors. The data show that tenured professors attribute teaching effectiveness to factors outside their control such as characteristics of the students and the institution, while non-tenured professors do not attribute teaching effectiveness to external factors. The implications of this study are support for Attribution Theory in the college teaching context, and may be useful for university administration in motivating professors for effective teaching. Future research includes deductive study to further explore the scope and boundary conditions of Attribution Theory in college teaching.