A cross-cultural investigation into students' evaluation of university teaching

Abstract

This study uses the applicability paradigm of Marsh (1981) to examine the validity of two evaluation instruments and their underlying model of teaching effectiveness across seven countries with diverse cultures and higher education systems. The results from the seven studies support the reliability, appropriateness, and to some degree convergent and discriminant validities of the two instruments. Similar patterns of item salience and discrimination between good and poor lecturers are also obtained. Hence, the similarity of the results from diverse academic settings generally lends support to the applicability and the cross-cultural validity of these two instruments and their underlying model of teaching. In addition, the finding that Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China are each relatively more similar to the West than among themselves may reflect the fact that their higher education systems are to a certain extent modeled after those of the West.