Abstract

This study examined the results of a student evaluation of faculty against the grades awarded and the level of the course for a higher education institution in the United Arab Emirates. The purpose of the study was to determine if the grades awarded in the course and/or level of the course impacted the evaluation scores awarded to the faculty member. The study utilized a 25-question student perception survey coupling course results with the overall course grade point average (GPA) and the course level. All courses were undergraduate. Descriptives for the responses were obtained prior to conducting a factor analysis for the purposes of dimension reduction. The analysis included 184 course pairings. The data set was examined to verify satisfaction of assumptions appropriate for factor analysis. Reliability analysis yielded a Chronbach’s alpha of 0.974. The factor analysis identified three underlying factors accounting for 80.07% of the variance. These three factors were identified as (1) overall perception of instruction, (2) the relationship of the grade and course level and (3) course management. Results of the study did not indicate that the grades given in a class nor the level of the course significantly affected the evaluations provided by the students. Grades and the level of the course were found to align. Student achievement in the course was also found to relate to the student’s perception of fair treatment by the faculty member.

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