Perceptions of First-Year University Students on the Reliability and Validity of Student Evaluations of Teaching (SETs) in Ghana: A Mixed-Methods Study on Engagement, Bias, and Effective Teaching

This study investigates the perceptions of first-year university students regarding Student Evaluations of Teaching (SETs), exploring factors affecting their reliability and validity, engagement levels, and alignment with students' perceptions of effective teaching. Using a parallel convergent mixed-methods design, the study concurrently collected quantitative data through structured questionnaires from 540 randomly sampled first-year students and qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with 16 students. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Quantitative findings reveal that 65% of students perceive SETs positively, 70% highlight biases such as grade expectations and instructor personality as factors affecting SET reliability, 50% demonstrate high engagement, and 60% report alignment between SET criteria and their perceptions of effective teaching. Qualitative findings complement these results, emphasizing the importance of SETs in improving teaching, the influence of biases, and the role of anonymity in fostering participation. However, challenges such as cultural norms, skepticism about feedback utilization, and gaps in evaluating interpersonal qualities persist. The study concludes that while students recognize the value of SETs, biases and contextual challenges hinder their reliability, engagement levels and alignment with effective teaching perceptions suggest that SETs can be a useful feedback mechanism if refined to address gaps in interpersonal evaluation and cultural sensitivities. The study recommends refining SET tools to include interpersonal attributes, addressing biases, implementing orientation programmes, ensuring culturally sensitive evaluation processes, and enhancing transparency to improve trust and engagement.