Evaluating the Validity of the Student Perspectives of Teaching Survey: A Network Psychometrics Approach

Higher education institutions commonly employ student evaluation of teaching (SET) instruments (e.g., course evaluation surveys) to enhance course quality and inform instructional strategies. However, conceptualizing and measuring SET as a unidimensional construct may compromise validity, particularly when represented by a single aggregated score. This study uses a network psychometrics approach to explore the validity of a new instrument that acknowledges the multidimensional nature of SET as an educational construct. The central research question is, “How is the robustness of a multidimensional students’ evaluation of the teaching survey?”. The study sample consists of 649 undergraduate students from a western Canadian university who completed a multidimensional SET instrument. The instrument consists of six subscales corresponding to six aspects of SET (i.e., design, utility of course resources, graded work, course delivery, instructional approach, and class climate). The findings revealed a robust line of evidence that supports the validity of the instrument’s interpretation and usage. This was demonstrated through a high coefficient alpha, good network model fit, and stable survey structure. The study provides evidence supporting the use of a multidimensional SET instrument and offers novel validity support via the structural evidence provided by network analysis.