Undergraduates’ view of lecturers’ age as a factor in their teaching effectiveness

Abstract

This study presents students’ view on whether lecturers’ age is a factor in their teaching effectiveness. In this study, 3800 undergraduates were selected to evaluate the teaching effectiveness of 380 lecturers in University of Calabar- Nigeria. A 42-item six-point Likert scaled student evaluation of academic staff teaching effectiveness questionnaire by the researcher elicited responses on the teaching effectiveness of the lecturers. The data collected were collated and analysed using One-way ANOVA and Fisher’s (LSD) multiple comparison analyses. Each of the eight sub-variables of the hypothesis was tested at .05 alpha levels. The results showed a significant influence of lecturers’ age on: Knowledge of subject matter, classroom management skill, ability to motivate students, assessment of students learning activities, relationship with students, assessment of students learning activities, relationship with students, and overall teaching effectiveness. The age of lecturers, therefore, is a function of their teaching effectiveness. The study recommends that workshops, seminars, conference should be organized to enlighten lecturers of all ages on the invaluable importance of student evaluations of instruction/instructor in Nigerian educational system.

KEYWORD: Assessment; Evaluation; Lecturers’ age; Teaching effectiveness.