The Role of Teacher Personality in Student Evaluations and Motivation at University

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Abstract

Unlike student personality, the importance of teacher personality on educational outcomes is largely unknown. This paper examines the influence of teacher personality (both student-report and self-report) on student outcomes at university, including student evaluation of the course and teacher, student motivation, and course mark. Two Australian studies were conducted using the dominant Five Factor Model of personality: (1) undergraduate mathematics students (N = 137); and (2) undergraduate psychology students (N = 378) and their teachers (N = 18). Hierarchical regressions revealed that teacher personality incrementally predicted student evaluations. However, student-reports of teacher personality were more powerful than teacher self-reports. Thus, teacher personality is important in understanding students’ academically-related cognition and behavior, which can in turn inform educational guidelines.

Authors

• Lisa E. Kim, The University of Sydney

• Carolyn Elizabeth MacCann, The University of Sydney