Date of Award
5-1-1991
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D. in Education
Department
Education
First Advisor
Dr. Franklin E. Moak,
Second Advisor
Dr. David Cox
Third Advisor
Dr. Burl Hunt
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Nolan Shepherd
School
University of Mississippi
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
This study investigated students' perceptions of native English speaking (NES) and non-native English speaking (NNES) graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). A total of 69 GTAs teaching in the Spring and Summer semesters of 1990 at selected Southern universities participated in the study. The primary aim of this research was to determine if students' ratings of GTAs were general or cultural specific and to identify specific student-trait variables that potentially might bias students' ratings of NNES GTAs. It was hypothesized that the more acculturated the NNES GTAs were to the American university setting the more favorable would be the students' ratings of the GTAs involved. In carrying out the purposes of this study, four major null-hypotheses were tested.
Students (N=605) enrolled in a variety of academic disciplines evaluated the classroom behaviors of their instructors using The Student Evaluation Form of GTA Delivered Instruction developed specifically for this research.
Data analyses revealed that students rated NES GTAs significantly higher than the NNES GTAs. Moreover, European GTAs received significantly higher ratings than the GTAs from India, the Middle East, Mexico, and Africa. However, the difference in ratings between the Asian GTAs and European GTAs was unremarkable. This coincidental finding was attributed to the nature of the voluntary sample rather than any cultural similarities between the two groups.
Four Student trait-variables which potentially bias the ratings of NNES GTAs were identified: Sex (males gave lower ratings), academic major (majors gave lower ratings), foreign language study (students never having studied a foreign language gave lower ratings), and expected grade in the course (students expecting lower grades gave lower ratings).
It was concluded that while students' ratings of NNES GTAs are often predisposed, cultural differences may be contributory factors in influencing student ratings. Data analyses revealed a trend in student preference toward foreign GTAs from more Westernized cultures. A positive correlation between the NNES GTAs' Communicative Competence Subtest scores and the students' overall satisfaction with course instruction was obtained. Implications for future research relating to intercultural communication in the academic setting were presented.
Recommended Citation
Ouzts, Florence Louise, "Students' Perceptions of Native and Non-Native English Speaking Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs)" (1991). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 8786.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/8786
Accessibility Status
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