Assessment of Instructors' Performance Appraisal in Samara University

Right from its establishment, Samara University has been implementing instructors' performance appraisal process whereby peers, students and heads of departments evaluate instructors' performance. However, to the best knowledge of the researcher; no systematic study has been conducted to evaluate effectiveness of instructors' performance appraisal process in the university. Therefore, the overriding objective of this study was to evaluate effectiveness of instructors' performance appraisal process in Samara University. In order to achieve the objective, the focus of the study was on factors in the process of the appraisal (including practices of appraisers, characteristics of evaluation criteria, clarity of the purpose, & characteristics of performance feedback system). The study employed cross sectional survey design. Even though 81 semi-structured questionnaires to instructors and 214 structured questionnaires to students were distributed, only 74(91.3%) and 191(89.2%) were returned and analyzed from the former and the latter, respectively. Sample respondents were selected using proportionate stratified sampling. Moreover, focus group discussion with students & instructors and semi structured interview with heads of departments were conducted to supplement data collected using questionnaire. Data collected through focus group discussion and interviews were analyzed qualitatively; whereas data collected through questionnaires were analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics with the help of SPSS version 17. The result of the study indicated that instructors' performance appraisal process is ineffective because of weak characteristics of evaluation criteria, bias practices of appraisers, ineffective performance feedback system, and appraisers (students) lack of awareness on the appraisal purpose and less attention given for formative purposes of the appraisal. Finally, to enhance effectiveness of the appraisal, the researcher recommended the university to: redesign the evaluation criteria in consultation with instructors; train appraisers and appraisees; make the feedback frequent, precise, timely & consistent; and focus on formative purposes.