Author Note

Kaeley Hahn is a current sophomore enrolled at Xavier University studying Digital Media and Computer Science.

Kaeley Hahn is still a current student enrolled at Xavier University studying Digital Media and Computer Science.

This research was done using the tools and readings provided via Dr. Thomas Wagner at Xavier University.

Correspondence concerning this paper should be addressed to Kaeley Hahn, Student, Xavier University.

Email: hahnk2@xavier.edu

Abstract

In a comparison between NVI (non-verbal) and SET (standardized testing against high educators), there was found a high correlation of student scores. At a Liberal Arts College and a Technological institute, with a total of 289 undergraduate classes. Students were given an NVI and SET survey to gauge behaviors from educators. Given high composite scores of MANOVA between NVI and SET scores, and a Multi-Regression scores of >.40 it is found that NVI and SET behaviors relate and correspond with one another. Found at the end of the study, it was found that those with both high NVI and SET scores are better educators. This is due to the Slow and Fast theory, which states that NVI behaviors relate to the fast and SET to the slow as it composes positive emotional behavior and have the ability to properly create and guide course material.

Article Summary 2

Verbal and non-verbal behaviors are a natural way of communicating, found not only in humans but in the smallest of animals. Everything uses verbal and non-verbal cues to be able to communicate with one another effectively. Babad, Sahar-Inbar et. al are wishing to study the theory of fast and slow and how NVI (non-verbal immediate) and SET (instructional behaviors) relate to this theory. First a brief explanation of what NVI and SET behaviors are, before giving a small explanation of what Fast and Slow theory is. An explanation of the statistics and types of studies will take place through analyzing their procedures and statistical results.

The most common analysis of an educator’s capabilities of teaching are often based on SET behaviors, which focus on student satisfaction of a course. SET behaviors analyzed by students include pedagogical skills, instructions, intellectual features, workload characteristics and rapport. This differs from NVI behaviors, which include educators’ expressiveness, enthusiasm and style of teaching. The bridge found between SET and NVI behaviors seems to be enthusiasm, which is the educators ability to bring attention from students into the classroom and still display higher levels of thinking. Daniel Kahneman describes how there are two versions of the brain, Fast which focuses on emotional aspects of the brain which is unconscious in thinking. This differs from the Slow aspect of our brains, which is logical and conscious efforts of thinking. We see how SET and NVI behaviors react to this, as NVI is fast and SET is slow. Knowing now what our key terms mean, we can now focus on the statistical findings of this study.

Method

Two colleges were used within this study alongside two separate surveys. A Liberal Arts College of 132 courses and 74 professors, and a Technological Institute of 157 courses with 109 instructors. This is a total of 289 undergraduate courses being analyzed via a SET questionnaire and a NVI questionnaire. These questionnaires were on a 6-point likert scale and sent via email online. In the SET and NVI questionnaires both had 2 questions deleted due to relevance to the college courses. The independent variables consist of the student responses to NVI and SET teaching, the dependent variables are the questionnaires and colleges (SET and NVI surveys), making this a A Regression study as we are comparing multiple points of SET and NVI factors to the quality of education.

Statistical Explanation

The form of study they did was A multi regression study comparing the multiple forms of NVI-VI and SET behaviors to what makes a good educator, a good educator. Multi-Regression statistical studies compare multiple independent variables and how they affect dependent variables on a scale. Oftentimes those with high correlation are given closer to 1, while those with low correlation are in the negatives closer to -1. Within this study we see multiple comparisons of not only the data, which seems to be compared on a MANOVA scale (multiple variables compared to one another), but also a comparison score of impact where multi-regression is used. Due to our different independent variables and dependent variables of what makes a good educator. There are several factors of both SET and NVI, these factors were compared to one another to find where possible overlapping occurred. Then analyzed the principal components of analysis, which studied NVI factors and how they overlapped with SET behaviors.

Several different factors of NVI and SET measures were compared across this study. The NVI factors are as follows: expression/gestures, eye contact, smiling, enthusiasm in teaching, human, person, rich language, composite and global. The SET factors are also as follows: planning and organization, interesting presentation, clarity, student participation, treat student, composite and global. Composite is a term used to explain the overall score of every factor, while global presents the overarching comparison between both colleges of the scores. Some of the highest points of correlation are a 0.69 correlation between NVI global and SET planning and organization, 0.72 of NVI global and SET interesting presentation, 0.69 of NVI global and SET composite. There are a total of 13 different composite scores which are >0.60 within the study, the majority are between 0.49 and 0.55. This shows a great correlation over all between NVI behaviors and how they compare to students’ overall engagement to classes. When analyzing PCA factors of SET and NVI variables were very strong, all consisting over 0.539 with a majority being around 0.739; showing that there is a strong correlation between SET and NVI behaviors/variables.

Results

Comparison between the SET and NVI variables showed a very stunning result between the schools. The study found that teachers who had high NVI and SET scores were the most impactful educators. Those who scored low on NVI, SET, or both had been seen as lower educators. This is due to NVI behaviors relating to fast, which creates impressions based on personality and most commonly known for first impression. SET behaviors impact the slow brain, meaning the ability to understand and compose proper educational content and how it feels. Overall Babad et. al found that those who are the greatest educators often have high scores of NVI and SET, meaning that professors need to show more NVI behaviors to gage students.

References

Babad, E., Sahar-Inbar, L., Hammer, R., Turgeman-Lupo, K., & Nessis, S. (2021). Student Evaluations Fast and Slow: It’s Time to Integrate Teachers’ Nonverbal Behavior in Evaluations of Teaching Effectiveness. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 45(3), 321–338. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10919-021-00364-4