What form of instructor evaluation is highly subjective and may vary greatly?

The most subjective form of instructor evaluation is student evaluation of the instructor. This type of evaluation relies heavily on individual student perceptions, experiences, and opinions, which can be influenced by various factors such as personal biases, expectations, mood, and learning styles. Students may rate instructors based on their personal feelings about the course content, the instructor's teaching style, or even extraneous factors unrelated to the instructor’s performance. This variability can lead to a wide range of ratings, making it challenging to ascertain an objective assessment of the instructor's effectiveness.

In contrast, other forms of evaluation, like peer and administrator evaluations, tend to be more standardized and can incorporate specific metrics or criteria to assess teaching performance. Self-evaluations also allow the instructor to reflect on their teaching practices, but are inherently limited by the individual's perspective and may not encompass external feedback. Overall, student evaluations present a unique mix of subjectivity and variability, reflective of diverse learner experiences and expectations.