Teacher Immediacy, Confidence Testing, and the Measurement of Cognitive Learning

Abstract

There is much disagreement among instructional communication scholars concerning the appropriate means to measure cognitive learning. Significant differences have emerged between studies that rely on perceptual versus performance measures of learning and the issue has been the subject of much recent debate in research on teacher immediacy. The present study sought to compare instruments commonly used to assess perceived learning (learning loss measure) and performed learning (course grades) with an additional approach to cognitive learning assessment known as confidence testing. All of these measures were compared with student perceptions of teacher immediacy. Results indicate that confidence testing scores are significantly associated with both course grades and perceived learning. Implications for research involving cognitive learning are discussed.