Student/Faculty Student/Faculty InteractionInteraction

PresenterPresenter::Dr. Steady MoonoDr. Steady MoonoDean of Student SuccessDean of Student SuccessMontgomery County Community Montgomery County Community CollegeCollege

Seven Principles of Good Seven Principles of Good PracticePractice

in Undergraduate Educationin Undergraduate Education::

Encourage contact between students and Encourage contact between students and facultyfaculty

Develop reciprocity and cooperation among Develop reciprocity and cooperation among studentsstudents

Encourage active learningEncourage active learning Give prompt feedbackGive prompt feedback Emphasize time on task Emphasize time on task Communicate high expectationsCommunicate high expectations

Seven Principles Seven Principles (Cont’d)(Cont’d) Respect Diverse talents and ways Respect Diverse talents and ways

of knowingof knowing

______________________________________________________________________ChChickering & Gamson (1987)ickering & Gamson (1987)

A Case for A Case for Student/Faculty Student/Faculty InteractionInteractionFrequent student-faculty interaction can:Frequent student-faculty interaction can: Enhance students’ motivation, Enhance students’ motivation,

involvement, and intellectual commitmentinvolvement, and intellectual commitment Encourage them to think about their own Encourage them to think about their own

values and future plansvalues and future plans

CautionCaution::

It is the quality of the contact not theIt is the quality of the contact not the

quantity that mattersquantity that matters

Cross argues that Cross argues that “ when faculty “ when faculty show an interest in students, show an interest in students, get to know them through get to know them through informal as well as formal informal as well as formal channels, engage in channels, engage in conversations with them, (and) conversations with them, (and) show interest in their show interest in their intellectual development, then intellectual development, then students respond with students respond with enthusiasm and engagement”enthusiasm and engagement”

What Do Students What Do Students Think?Think?35.6% of entering first-year students35.6% of entering first-year students

estimated chances were very good that estimated chances were very good that theythey

would communicate regularly withwould communicate regularly with

professorsprofessors

____________________________________________________________________

Sax and others (2002)Sax and others (2002)

What is Students greatest What is Students greatest fear when interacting with fear when interacting with Professors?Professors?

Students fear appearing Students fear appearing unintelligent when interacting unintelligent when interacting with their professorswith their professors

What do students hope to What do students hope to get out of a new course?get out of a new course?

Details vary, but the most common hope Details vary, but the most common hope students express is that each class, by its students express is that each class, by its end will help them become a slightly end will help them become a slightly different person in some way. different person in some way.

This hope transcends the subject matter of This hope transcends the subject matter of a class, or a student’s background, or even a class, or a student’s background, or even whether the student is a wise old senior or whether the student is a wise old senior or an incoming freshman.an incoming freshman.

The Most Memorable The Most Memorable ClassClass Anne Clark in her research askedAnne Clark in her research asked

undergraduate students about undergraduate students about their most memorable class;their most memorable class;

-Almost each one of them -Almost each one of them described a class in which described a class in which

their their professor got to know professor got to know them. them.

Student-Faculty Student-Faculty InteractionInteraction

Building relationships (know Building relationships (know students by name, seek informal students by name, seek informal contact with them)contact with them)

Discussing career plansDiscussing career plans Joint project work or committeeJoint project work or committee Discussing ideas outside of classDiscussing ideas outside of class

Student-Faculty Student-Faculty Interaction (cont.)Interaction (cont.) Event & Activity Spectatorship & Event & Activity Spectatorship &

ParticipationParticipation Student Organization & Project Student Organization & Project

AdvisingAdvising Community ServiceCommunity Service Intramural AthleticsIntramural Athletics

Effective Academic Effective Academic AdvisingAdvising

Good advising may be the single Good advising may be the single most underestimated characteristic most underestimated characteristic of a successful college experienceof a successful college experience

Good advising ranks as # 1 challenge Good advising ranks as # 1 challenge that both faculty and students that both faculty and students identify identify (R. Light, 2000).(R. Light, 2000).

The Obvious Idea:The Obvious Idea:

A great college experience depends A great college experience depends upon human relationshipsupon human relationships

One set of such relationships, should, One set of such relationships, should, ideally, develop between each ideally, develop between each student and one or several faculty student and one or several faculty membersmembers

Good MentoringGood Mentoring

InformalInformal PersonalPersonal Cross DivisionalCross Divisional Instructs on life lessonsInstructs on life lessons Is usually non-academicIs usually non-academic

Faculty Who Make a Faculty Who Make a DifferenceDifference Connecting Academic Ideas with Connecting Academic Ideas with

Students’ LivesStudents’ Lives Engaging Students (even in large Engaging Students (even in large

classes)classes) Teaching students to think like Teaching students to think like

professionalsprofessionals Encouraging Students to Disagree Encouraging Students to Disagree

with the professorwith the professor

Teaching the use of EvidenceTeaching the use of Evidence Not being predictable Not being predictable (Students honor (Students honor

predictability in faculty members’ standards, but predictability in faculty members’ standards, but not dilemmas or controversies)not dilemmas or controversies)

Integrating Ideas from other Integrating Ideas from other disciplinesdisciplines

Faculty Who Make a Faculty Who Make a Difference (cont.)Difference (cont.)