Characteristics of Effective College Professors as Seen Through the Eyes of College Freshmen and Sen

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Characteristics of Effective College Professors
as Seen Through the Eyes of College Freshmen and
Seniors

• Dr. Cathine Garner-Gilchrist, Dean
• School of Education
• Cheyney University
• Cheyney, PA 19319

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Purpose

• To Identify the Characteristics of Effective
  College Professors as Seen Through the Eyes of
  College Freshmen and College Seniors
• To Compare the Characteristics of College
  Professors with the Characteristics of Public
  School Teachers and
• Analyze the Differences and Draw Conclusions.

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Expectations Can Provide Useful

• Knowledge as to How Students View College
  Professors in the Classroom.
• Information to College Administrators about How
  to Best Select College Professors.
• Information to College Professors in Knowing What
  Students Value in Them as Instructors.

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Effective and Exemplary Teachers

• Use a Variety of Teaching Materials to Foster
  Learning.
• Are Knowledgeable of the Course Content.
• Provide Regular Feedback to their Students.
• Are Enthusiastic About Teaching.
• Have a Sense of Humor and Motivate Students.
• Have Effective Communication Skills.
• Have Interpersonal Rapport with Students.
• Are Flexible.

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Methodology

• Polled 800 Students across the United States.
• Used an Open-End Questionnaire.
• Asked Students to List What They Believed to be
  the Characteristics of Effective
• College Professors.

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Results

• 400 Questionnaires Returned
• 120 Freshmen
• 180 Seniors
• 100 Other Students

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Results

• 10 Common Traits Among Seniors.
• 12 Common Traits Among Freshmen.
• Final Analysis Six Traits Common to both Groups.

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Results of the Study

• Content Knowledge and Instruction
• Is Knowledge of the Subject Matter and Uses a
  Variety of Teaching Styles.
• Organization and Enthusiasm
• Is Organized, Enthusiastic and Sincere about
  Teaching.

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Results Continued

• Feedback and Assistance
• Provides Feedback and Assistance to
• Students In and Outside of the Classroom.
• A Sense of Humor and Respect
• Has a Sense of Humor in the Classroom
• and Has Respect for the Students.

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Results Continued

• Punctual, Patience and Flexibility
• Is On Time Has Patience Is Open-minded and
  Flexible with Students.
• Sets High Expectations for Students
• Believes that Students Can Achieve
• and Can Be Successful.

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Conclusions

• 75 Reported Effective College Professors Know
  their Subject Matter and Use a Variety of
  Teaching Styles.
• 58 Reported Effective College Professors are
  Organized.
• 87 Reported Effective College Professors
  Provide Assistance to their Students.
• 85 Reported Effective College Professors Smile,
  Sometimes Joke with Students and Treat Them with
  Respect.
• 83 Reported Effective College Professors get to
  Class on Time have Patience's and are Flexible.
• 58 Reported Effective College Professors Set
  High Expectations for Students.

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Summary and Discussion

• Category of Content Knowledge and Instruction
• Students Expect Instructors to Know their Content
  and Teach
• in Ways that Students Can Understand.
• Category of Organizations and Enthusiasm
• Students in General Expect their Instructors to
  be Organized
• and to Like Them.
• Feedback and Assistance
• Students Want Feedback and Assistance.

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Summary and Discussion

• Humor and Respect
• Students Want Instructors to Have a Sense of
  Humor, to be
• Warm and Caring and to Respect Them.
• Punctuality, Patience and Flexibility
• Students Believe that Instructors Should be on
  Time, Have
• Patience with Them and Are Flexible.
• High Expectations
• Students Believe that Effective Professors Should
  Have High
• Expectations for Them.

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Discussion Research Provides Useful

• Information about How Students View Professors in
  the Classroom.
• Information to Administrators in Selecting
  Professors.
• Information to College Professors in Knowing How
  What Students Value in Them as Instructors.

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• Thank You
• and
• The End.