What students want: A study of desirable teacher characteristics as perceived by their students
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publisher
The International Academic Forum
Place of Publication
Kobe, Japan
School
School of Science
RAS ID
22961
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to investigate student preferences and characteristics exhibited by their teachers. A comparison of these opinions was also conducted based on students’ sex, age and academic achievement. The results of this study will provide a guide for universities to assist teachers to improve the quality of their teaching. A sample group of 79 students studying in a Faculty of Information Technology and Communication at a Thai university were selected using simple random sampling techniques. The research used questionnaire and interview techniques which were designed to determine participants’ attitudes using a five point Likert scale with an overall reliability value of 0.938. Descriptive statistical analysis included percentage, mean and standard deviation. Findings indicate that students prefer teachers who are approachable, treat them with respect, are obviously well prepared, communicate well and exhibit a teaching style that students find easy to understand. Interestingly, student preferences were influenced by sex and age, but there was no statistical significance related to student academic achievement. This research clearly indicates that teachers who are approachable, have good communication skills, and are well prepared are more valued by students. Students are more likely to attend lectures and engage with these teachers and therefore be more successful at university.
Access Rights
free_to_read
Comments
Gulatee, Y. (2016). What students want: A study of desirable teacher characteristics as perceived by their students. In The Asian Conference on Education 2016 Official Proceedings, 20-23 Oct. (pp. 215-225). Available here.