Students' perceptions of effective teaching behaviors demonstrated by college instructors
Abstract
[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The level of excellence in college and university teaching is now a worldwide concern. Universities are paying increased attention to the quality of the pedagogy practiced in classrooms and assessing how effectively professors are teaching (Ovando, 1989). The researcher used a descriptive survey that explores and describes student perceptions of effective teaching in the classroom. The questionnaire consisted of items which were designed to assess Darling-Hammond's Teaching Behaviors for Powerful Learning (2008). The subjects were asked to rate the items on the level of importance the teaching behavior has on their learning and the frequency that they encountered the teaching behaviors. Major findings of this study included that students confirmed that all the teaching behaviors purported by Darling-Hammond are important to their learning process. Provides clear standards and constant feedback and Scaffold the learning process were deemed as the most important teaching behaviors as perceived by the respondents and are taking place in the classes where they are learning a lot. They also responded that encouraging strategic and metacognitive thinking is important but they perceive it is not being demonstrated to the extent of the other teaching behaviors in the classroom. It is recommended that educators continue to demonstrate the teaching behaviors for powerful learning. Educators should also be aware if the teaching behaviors need to be more explicitly demonstrated. To facilitate this, it may be beneficial to provide instructors with tangible examples and the opportunity to practice these effective teaching behaviors with others.
Degree
M.S.
Thesis Department
Rights
Access is limited to the campuses of the University of Missouri.