Publications and Research
Document Type
Poster
Publication Date
12-5-2018
Abstract
While research has demonstrated that faculty-student interactions increase retention and graduation rates, faculty often report that their office hours are underutilized. To better understand students’ attitudes, usage and plans towards faculty hours a survey was administered in the second to third week of the fall 2018 semester to students in 5 sections of general chemistry courses. The goal was to better understand how students perceive the benefits and hindrances of office hours, along with current or planned attendance. Prior to survey administration, it was speculated that not attending office hours could be because they were not scheduled at a convenient time, the students were overall not motivated to ask for help, or instructors were not encouraging their students to participate. The results were then collected and inserted into an excel spreadsheet, where built-in data functions allowed for data implications to be verified. Presumptions were partially correct. While overall 65% of the students indicated that office hours were scheduled at a convenient time, in one section only 40% indicated that they were. A majority of students (41%) indicated that a reason for not attending office hours was that they “do not like asking for help,” despite the fact that 94% agreed that their instructor provided useful feedback. These results offer faculty strategies to improve student interaction and attendance at office hours.
Included in
Chemistry Commons, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons, Science and Mathematics Education Commons
Comments
This poster, the 2nd place winner for STEM group posters, was presented at the 29th Semi-Annual Honors and Undergraduate Research Scholars Poster Presentation at New York City College of Technology, Dec.5, 2018.
Faculty mentors: Drs. Pamela Brown, Diana Samaroo, and Katherine Gregory.