How Rude: Students vs. Faculty Perceptions of Civility in Face-to-Face and Online Classes
Abstract
Many researchers have investigated faculty and student perceptions of student incivility but little attention has been given to perceptions of faculty incivility and differences in perceptions of civility in online and face-to-face courses. This project addresses these gaps and offers insight into why differences in perceptions exist. While results reveal few differences in perceptions of severity for student behaviors, significant differences have been found with regard to perceptions of faculty behaviors in both learning environments (e.g., compared to faculty, students view the assigning of group work and requiring documentation for missing work as being highly uncivil). We believe these differences can be explained in terms of the psychological contracts inherent in student/faculty relationships. Faculty state their expectations in the syllabus and assume that students who stay enrolled in the class agree to abide by this contract. Students, however, have their own implicit ideas about what should happen in the classroom.
Location
Concourse
Recommended Citation
Janowsky, Alisha and Davis, Kristin, "How Rude: Students vs. Faculty Perceptions of Civility in Face-to-Face and Online Classes" (2013). SoTL Commons Conference. 35.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sotlcommons/SoTL/2013/35
How Rude: Students vs. Faculty Perceptions of Civility in Face-to-Face and Online Classes
Concourse
Many researchers have investigated faculty and student perceptions of student incivility but little attention has been given to perceptions of faculty incivility and differences in perceptions of civility in online and face-to-face courses. This project addresses these gaps and offers insight into why differences in perceptions exist. While results reveal few differences in perceptions of severity for student behaviors, significant differences have been found with regard to perceptions of faculty behaviors in both learning environments (e.g., compared to faculty, students view the assigning of group work and requiring documentation for missing work as being highly uncivil). We believe these differences can be explained in terms of the psychological contracts inherent in student/faculty relationships. Faculty state their expectations in the syllabus and assume that students who stay enrolled in the class agree to abide by this contract. Students, however, have their own implicit ideas about what should happen in the classroom.
