Students’ Perceptions Of The Importance Of Faculty Teaching Techniques For Their Learning/Success In A Technology Based Baccalaureate Program

The primary objective of this study was to explore the relationships between students’ perceptions of the importance of faculty teaching techniques and their learning/success, expressed in terms of self-reported technical competencies and GPA in a technologybased baccalaureate electronics engineering technology (EET) program at a teaching university. The sample (N=225) was composed of seniors of the BSEET program from 13 geographically diverse campuses of a teaching university. Regression analyses revealed significant and direct relationships between faculty teaching techniques (FTT) and student learning/success in terms of self reported technical competency (effect size is medium-to-large). Student GPA failed to reveal any significant relationships with faculty teaching techniques. The recommendations based on the study suggest ways to improve faculty development and training activities to promote student learning in the domains of engineering technology. I. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this research project was to explore the relationship between students’ perceptions of the importance of faculty teaching techniques and their self-reported learning and success. The research project addresses the following question: Are there associations between students’ perception of the importance of the faculty teaching techniques (FTT) [in terms of lectures, use of a variety of technological teaching tools, use of PowerPoint, use of a variety of teaching strategies, coordinating lab work with lecture, organization and preparation of class/lab activities, use of group presentations, use of individual lab projects, and providing timely feedback on class/lab projects] and student’s selfreported success/learning (expressed in terms of self-reported technical competency and GPA), as perceived by seniors in the EET program? The study used a quantitative paradigm. The associational research approach was used to study the relationship between independent variables and dependent variables (See Table I). P ge 11170.2 Table I Description of Variables Variable Type Variable Description Independent Variable • Faculty Teaching Techniques (FTT) Faculty teaching techniques construct is expressed in terms of following factors: • Lectures • Use of a variety of technological teaching tools • Use of PowerPoint • Use of a variety of teaching strategies • Use of group presentations • Coordinating lab work with theoretical concepts covered in lecture • Organizing and preparing of class and lab activities • Use of individual lab projects • Providing timely feedback on class and lab projects