When Instructors Misbehave: An Examination of Student-to-Student Connectedness as a Mediator in the College Classroom

Abstract

Using systems theory as a lens, instructor misbehaviors were examined in the context of the college classroom to determine if student-to-student connectedness mediated the relationships between instructor misbehaviors and student involvement and affective learning. Student-to-student connectedness mediated the relationships between instructor apathy and students' willingness to talk in class and self-regulated learning. For example, when instructors are perceived as apathetic, students can still create a supportive, connected communication environment that facilitates positive learning outcomes. Connectedness partially mediated the relationships between irresponsibility and derisiveness, and students' willingness to talk in class and self-regulated learning. However, connectedness did not mediate the relationships between instructor misbehaviors and affective learning. When instructor misbehaviors occur in the classroom, students may still experience positive learning outcomes through a connected classroom climate; however, in the end, students are likely to negatively evaluate the instructor and course.The aim of many instructors is to motivate student learning and foster satisfying relationships in the classroom (Ellis, 2004). Davis (1999) suggested whatever level of Robert J. Sidelinger (Ed.D.

Examining the Role of Self-Disclosure and Connectedness in the Process of Instructional Dissent: A Test of the Instructional Beliefs Model

“…Further, instructors can negatively affect students' perceptions of classroom connectedness by engaging in instructor misbehaviors (Sidelinger et al, 2011). Overall, it appears that student perceptions of classroom connectedness offer important insight into the relationships among both instructor and student outcomes in the classroom.…”

“…Importantly, although similar concepts such as classroom climate (Myers, 1995) focus on the mutual interaction between students and instructors, classroom connectedness places unique emphasis on the communication that occurs among students. Though an instructor's behavior may influence student perceptions of connectedness (e.g., Sidelinger et al, 2011), instructors and students do not need to feel connected to one another in order for students to experience a high degree of connectedness. Indeed, in its emphasis on student-to-student communication, classroom connectedness is a unique area of study in instructional communication (Ifert-Johnson, 2009).…”

“…Following the call of Waldeck, Kearney, and Plax (2001) to explore these processes, instructional communication scholars have begun studying the presence and influence of constructs such as student-to-student rapport (Frisby & Martin, 2010) and classroom connectedness (Dwyer et al, 2004;Sidelinger & BoothButterfield, 2010;Sidelinger, Bolen, Frisby, & McMullen, 2011, 2012Sollitto, Johnson, & Myers, 2013). Recently, Frisby and Sidelinger (2013) examined how student self-disclosures affect student perceptions of one another.…”

High School Students’ Perceptions of and Attitudes towards Teacher Power in the Classroom

“…Golish (1999) has reported that this attitude is further exacerbated when students feel affronted by their teacher's abuse of power and are afraid that the teacher will try to ensure student compliance through so-called 'private persuasion', where the student, when alone with the teacher, is unable to gain public support from his/her classmates. It is also rather apparent, as factor 6 indicates, that in cases of a teacher's abuse of power, Greek students tend to address the problem on their own, having, of course, previously discussed it in confidence with their parents or best friends, as their international counterparts would do (Berndt, 1999;Golish, 1999;Hurter, 1996;Sidelinger, Bolen, Frisby, & McMullen, 2011).…”

Students' Perceptions of College Classroom Connectedness, Assimilation, and Peer Relationships

“…Participants respond using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 5 (strongly agree) to 1 (strongly disagree). Previous Cronbach alpha reliability coefficients ranging from .93 to .94 have been reported for the instrument (Sidelinger & Booth-Butterfield, 2010;Sidelinger et al, 2011Sidelinger et al, , 2012. In this study, a Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient of .93 (M 03.53, SD 0.67) was obtained for the summed scale.…”