What undergraduate students in China say about their professors' teaching

Students have traditionally been viewed as passive recipients of knowledge and their contributions to understanding good teaching have been largely ignored. This study presents first-person account of university students of their professors' teaching. A total of 210 undergraduate students from...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Teaching in higher education 2009-04, Vol.14 (2), p.147-159
Main Authors: Tam, Kai Yung (Brian), Heng, Mary Anne, Jiang, Gladys H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
China
Foreign Countries
Higher Education
Knowledge Base for Teaching
Questionnaires
Student Attitudes
Student Evaluation of Teacher Performance
Teacher Behavior
Teacher Effectiveness
Teacher Student Relationship
Teaching Methods
Undergraduate Students
university teaching
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Summary:Students have traditionally been viewed as passive recipients of knowledge and their contributions to understanding good teaching have been largely ignored. This study presents first-person account of university students of their professors' teaching. A total of 210 undergraduate students from China wrote about their best and worst professors. Favorite teachers were described as knowledgeable about curriculum and instruction, making connections to student learning beyond textbooks and examinations, and as employing more student-centered teaching approaches to engage and inspire students. Teachers were viewed as role models who showed qualities of care and of having heart. Least favorite teachers focused more on research than teaching and did not see the importance of developing teaching competence. They were indifferent, difficult to talk to, and employed didactic delivery modes that taught content for examinations. Implications for a re-examination of the culture of teaching and learning in higher education systems in China are discussed.
ISSN:1356-2517
1470-1294
DOI:10.1080/13562510902757179