Impact of Perceptions of Faculty on Student Outcomes of Self-Efficacy, Locus of Control, Persistence, and Commitment

Abstract

The literature on higher education supports the assumption that the integration of environmental and psychological factors are critical in influencing the intents of students to stay in college. Yet, questions exist on the impact faculty may have on student retention. This exploratory study examines perceptions of students about faculty in terms of relatedness, responsiveness, teaching quality, and treatment of students and how those perceptions impact students' own perceptions of their self-efficacy, locus of control, persistence, and commitment. Results yielded positive and significant correlations. Respondents identified specific attributes of faculty which could potentially enhance or frustrate their intentions to stay in college. Recommendations for promoting quality faculty-student interactions in and out of the classroom and the ethics of caring are discussed.

The antecedents of student-university identification: an investigation into the Egyptian higher education sector

“…It helps students to objectively define their career aspirations and educational objectives. In other words, it provides students with a sense of purpose which, in turn, reduces their fears concerning the vagueness of their employment potential (Hong et al, 2011). Granitz et al (2009) argue that when students find their professors approachable, accessible and caring, they tend to show higher levels of satisfaction with the university's overall educational experience.…”

¿por Qué Abandonan Los Alumnos Universitarios? Variables De Influencia en El Planteamiento Y Consolidación Del Abandono

“…Algunos estudios (González, Álvarez, Cabrera, & Bethercourt, 2007;Heikkila & lonka, 2006;Hong, Shull, & Haefner, 2012), también en el marco de las variables académicas, constatan que el uso de las estrategias de aprendizaje y las técnicas de estudio adquiridas en etapas previas pueden, asimismo, tener una influencia decisiva en el desempeño del estudiante en la titulación y pueden condicionar su decisión de permanecer o abandonar la carrera. Y finalmente, una variable como es la vía de acceso a la institución superior también puede ser relevante.…”

Supporting academic persistence in low‐skilled adult learners

“…Self-efficacy is influenced by many factors including gender roles, cultural stereotypes, prior successes or failures, whether internal or external factors control the outcome of the situation, and a person's locus of control (Pajares, 1996;Ryan and Deci, 2000;Wigfield and Eccles, 2000;Lepper et al, 2005;Hong et al, 2012). These factors contribute to the development of one's self-concept, but are more easily influenced by experiential and environmental factors (Bong, 1998).…”

“…They are also often unaware of skills they have which may be transferable (Oesch and Bower, 2009). As they move through a series of classes or academic credentials, they can, in fact, be building their sense of academic self-efficacy, but may need the prompting of an educator to call attention to their progress and to help them make positive attributions for their success (Schreiner et al, 2011;Capps, 2012;Hong et al, 2012). Many goal-setting strategies have recently been introduced into adult education from business, including the SMART goal model and other goal-setting strategies which are often tied to career exploration and planning (Comings et al, 1999;Oesch and Bower, 2009).…”