Teacher Immediacy

Actively engaging students within the classroom is one of the most challenging aspects of the classroom environment. Behaviors that depict an instructor as relatable and understandable can have positive effects upon student engagement in class. An instructor acting with these types of behaviors is said to have teacher immediacy. The desired outcomes connected to teacher immediacy are effective increases in a student’s learning and motivation. The research lacks a conclusive evidence of a direct link between immediacy and student progression, however, an instructor’s awareness of proper immediate behaviors has shown to have a positive effect on a student’s perception of their relationships with teachers. Through a comprehensive study of teacher action research, case studies, and survey research over the past decade, this paper delves into the correlation between immediate behavior and student progress

The Effects of Teacher Immediacy on Student Evaluations

This study extended previous research on teacher immediacy by examining the relationship between teacher immediacy and students\u27 evaluations of the course and/or teacher. Immediacy, course evaluation, and teacher evaluation were also explored in relation to teacher gender and student gender. Results indicated that teacher immediacy had a significant effect on student evaluations. Gender also had a significant, although unexpected, effect on evaluations of both the teacher and the course. Discussion focused on the relevance of these variables for purposes of instructional training and future research

Influence of Teacher Immediacy on Student Evaluations of Teachers in American and Chinese Classrooms

This study investigated student perspectives on teacher immediacy in American and Chinese classrooms, and the correlation between immediacy and teacher evaluation. Specific immediacy behaviors that are most associated with teacher evaluation among American and Chinese students were also examined. Two hundred seventy-seven university students responded to instruments designed to measure teacher immediacy and teacher evaluation. Chinese students perceived a lower amount of instructor nonverbal immediacy than American students, but there is no significant difference between the two groups on verbal immediacy. Significant positive correlations were found between teacher immediacy and teacher evaluation in both groups. Praising students\u27 work and soliciting viewpoints or opinions were found to be most associated with teacher evaluation in American classrooms and Chinese classrooms respectively

Exploring the predictive role of teacher immediacy and ‘stroke’ behaviors in English as a Foreign Language university students’ academic burnout

To expand the literature on the rather new concept of student burnout, the present study examined the influence of teacher immediacy and stroke variables on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ experience of burnout. To fulfill this aim, a group of 631 undergraduate EFL students from various universities in Iran answered questionnaires including the Immediacy Behavior Scale, the Student Stroke Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey. The results of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of immediacy and burnout scales demonstrated the validity of the two scales in the Iranian EFL context. Subsequently, Pearson multiple correlation coefficients and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to analyze the data. It was found that student burnout subscales negatively and significantly correlated with teacher immediacy and stroke subscales. Moreover, the results indicated that teacher immediacy and stroke variables, in combination with their subscales, could predict student burnout. On the whole, it can be concluded that teacher immediacy and stroke concepts, characterized as positive teacher interpersonal communication behaviors enhancing rapport and positive interaction between the teacher and students in EFL contexts, are potential preventers of negative student-related outcomes such as burnout

Testing the neutralizing effects of nonverbal teacher immediacy cues on offensive teacher misbehaviors in higher education classrooms

The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of nonverbal teacher immediacy cues can neutralize the negative impact that offensive teacher misbehaviors have on student perceptions of teacher credibility, affective learning, and motivation. The sample included a total of 140 participants enrolled in various undergraduate communication and theater courses from a southwestern university. Three one-way ANOVA tests were conducted to test the three hypotheses which proposed that nonverbal teacher immediacy cues may neutralize the negative impact that offensive teacher misbehaviors have on students’ perception of teacher credibility, affective learning, and motivation. Ultimately, findings revealed that teacher immediacy behaviors might not have the power to override the negative effects caused by offensive teacher misbehaviors on overall student perceptions of teacher credibility. However, findings suggested that an offensive teacher who uses nonverbal immediacy cues in their college classroom may still be able to positively impact student affective learning and motivation

Student\u27s Perception of Teacher Immediacy Behaviors on Student Success and Retention

This investigation tested the relationship and the fit for a causal model between both verbal and nonverbal teacher immediacy behaviors in the classroom and affective learning, cognitive learning, and student success and retention. Data was collected from two distinct populations, a large Midwestern university and a Midwestern community college. Results indicate that both verbal and nonverbal teacher immediacy behaviors independently predict or cause a level of affective learning and cognitive learning, and affective learning predicts or causes cognitive learning, further supporting that path model. Practical implications of these findings are discussed and recommendations for areas of future research development are advanced

Training the Professoraite of Tomorrow: Implementing the Needs Centered Training Model to Instruct Graduate Teaching Assistants in the use of Teacher Immediacy

The effects of providing training for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) in the implementation of immediacy behaviors on the creation of a supportive classroom environment are examined in this study. GTAs and their students served as participants in the research to understand the need for this training and this information guided the trainings formation. The training was based on Beebe, Mottet and Roach’s (2013) Needs Centered Training Model. The needs assessment indicated students’ perceptions of teacher immediacy was higher than self-perception and GTAs did not understand the meaning or effects of teacher immediacy on a supportive classroom environment or student learning. Thus, the training focused on providing GTA’s a base of knowledge to implement within their classrooms. Posttests with the students indicated an increase in both teacher immediacy behavior use and a supportive classroom environment in the majority of participants after the training. Interviews with participants indicated an appreciation for the training, awareness of the effects it had in their classroom and a desire for further training in this and other pedagogical techniques. Suggestions for future trainings and development of the trainings concludes this study

The effect of teacher immediacy, affinity -seeking, and misbehaviors on instructional outcomes.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating effect of teacher immediacy and affinity-seeking on misbehaviors and credibility and affective learning. Participants were undergraduate students enrolled in large-lecture courses at a large mid-Atlantic university. Teacher immediacy, affinity-seeking, and misbehaviors were manipulated in scenarios. Participants were exposed to one scenario and asked to complete credibility and affective learning measures in relation to the teacher in the scenario. The results of the study revealed that significant main effects were present for teacher immediacy, affinity-seeking, and misbehaviors. The significance level was set at .05. While significant interaction effects were present, the variance accounted for by these interactions was less than three percent in all cases. Variance accounted for in teacher caring by immediacy and affinity-seeking was much higher than variance accounted for in trustworthiness and competence. However, teacher misbehaviors accounted for more variance in teacher competence. Finally, immediacy and affinity-seeking created more variance in the affective learning variables than did teacher misbehaviors. The results of this study indicate students perceive teachers more positively when teachers are high in both immediacy and affinity-seeking thus leading to the conclusion that studying the main effects of these variables is more important than studying the interactions

On-Campus and Off-Campus Students\u27 Ratings of Instruction and Courses

The associations of student ratings of instruction and courses (SRIC) with noninstructional variables (e.g., class size, expected grade) were examined in three instructional delivery groups--on-campus , off-campus face-to-face , and distance education courses. Factor analysis of SRIC from a 20-item form yielded two highly correlated factors , which differed somewhat across the groups ( Course and Instruction ; Course/Instruction and Interaction Opportunities /Instructor Availability ; Course/Instruction and Interaction Opportunities/Helpfulness ). The only educationally significant(r2 \u3e .05) zero-order correlations were between SRIC total scores and expected grade, and were positive in all three groups(r2 = .07, .08, .06). In multiple regression analyses, 9%, 11 %, and 15% of the variance in SRIC for the three groups was explained by the entire set of noninstructional variables. Unique indices were consistent with the finding that expected grade was the only noninstructional variable with an educationally significant relationship with SRIC. In a separate study, SRIC and the instructor\u27s social presence in host- and remote-site groups were investigated. Remote-site students rated course management lower, on average, than host-site students did, and educationally significant, positive relationships were found between social presence scores and the ratings on four SRIC categories. In addition , remote-site students at smaller sites tended to rate instruction and course satisfaction, as well as the instructor\u27s social presence, higher than students at larger sites. In an additional investigation, students\u27 ratings of teacher immediacy and reports of teacher-student interaction in distance education courses were analyzed. Host-site students tended to rate teacher immediacy higher than remote-site students did, and the negative association of site size with nonverbal teacher immediacy scores was educationally significant for host sites. Host-site students also tended to report more interaction with their instructors than remote-site students did, and mean reported interaction with the instructor was associated positively with site size and ratings of teacher immediacy. Based on the differing SRIC factorial structures for on-campus and off-campus students, the identification of distance-education-specific noninstructional variables, problems with obtaining SRIC from students in on-line courses, and evidence on the noninstructional-variable-related theory of teacher immediacy, suggestions were made for future research on student satisfaction and perceptions of teaching effectiveness in distance education

Teacher Immediacy Behavior: Students Learning Outcomes and Evaluation

Is the teaching profession under siege? Are not the evaluators, funders, and beneficiaries of higher education continuing to shake their fingers at the teachers as the primary cause of dropping student performance? What, specifically, can be done in the classroom environment to address and respond to this criticism? The answer to this last question may be enhanced teacher immediacy