Student-Teacher Relationship Patterns in Undergraduate College

Student-Teacher Relationship Patterns in Undergraduate College

The student-teacher relationship has always been important at all levels of formal education, including undergraduate level. Positive student-teacher relationship plays direct role in facilitating students experience, and ultimately enhancing the academic outcomes. Furthermore, such relationship, especially at undergraduate level, becomes crucial since it also helps to facilitate the change and transformation process of adolescents who are stepping out from kindergraten-12th grade (K-12) system of education and venturing into college life. Given such importance and closeness in the relationship, this study attempted to examine the attachment patterns of the student-teacher relationship at undergraduate level. The research was guided by two broad questions. First, is student-teacher relationship at undergraduate level an attachment relationship? Second, if it is an attachment relationship, do distinct patterns exist? Drawing on two-dimensional internal working model of adult attachment postulated by Bartholomew (1980) as conceptual framework, the study explored the perception of 216 undergraduate students on student-teacher relationship from a university in Bangalore by using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). From the result two distinct dimensions, first related to students self and second associated to their view about availability of teachers and how they would reciprocate in the interactions, were observed which was later confirmed by CFA. The finding could help in future research to find the aspects of the relationship that promote the sense of security and supportiveness to enhance the academic outcomes of the students. Keywords: adult attachment patterns, student-teacher relationship

Adhikari Kishor

Psychology