Students' perceptions of the importance of the faculty dimensions of technical currency, teaching techniques, and commitment to student success for their learning/success in a technology based baccalaureate program

Abstract

The primary objective of this study was to explore the relationships between students' perceptions of the importance of three faculty dimensions --- technical currency, teaching techniques, and commitment to student success --- to their learning/success, expressed in terms of self-reported technical competencies and GPA in a technology-based baccalaureate electronics engineering technology (EET) program at a teaching university. The sample (N=225) was composed of seniors of the BSEET program (Fall 2003) from 13 geographically diverse campuses of a teaching university. More than 75% of the EET seniors agreed that the constructs of faculty technical currency, teaching techniques, and commitment to student success, are important to their learning/success. Statistical analyses also revealed that: (a) there was no significant difference between the means of faculty technical currency (FTC), and faculty teaching techniques (FTT), (b) there was a significant difference between the means of faculty technical currency (FTC) and faculty commitment to student success (FCSS), with small effect size, and, (c) there was a significant difference between the means of the faculty teaching techniques (FTT), and faculty commitment to student success (FCSS), with a small effect size. Regression analyses revealed significant and direct relationships between: (a) faculty technical currency (FTC) and student learning/success in terms of self reported technical competency (effect size is medium), (b) faculty teaching techniques (FTT) and student learning/success in terms of self reported technical competency (effect size is medium-to-large), (c) faculty commitment to student success (FCSS) and student learning/success in terms of self-reported technical competency (effect size is medium), (d) faculty technical currency (FTC) and faculty teaching techniques (FTT) [large effect size], and, (e) faculty technical currency (FTC) and faculty commitment to student success (FCSS) [effect size is large]. The multiple regression analyses also revealed 16.6% of the variance in student learning/success can be predicted from the three faculty constructs of FTC, FTT, and FCSS. Student GPA failed to reveal any significant relationships with faculty dimensions of technical currency, teaching techniques, and commitment to student success. The recommendations based on the study suggest ways to improve faculty development and training activities to promote student learning in the domains of engineering technology.