What Students Tell Us: Relationship Quality Experiences in Higher Education

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: Faculty, Mentorship, and Student-Faculty Communication for College Success

Abstract

Although student/faculty relationships are important to foster positive (academic) outcomes, educational research investigating how students perceive the quality of the relationships with educational faculty/staff (i.e., relationship quality) remains scarce. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the relationship quality construct, using an online qualitative survey (N = 656 undergraduate students). A template analysis was applied to the data with a priori themes (i.e., five relationship quality dimensions). Findings indicate that relationship quality dimensions matter, however, mainly trust in honesty, and trust in benevolence were identified in most students' descriptions. Educational practitioners who would like to improve the relationship with students may benefit from this study's results.

Authors

• Ingrid Snijders, HZ University of Applied Sciences

• Hans Dekker, HZ University of Applied Sciences

• Lisette Wijnia, Open Universiteit Nederland

• Remigius M. Rikers, University College Roosevelt

• Sofie Loyens, Utrecht University