Journal of Communication Pedagogy (Jan 2024)
You Don’t Have to be Their Best Friend: Complicating the Instructor-Student Relationship through a Mixed-Method Typology
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the nuances of instructor-student relationships with a nationally representative sample of students. Participants were randomly assigned to describe relationships with their best, worst, and/or last instructor and rate their satisfaction with each relationship, and the level of closeness with the instructor. Coding of student descriptions revealed 13 themes, organized into six pairs of constructive/destructive relationship anchors and one neutral category (Professional Relationship). Importantly, professional relationships were not as close as constructive relationships but were equally satisfying, indicating the closeness in instructor-student relationships has diminishing returns. Results are discussed in the context of instructional communication research and pedagogy.
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