Influence of Teacher Immediacy on Student Evaluations of Teachers in American and Chinese Classrooms
Abstract
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' work and soliciting viewpoints or opinions were found to be most associated with teacher evaluation in American classrooms and Chinese classrooms respectively.
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Interaction analysis in education; Communication in education; Teacher effectiveness; Teacher-student relationships; Teachers--Rating of--United States; Teachers--Rating of--China
Publication Date
2006
Document Type
Thesis
Student Type
Graduate
Degree Name
Communication and Media Technologies (MS)
Department, Program, or Center
Department of Communication (CLA)
Advisor
David R. Neumann
Advisor/Committee Member
Nicholas DiFonzo
Advisor/Committee Member
Bruce A. Austin
Recommended Citation
Gao, Wenli, "Influence of Teacher Immediacy on Student Evaluations of Teachers in American and Chinese Classrooms" (2006). Thesis. Rochester Institute of Technology. Accessed from
https://repository.rit.edu/theses/8053
Campus
RIT – Main Campus
Comments
Physical copy available from RIT's Wallace Library at LB1034 .G36 2006