1. Changes in teacher-student relationships during residential field courses
Anne Plessis, Plymouth University, School of Biological and Marine Sciences
@DiscontinuedAP

2. Student feedback on a module including a field course, in the section “Best aspects of the module”:
“Meeting new people on the course and also being able to actually talk to the lecturers like they were real people.”
“Good number of staff members and interested which had positive influence on me personally.”

3. Teacher-student relationships (TSRs) background
TSRs have a significant impact on student engagement (Umbach and Wawrzynski, 2005), intrinsic motivation (Komarraju et al., 2010) and active learning (Morganett, 1991). Beneficial TSRs can increase students’ sense of belonging to their learning environment (Hagenauer and Volet, 2014).
Students enjoy the increased proximity to teachers in the field (Fuller et al., 2006).
No specific research on higher education TSRs in the context of residential field courses.

4. Research questions
1. What is the contribution of residential field courses in promoting interactions between students and lecturers?
2. How do students getting to know the lecturers better during residential field courses affect their perception of lecturers?
3. How does lecturers getting to know the students better during residential field courses affect the students and the lecturers?

5. The study
Three surveys of student motivation, perception and relationships with lecturers over six different field courses:
At the very beginning of first year field course (165 respondents)
At the end of the field course (126 respondents)
One survey of lecturers (32 respondents)
One focus groups with three students

6. Research questions
1. What is the contribution of residential field courses in promoting interactions between students and lecturers?
2. How does students getting to know the lecturers better during residential field courses affect their perception of lecturers?
3. How does lecturers getting to know the students better during residential field courses affect the students and the lecturers?

7. Student-lecturer interactions during residential field courses
Students were asked right after first residential field course: on average, how often have you talked to lecturers about course / personal matters during the field course?

8. Student-lecturer interactions during residential field courses
Students were asked right after first residential field course: on average, how easy was it to talk to lecturers about course / personal matters during the field course compared to on campus?

9. Student-lecturer interactions during residential field courses
Lecturers were asked: During your most recent first year residential field course, what proportion of the students did you hold a substantial conversation about academic work / non-academic related topics (including personal issues) with?

10. Student-lecturer interactions during residential field courses
Lecturers were asked whether they agreed with: I am more comfortable interacting with students in the field than in the classroom / lab.

11. Student-lecturer interactions during residential field courses
Lecturers were asked whether they agreed with: During field courses, I interact with many students with whom I have never interacted with on campus.

12. Research questions
1. What is the contribution of residential field courses in promoting interactions between students and lecturers?
2. How does students getting to know the lecturers better during residential field courses affect their perception of lecturers?
3. How does lecturers getting to know the students better during residential field courses affect the students and the lecturers?

13. Changes in lecturer perception
Students were asked at the very beginning and end of the field course to choose adjectives that applied to their best known and least known lecturers on the field course.
Positive personality
Honest
Funny
Charismatic
Warm
Friendly
Professional
Passionate
Negative personality
Intimidating
Formal
Rude
Off-putting
Distant
Strict
Boring
Positive support
Supportive
Encouraging
Respectful
Approachable
Open to listening
Cares about students
Negative support
Unreliable
Busy
Unfair
Disparaging
Prejudiced

14. Changes in lecturer perception
Beginning of field course
End of field course

15. Changes in lecturer perception
What students said during a focus group
“Personalities come through a lot when it comes to lectures, just the general lecture style: moving a lot or just being quiet. You can see a correlation between how they act in the field and how they give a lecture.”
“[From lectures] we know their personality but not their experience […], specific areas of interest.”
“Some lecturers are a bit more comfortable out in the working field than they are in lectures; they are a bit more laid-back, their presence, it comes through more than it does in lecture.”

16. Research questions
1. What is the contribution of residential field courses in promoting interactions between students and lecturers?
2. How does students getting to know the lecturers better during residential field courses affect their perception of lecturers?
3. How does lecturers getting to know the students better during residential field courses affect the students and the lecturers?

17. Lecturers getting to know students
Lecturers were asked: before/after your most recent first year residential field course, what proportion of the students did you know by name?
Before field course
After field course

18. Lecturers getting to know students
Students were asked at the beginning of residential field course: how many of the lecturers on the field course do you think know your name?

19. Lecturers getting to know students
Students were asked at the end of residential field course: how many of the lecturers on the field course do you think know your name?
End of field course
29 students out of 78

20. Lecturers getting to know students
What students said during a focus group
“By the end of the field course, I felt like the lecturers knew my name, which was kind of important.”
“[When lecturers know our names] we are someone in that course, we have someone we can go to if we have any question.”
“If they know you, you do not feel as awkward if you have a question.”
“It makes you feel a little bit more connected to the lecturers.”

21. Summary
1. What is the contribution of residential field courses in promoting interactions between students and lecturers?
More interactions, with a higher proportion of students, including students with whom lecturers had never interacted before.
2. How does students getting to know the lecturers better during residential field courses affect their perception of lecturers?
At the end of a field course, lecturers are perceived as more supportive and more honest.
3. How does lecturers getting to know the students better during residential field courses affect the students and the lecturers?
Lecturers know the name of more students. Students who thought no/few lecturers knew their names feel recognised by more lecturers. This recognition can promote future interactions.

22. Residential field courses: a feeling of community
Beginning of field course
End of field course
Students were asked at beginning / end of residential field course whether they agreed: I feel part of a community of staff and students.

23. Acknowledgments Alison Stokes Mark Farnworth
Stacey DeAmicis
Mick Hanley
Rob Puschendorf
Mark Briffa
Matthew Watkinson
Jan Miller
The Pedagogic Research and Teaching Innovation Fund
Everyone who answered the surveys and participated to a focus group.