REPORT ON STUDENT-TEACHER INTERACTIONS
IN INDEPENDENT STUDIES
BUSINESS ENGLISH AND BUSINESS WRITING CLASSES
By Jerry C. Blanton
Adjunct English Professor
Miami Dade College
The following tables show the student grades relative to the interaction between the teacher and the students in my Independent Studies Business English (OST1330) and Business Writing (OST2335) over two years (2010 and 2011). Table One shows the students listed in alphabetical order by semester with their grades and the number and types of interaction with the professor. The most common interactions were face-to-face meetings and email communications. Table Two shows the same statistics listed by grade, so it is more revealing. Note that “A” students have twice as many face-to-face interactions with the professor as they do emails (46 to 23); “B”, more emails than face-to-face interactions (32 to 43); “C”, almost reversed the percentages of the “A” students (17 to 30). Note that FAX communications, although significant in previous years, are nonexistent in the last two years—most likely due to the increased use of cell phones and the decreased use of line phones. (In fact, the last FAX that I received from a student was on October 22, 2009.)
TABLE ONE
OST1330/OST2335 STUDENT-TEACHER INTERACTION AND GRADE RESULTS
FALL 2011 IN PERSON FAX EMAIL TEL MAILBOX TOTAL GRADE %
ND 8 0 3 0 0 11 B 85
DG 1 0 4 1 1 7 C 71
JA 5 0 2 0 1 8 A 91
ID 3 0 4 0 0 7 B 88
TT 1 0 4 0 4 9 D 61
SUM 2011 IN PERSON FAX EMAIL TEL MAILBOX TOTAL GRADE %
HB 9 0 2 0 1 12 B 84
JC 15 0 0 0 0 15 A 91
AD 1 0 10 0 0 11 B 83
ID 2 0 6 0 0 8 D 60
OS 1 0 9 0 1 11 B 84
CT 5 0 2 0 2 9 A 90
SPG 2011 IN PERSON FAX EMAIL TEL MAILBOX TOTAL GRADE %
YA 2 0 3 0 0 5 D 60
ChaB 0 0 3 0 2 5 F 33
CheB 0 0 2 0 2 4 F 31
AD 2 0 4 0 0 6 C 79
MT 2 0 10 0 1 13 A 91
LD 5 0 2 0 0 7 A 91
IS 3 0 0 0 0 3 D 60
DW 5 0 2 0 0 7 C 75
FALL 2010 IN PERSON FAX EMAIL TEL MAILBOX TOTAL GRADE %
AH 2 0 7 0 0 9 B 80
MC 1 0 8 0 2 11 C 74
LC 2 0 4 0 0 6 B 81
AC 4 0 0 0 0 4 C 70
AD 4 0 0 0 0 4 B 83
JR 1 0 1 0 0 2 F 13
SPG 2010 IN PERSON FAX EMAIL TEL MAILBOX TOTAL GRADE %
AG 2 0 3 0 0 5 C 72
TJ 5 0 1 0 0 6 D 56
SW 12 0 1 0 0 13 A 95
SB 2 0 6 0 0 8 A 92
SH 2 0 4 0 2 8 B 88
DR 2 0 9 0 0 11 C 78
VM 2 0 7 1 0 10 D 60
TABLE TWO
OST1330/OST2335 STUDENT-TEACHER INTERACTION AND GRADE RESULTS ARRANGED BY GRADES
A's IN PERSON FAX EMAIL TEL MAILBOX TOTAL GRADE %
SW 12 0 1 0 0 13 A 95
SB 2 0 6 0 0 8 A 92
MT 2 0 10 0 1 13 A 91
LD 5 0 2 0 0 7 A 91
JC 15 0 0 0 0 15 A 91
CT 5 0 2 0 2 9 A 90
JA 5 0 2 0 1 9 A 91
TT 7 46 0 23 0 4 73
AVG 6.5 0 3 0 .5 10 A 92 (approximate)
B's IN PERSON FAX EMAIL TEL MAILBOX TOTAL GRADE %
ND 8 0 3 0 0 11 B 85
ID 3 0 4 0 0 7 B 88
HB 9 0 2 0 1 12 B 84
AD 1 0 10 0 0 11 B 83
OS 1 0 9 0 1 11 B 84
AH 2 0 7 0 0 9 B 80
LC 2 0 4 0 0 6 B 81
AD 4 0 0 0 0 4 B 83
SH 2 0 4 0 2 8 B 88
TT 9 32 0 43 0 4 79
AVG 3.5 0 4.5 0 0 8 B 84
C's IN PERSON FAX EMAIL TEL MAILBOX TOTAL GRADE %
DG 1 0 4 1 1 7 C 71
AD 2 0 4 0 0 6 C 79
DW 5 0 2 0 0 7 C 75
MC 1 0 8 0 2 11 C 74
AC 4 0 0 0 0 4 C 70
AG 2 0 3 0 0 5 C 72
DR 2 0 9 0 0 11 C 78
TT 7 17 0 30 1 3 51
AVG 2.5 0 4.5 0 0 7 C 74
D's IN PERSON FAX EMAIL TEL MAILBOX TOTAL GRADE %
TT 1 0 4 0 4 9 D 61
ID 2 0 6 0 0 8 D 60
YA 2 0 3 0 0 5 D 60
IS 3 0 0 0 0 3 D 60
TJ 5 0 1 0 0 6 D 56
VM 2 0 7 1 0 10 D 60
TT 6 15 0 21 1 4 41
AVG 2.5 0 3.5 0 .5 6.5 D 60
The statistics indicate that the more interaction a student has with the professor, the better the grade will be. Below are pie charts showing the grades achieved relative to the total average interactions with the professor (Chart One) and the average face-to-face interactions with the professor (Chart Two) and the total face-to-face interactions (Chart Three). More important than any other type of interaction, face-to-face interaction between the professor and student seems to be significant in determining a higher grade.
CONCLUSION
These statistics emphasize the value of student-teacher interaction. Most students who have interacted face to face with me multiple times have typically sought clarification for assignments and affirmation of their formatting and/or competence. Therefore, with the added guidance, these students submit higher quality work formatted efficiently and clearly.
The implication is that the professor should encourage the students to meet with him or her face to face at least once every two weeks. These person-to-person meetings are valuable mentoring sessions that guide the student to better performance.
December 25, 2011
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