This document discusses the importance of building rapport between faculty and students. It defines rapport as a relationship based on positive interactions, reciprocity, trust and caring. Building rapport helps create conditions for learning and has benefits such as increased motivation, participation and course satisfaction for students. The document recommends strategies for building rapport, including using a learner-centered syllabus with a positive tone, clear expectations and rationale, and providing mid-course feedback to students.

1. 1
FACULTY-STUDENT RAPPORT
Isabeau Iqbal, PhD
Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology
Laura Moss, Suzanne James, Tara Lee
Department of English Literature
October 18, 2018

2. RAPPORT
https://flic.kr/p/aDjev

3. 3
FACULTY-STUDENT RAPPORT:
AGENDA
Rapport
Building rapport
1. The syllabus
2. Caring
3. Midterm feedback from students
Close

4. 4
RAPPORT: SCHOLARLY DEFINTIONS
1. relationship,
2. develops from positive interactions
3. involves reciprocity or mutuality, and
4. results from trust, caring, and/or a
shared connection.
(West et al., 2017)

5. BRINGING BACK
https://flic.kr/p/BFxY9

6. CLASSROOM CLIMATE
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7. CLASSROOM CLIMATE
“the intellectual, social, emotional, and
physical environments in which our
students learn.”
(Ambrose, Bridges, Lovett, DiPietro, & Norman, 2010, p.170)

8. 8
RAPPORT AND LEARNING:
STUDENTS’ SELF PERCEPTIONS
Academic performance
Retention
Participation
((Astin, 1993; McInnis Brown & Starrett, 2017)

9. 9
RAPPORT AND LEARNING
Rapport does not result in learning,
but it helps to create conditions
conducive to learning.
(Granitz, Koernig & Harich, 2009)

10. 10
FACULTY-STUDENT RAPPORT
• higher motivation
• increased participation
• perceptions of increased quality
• greater course satisfaction
• enhanced communication and
understanding
(Granitz, Koernig & Harich, 2009; Wilson & Ryan, 2012)

11. BUILDING RAPPORT
https://www.flickr.com/photos/snre/5114827399

12. INSTRUCTOR BEHAVIOURS THAT
BUILD RAPPORT
• Encouraging
• Open minded
• Creative
• Interesting
• Accessible
• Happy
• Have a ‘good’ personality
• Promote class discussions
• Approachable
• Concern for students
• Fair
(Benson, Cohen, and Buskist , 2005)

13. 13
RAPPORT
The learner-centered syllabus
Caring
Mid-course evaluations of teaching

14. 14
SYLLABUS

15. 15
A learner-centered approach focuses
policies, pedagogy, and assessments on
the needs of students rather than on the
needs of the teacher.
(Richmond, Slattery, Mitchell, Morgan & Becknell, 2016)
LEARNER-CENTERED APPROACH

16. 16
LEARNER-CENTERED SYLLABUS
…focuses more on student learning (in
contrast to delivery of content), as well as
the direct link between student outcomes
and assessments.
(Richmond,2017)

17. 17
Students perceived instructor as:
• being more masterful teacher
• having stronger student-instructor rapport
(Richmond, Slattery, Mitchell, Morgan & Becknell, 2016)
LEARNER-CENTERED SYLLABUS

18. 18
LEARNER-CENTERED SYLLABUS
https://wiki.ubc.ca/Documentation:Inclusive_Teaching/Learner_Centered_Syllabus
Positive
tone
Rationale
How to
succeed
Academic
success

19. 19
LEARNER-CENTERED SYLLABUS:
TONE
Version A (“cold tone”)
“At some point in your life, you asked an
expert for help with something. If you find
yourself not understanding the assigned
readings, lectures and assignment, please
set up an appointment with me…”
(Harnish and Bridges, 2011, p. 324)

20. 20
LEARNER-CENTERED SYLLABUS:
TONE
Version A (“warm-tone”)
“We’ve all needed help in something at
some point in our lives. If you find yourself
not understanding the assigned readings,
lectures and assignments, please set up an
appointment with me…” (p. 324).
(Harnish and Bridges, 2011, p. 324)

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LEARNER-CENTERED SYLLABUS:
FACILITATES STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC SUCCESS
• “Why”/big picture.
• Rationale for course objectives and
assignments.
Positive
tone
Rationale
How to
succeed
Academic
success

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LEARNER-CENTERED SYLLABUS:
FACILITATES STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC SUCCESS
See Course Overview section of handout
FNH 200 Exploring Our Foods Example

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LEARNER-CENTERED SYLLABUS:
WHAT STUDENTS NEED TO DO TO SUCCEED
Outlines expectations
Positive
tone
Rationale
How to
succeed
Academic
success

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LEARNER-CENTERED SYLLABUS:
WHAT STUDENTS NEED TO DO TO SUCCEED
See Course Policy section.

25. 25
LEARNER-CENTERED SYLLABUS:
WHAT STUDENTS NEED TO DO TO SUCCEED
Outlines expectations
Provides advice on how to tackle
certain projects, assignments.

26. 26
LEARNER-CENTERED SYLLABUS: WHAT
STUDENTS NEED TO DO TO SUCCEED
See Assessment and Feedback section.

27. Positive
tone
Rationale
How to
succeed
Academic
success
LEARNER-CENTERED SYLLABUS
https://wiki.ubc.ca/Documentation:Inclusive_Teaching/Learner_Centered_Syllabus

28. https://flic.kr/p/o8CvTS

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RAPPORT: COMPONENTS
• relationship,
• develops from positive interactions
• involves reciprocity or mutuality, and
• results from trust, caring, and/or a
shared connection.
(West et al., 2017)

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EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION: 2 MAIN
ROLES
Instructional Role and Personal Role

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EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION: 2 MAIN
ROLES
Instructional Role
knowledge
preparation
clarity
Personal Role
concern for students
availability
respectfulness
answer questions
foster interaction

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STUDENT/INSTRUCTOR
Undergraduates
has realistic expectations
of students and is fair
is knowledgeable about
topic
displays understanding
is well prepared
is approachable and
personable
(Buskist, Sikorski,Buckley & Saville, 2002)

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STUDENT/INSTRUCTOR
(Buskist, Sikorski,Buckley & Saville, 2002)
Undergraduates Faculty members
has realistic expectations
of students and being fair
am knowledgeable about
the topic
is knowledgeable about
topic
am enthusiastic about
teaching
displays understanding promote critical thinking
is well prepared am well prepared
is approachable and
personable
am approachable and
personable

34. 34
INSTRUCTOR/STUDENT
(Buskist, Sikorski,Buckley & Saville, 2002)
Undergraduates Faculty members
has realistic expectations
of students and is fair
am knowledgeable about
the topic
is knowledgeable about
topic
am enthusiastic about
teaching
displays understanding promote critical thinking
is well prepared am well prepared
is approachable and
personable
am approachable and
personable

35. Students care
if instructors
care about
them
(Meyers, 2009)

36. 36
EFFECTS OF CARE
• enjoyment of class
• attendance and attention
• study time
• course enrolment
• motivation
• attitude about instructor
• student ratings of instructor
(Benson, Cohen and Buskist, 2005; Wilson, 2006)

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TEACHER IMMEDIACY
“refers to overt forms of communication that
enhance the closeness between students
and faculty”
(Meyers, 2009,p.206)

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TEACHER IMMEDIACY: NONVERBAL
/ PHYSICAL
• Gesture
• Look at the class
• Smile at the whole class & at individuals
• Move around the room
• Relaxed body position
• Variety of vocal expressions
(Meyers, 2009)

39. 39
TEACHER IMMEDIACY: VERBAL

40. https://flic.kr/p/o8CvTS

42. attending to the personal role in teaching is
most effective when it is coupled with a
focus on the instructional role

43. 43
MID-COURSE FEEDBACK
(MCF)
involves collecting feedback from students
near the middle of a course in order to give
the instructor an opportunity to make
adjustments and improvements.

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MCF: BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS
• Enhanced experience of learning
• Input
• Reflect
• Practice giving feedback
• Building rapport with their instructor

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MCF:BENEFITS FOR INSTRUCTORS
• Time to make changes
• Student engagement
• Reflect on teaching
• End of course evaluations
• Rapport
(Harris & Stevens, 2013)

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MID-COURSE FEEDBACK
(McGowan & Osguthorpe, 2011)
Read feedback
2
Read feedback
discuss
no changes
5
Read feedback
discuss
changes
9

47. https://flic.kr/p/o8CvTS

48. MAINTAINING RAPPORT
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49. 49
BELONGING
Higher education institutions have been
described as “complex social systems
defined by the relationship between people,
bureaucratic procedures, structural
arrangements, institutional goals and values,
traditions, and large socio-historical
environments”
(Hurado et al. 1998, p.296 cited in Cook-Sather & Felten, 2017).

50. 50
BELONGING
Higher education institutions have been
described as “complex social systems
defined by the relationship between people,
bureaucratic procedures, structural
arrangements, institutional goals and values,
traditions, and large socio-historical
environments”
(Hurado et al. 1998, p.296 cited in Cook-Sather & Felten, 2017).

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What does it mean for
students to feel a
sense of belonging
within these systems?
(Cook-Sather & Felten, 2017)

52. Thank you!
Contact:
Isabeau Iqbal, PhD
Educational Developer
Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology
isabeau.Iqbal@ubc.ca
Twitter: @isabeauiqbal
isabeauiqbal.ca
This work is Creative Commons Licensed: Attribution and Share-alike.
Please attribute to Isabeau Iqbal, UBC Centre for Teaching, Learning
and Technology

53. REFERENCES
Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., Lovett, M. C., DiPietro, M., & Norman, M. K. (2010). How learning works: 7 research-based
principles for smart teaching.
Astin, A.W. (1993). What matters in college? Four critical years revisited. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Benson, T. A., Cohen, A. L., & Buskist, W. (2005). Rapport: Its relation to student attitudes and behaviors toward teachers.
Teaching of Psychology, 32, 237-239
Cook-Sather, A., & Felten, P. (2017). Where student engagement meets faculty development: How student-faculty
pedagogical partnership fosters a sense of belonging. Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal, 1(2), 3.
Granitz, N. A., Koernig, S. K., and Harich, K. R. (2009). Now it’s personal: Antecedents and outcomes of rapport between
business faculty and their students. Journal of Marketing Education, 31 (1), 52-65.
Harnish, R. J., & Bridges, K. R. (2011). Effect of syllabus tone: Students’ perceptions of instructor and course. Social
Psychology of Education, 14(3), 319-330.
Harris, G. L. A., & Stevens, D. D. (2013). The value of midterm student feedback in cross-disciplinary graduate programs.
Journal of Public Affairs Education, 19(3), 537-558.
How to make your syllabus more learner-centered. Retrieved from:
https://wiki.ubc.ca/Documentation:Inclusive_Teaching/Learner_Centered_Syllabus
McGowan, W. R., & Osguthorpe, R. T. (2011). Student and faculty perceptions of effects of midcourse evaluation. To Improve
the Academy, 29(1), 160-172.
McInnis Brown, M. & Starrett, T. (2017). Fostering student connectedness: Building relationships in the classroom. Retrieved
from: https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/fostering-student-connectedness-building-relationships-
classroom/

54. REFERENCES
Meyers, S.A. (2009). Do your students care whether you care about them? College Teaching, 57(4), 205-210.
Overall, J. U., & Marsh, H. W. (1979). Midterm feedback from student: Its relationship to instructional improvement and
students’ cognitive and affective outcomes. Journal of Educational Psychology, 71(6), 856-865.
Richmond, A. (2017). A graduate student’s primer to model teaching. In R. Obeid, A. Schartz, C. Shane-Simpson, & P. J.
Brooks (Eds.) How we teach now: The GSTA guide to student-entered teaching. Retrieved from the Society for the Teaching
of Psychology web site: https://teachpsych.org/resources/Documents/ebooks/gstaebook.pdf#page=29
Richmond, A. S., Slattery, J. M., Mitchell, N., Morgan, R. K., & Becknell, J. (2016). Can a learner-centered syllabus change
students’ perceptions of student–professor rapport and master teacher behaviors?. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in
Psychology, 2(3), 159.
West, K., Hoessler, C., Bennetch, R., Ewert-Bauer, T., Wilson, M., Beaudoin, J.-P., Ellis, D. E., Brown, V. M., Timmermans, J.
A., Verwoord, R., & Kenny, N. A. (2017). Educational Development Guide Series: No. 2. Rapport-Building for Educational
Developers. Ottawa, ON: Educational Developers Caucus
Wilson, J. & Ryan, R. (2012). Developing student-teacher rapport in the undergraduate classroom. In W. Buskist & V.A.
Benassi (Eds.) Effective College and University Teaching: Strategies and Tactics for the New Professoriate, 81-90 Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.