Reviewed Articles
This paper reviews research back to the 80's and says there is not a
lot you can do to influence use of office hours. Convenience is
important but the most significant thing that instructors can do is to
make sure students get good feedback from their
interaction. 2017-11-09-BK
Large Public Research University Study and Lit Review
Finding: Factors that significantly affect student use of office
hours are largely out of instructor's control with at least one
important exception: usefulness of instructor feedback.
Factors include:
- Social and physical identities
- Interactional (including ways in which instructors make themselves
approachable to students)
- Ease-of-access issues, including when, where, and increasingly how
office hours are held.
- Class size, the level of the course, the availability of peer
tutors, and where a student is in his or her progress towards a
degree (administratively determined)
Recommendations:
- Clear communication among individual instructors,
departments, and administrative units to progress on issues
surrounding office hours (to address administratively
determined factors)
- Instructors should consider: Do students perceive
my office hours as convenient? What time, location, and even
medium (i.e., face to face or online) might work best for my
students? Consider getting student input
- Instructors educate students about the benefits of
office hours as a way to potentially overcome perceptions of
time and location
inconvenience.
- Instructors provide useful feedback on a consistent
basis to indicate that they will also give useful feedback
during office hours. AL - 12/20/17
- Meaningful Learning through One-on-One Conferences
- Required 1-1 meetings in a UG writing course
- Feedback needs to:
- Happen while efforts are ongoing, so students can make the
necessary changes to succeed.
- Be timely, actionable, and user-friendly
- Benefits of 1-1 Conferences
- Timely:
- Work is fresh on their mind, and they are open to guidance
in a way they cannot be after the paper is submitted.
- Providing feedback when students are able, and willing, to
apply.
- Accessible:
- A conversation is easier to understand
- There in person to ask for clarification and discuss alternatives.
- Teacher's office is student-friendly in a way that classroom space
is not
- More productive, friendly relationship where the student feels freer
to seek out, and apply, the teacher's advice.
- Challenge and support student thinking:
- Speak directly to their individual needs
- Free to talk about all kinds of
things.
- Challenge black and white thinking
AL - 12/21/17
The instructor attitudes dominated their research but one thing
stuck out to me was students felt like "it wasn't going to help".
To me this seems to echo the above sentiment that students have to
believe that they will get something from it. -- 2017-11-09-BK
(medium-size public university in the mid-South; small
student focus groups)
Focus Group results identified a mix of student, environmental
factors, and instructor factors. Student perceptions of instructor
qualities are primary barriers/facilitators
Recommends honest review of own behaviors and a willingness to adapt
teaching styles to appear more transparent and accommodating to
students. Remind ourselves to regularly communicate available,
approachable, and readiness to provide help.
Focus Group Questions:
describe the factors that keep you from seeking help from professors
outside of class
describe the factors that make it easier for you to seek help from
professors outside of class.
Reflect on professors you’ve had in college and on the discussion
we just had, and rank the top five reasons you believe students find it
difficult to seek help from professors.
Q1/Q2
Q3
- Professor's personality
- Office hours
- Time issues
- Professor doesn't care about student
- Professor's approachability
- Intimidation
- Laziness
- Professor doesn't reiterate to visit him/her
- Class difficulty
- Going won't help
AL 12-20-17
The author got a very good participation rate (80%) by inviting
students he was concerned about to visit him to see what they could
do to improve the situation. He outlines his approach which was very
good. -- 2017-11-09-BK
Informally study at a small school
Please see me!
The author found that it begins with a simple invitation. 80% of
students that received this invitation responded. Those responses
produced meetings that began a path towards success for students that
were struggling.
The author then outlines the meeting structure that he developed for
his students.
- You are not alone; we are a team.
- History is a good teacher.
- Patterns and trends in behavior emerge.
- Learning to communicate effectively is the gift
that keeps giving
- A simple conversation may have far-reaching
implications
- Note-taking is an evolving skill that demands
attention, perseverance, and guidance
-SV
- Require a visit
- Give them points for coming --2017-11-09-BK
Author shares responses to a previous published blog. The previously
published blog discussed a study that found, shockingly, that students
don't attend offered office hours. These responses can be used form a
strategy to get students to actually attend your office hours.
- Offer office hours when they are
convenient for prof and student (an online scheduler was
included)
- Require that students attend
- Offer a reward for attending
- Meet someplace other than your office
-SV
Office Hour Alternatives
Offer alternatives for ways to get help. --2017-11=09
Blog post summarizing a study by:
Chung, C., & Hsu, L. (2006). Encouraging students to seek help:
Supplementing office hours with a course center. College
Teaching, 54(3), 253258
Basically the suggestion is to rethink the office in office
hours. Their suggestion is to develop course centers where students
could come together to study without the pressure of meeting with
faculty. The faculty member would float around the center making
themselves available for questions. The focus would be on students
helping themselves.
The study found that students indicated that they like the
laid-back†atmosphere of the course centers. They felt as though the
instructor was more approachable in that context.
-SV
Reviews the first research article (Exploratory
Study ) but wonders:
"I wonder if we underestimate the fear factor. Most of
us have a hard time imagining how we could provoke fear in a student,
but we do. First, we have deep subject matter expertise, and that
alone can be intimidating. In addition, we evaluate their work,
which they often see as connected to their character. Plus, it’s
embarrassing to have to ask for help, especially when the person
you’re asking talks about how it’s easy and obvious. And what if
the answer leaves you more confused, not less?" -- 2017-11-09-BK
Synopsis: Faculty set office hours to fit their needs, maybe not
the needs of students. Faculty also control the feedback offered during
office hours. Because of both of these factors, students are fearful of
approaching the faculty. Faculty "know' their subject matter and
students may feel intimidated asking for a review of material already
covered in class.
Since Faculty evaluate student work, student feel embarrassed asking
for help.
Faculty need to educate students to on the benefits of office hours
but faculty may need to also change their idea on what to offer during
office hours
Topical office hours: if you discover a number of students are
struggling with a something, offer some office hours that you will work
on a topic with small groups
Scheduling office hours: Identify 3 or 4 possible times that works
with your schedule and see what the student prefer.
Also offer alternative locations for office
hours.
12/20/17-CV
Provide specific feedback on course projects, and allow
opportunities for revisions prior to assigning a final grade on major
projects. Offer tutorials during office hours and encourage small
groups of students to attend.
Synopsis: Electronic consultations via email have diminished the use
of in-person office hours. Although students and faculty favor email
contact because it's so efficient, interpersonal exchanges still play
an important role in the learning process
3. Invitation in the syllabus to visit during office hours. Give
students a by appointment option, since your set office hours may
conflict with their class or work schedules.
6. Say more times than you think necessary that you welcome
questions, comments, and the chance to interact with students.
7. Work to learn students names sooner rather than later.
Recognize and greet students when you see them in the hallways or around
campus. Smiles and waves are also appreciated.
8. Provide specific feedback on course projects, and allow
opportunities for revisions prior to assigning a final grade on major
projects. Offer tutorials during office hours and encourage small groups
of students to attend.
Students do pay attention to those classroom behaviors that
convey we care.
If we maintain our office hours and employ the strategies recommended
by these students, then we can more actively engage students in academic
discourse, facilitate a deeper understanding of our fields and their
associated professions, and serve as better advisors and mentors. Given
what positive interpersonal communication does for students and for us,
it is certainly worth the effort.
12/20/17-CV
Synopsis: Selecting times that maximize the number of students who
can meet with you during office hours, recognizing the constraints of
college students (attending part time, working full time and commuting
to campus).
Consult with students before deciding when you'll hold office
hours and then schedule times that are convenient for them.
three different weekdays, and don't rule out virtual office
hours held at other times.
Use every way possible to let students know when you hold
office hours; posting on door, make sure its on the syllabus,
position office hours on the course website, announce them in
class.
Make office hours welcoming. Have a chair ready. Put away your cell
phone. Turn away from your computer. Put peppermints in a bowl on your
desk.
Interacting with students DURING OFFICE
HOURS
- Teach: make clear that questions and additional help
are available during office hours. Students sometimes think that
professors are not willing to review content again in the
office.
- Advise: Ask a few questions of your own. Listen to their concerns.
What information does the student need to succeed in your program,
beyond your signature?
- Collaborate: If you encourage students to seek out additional
sources on topics introduced in class and they bring material to your
office, ask them about it give them practice answering questions
like, What's your research question? What have you found so
far?
- Offer book: have a decent personal library that you are will to
share with students
- Listen well: taking notes; jot down names, phrases, and details
of the conversation so that you can refer to these topics next time
you talk with the student. If you are meeting with several students
on the same day, this kind of record keeping is essential.
- Mentorship: Sharing your own educational and work trajectory can
be very insightful. You can also direct students to alumni, library
resources, and websites that will help them make their own decisions.
If students need advice that is beyond your expertise, be prepared to
say so and send them to Career Services
12/20/17-CV
Students think office hours are for "emergencies". The article
recommends 1) make it clear that contact out of class is "normal" and 2)
use email, chat, etc. Instead of physical meeting. 2017-11-27-BK
Basically YOU have to sell office hours. 2017-11-27-BK
Use your syllabus to explain what happens in office hours. 2017-11-27-BK
What are office hours for?
- Many students report that they assumed office hours
were times that professors were working and should not be
disturbed.
- Others think office hours are like a visit to the principal’s
office: something you only have to do if you get into trouble.
- Still others think office hours are only supposed to be utilized
by a certain kind of student, either the ultraprepared or those on
the brink of failure.
This means the first step to getting students to
attend your office hours is to dispel such notions.
--
Explain to your students early and often how you might expect them to
use office hours and try to make those visits as pleasant and rewarding
as possible. 2017-12-21-BK
We don't have access to this article (embargoed).
2017-11-27-BK