Abstract
I surveyed 2 samples of Canadian undergraduates (N = 629) concerning their views of a “perfect instructor.” Students identified as many descriptors as they wished; I categorized them into 26 sets of qualities and behaviors. The top 10 categories included: (a) knowledgeable; (b) interesting and creative lectures; (c) approachable; (d) enthusiastic about teaching; (e) fair and realistic expectations; (f) humorous, happy, and positive; (g) effective communicator; (h) flexible and open-minded; (i) encourages student participation; and (j) encourages and cares for students. Of the 26 categories, 24 are akin to those found by Buskist, Sikorski, Buckley, and Saville (2002), reflecting an almost equal emphasis on teaching technique and the student–teacher relationship. These findings offer international support for their categories of effective teaching.
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