Effects of faculty interaction and feedback on gains in student skills

Researchers have identified a number of variables including how the nature and frequency of instructor-student interaction affect students´ gains in learning outcomes and course satisfaction. This study specifically examined the relationships between engineering faculty teaching practices and classroom climate and students´ gains in communication skills, problem-solving skills, occupational awareness, and engineering competence in a curriculum emphasizing engineering design activities. The study was based on data gathered from more than 1500 students taking the first-year design course offered at 19 campuses of the Penn State University system over a period of two years. The results suggest that faculty interacting with and providing constructive feedback to students was significantly and positively related to student gains in several engineering design and professional skills. These relationships remained after control for student demographic characteristics and campus location. The focus of this paper is to provide engineering instructors with insights about the relationships between faculty-student interaction and selected student gains. Recommendations regarding specific teaching practices are provided.