Student Perception of Professors’ Teaching Attributes in Post-Secondary Hospitality Management Degree Programs

This study describes how undergraduate students in their junior and senior year
seeking a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management at a regionally accredited
university perceive their professors’ instructional attributes and behaviors. This
examination concentrated on two critical zones of discernment concerning professors’
instructional practices. Participants were asked what teaching attributes contributed to
their academic success, and teaching attributes did not contribute to their academic
success. The study also sought to identify any obstacles faced by the participating
undergraduate students and their faculty as indicators of how to mitigate such obstacles.
This study included a review of an extensive collection of research on student
perspectives and how those perspectives may reflect on the evaluation of the adequacy of
various teaching techniques and academic practices. This study found that the
instructional attributes that participating students reported that they value include:
agreeableness (concern and regard for students), accommodation (accessibility), and receptiveness to others’ conclusions (support of class inquiries and exchange), yet all
instructors do not exhibit each of these attributes.
This study identified the positive teaching characteristics of professors in one
setting and how these professors interact with their students in a manner that captures
students’ attention and promotes teaching and learning in the classroom. It also suggests
attributes that professors in this setting and discipline may wish to elevate to better
connect with students in the classroom.