Can E-Mail Communication Enhance Professor-Student Relationship and the Evaluation of a Professor?: Some Empirical Evidence

Vivian C Sheer; Timothy K. F.  Fung

Can E-Mail Communication Enhance Professor-Student Relationship and the Evaluation of a Professor? Some Empirical Evidence

Vivian C Sheer^*
, Timothy K. F. Fung

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to conference › Conference paper › peer-review

Abstract

Over 400 undergraduate students participated in this study that examined professor-student e-mail communication, interpersonal relationship and teaching evaluation. Respondents report that 91% of the their professors had sent them e-mails. The most frequent e-mail communication was about academic tasks while social-relationship communication was less frequent. Professors, likely communication initiators, e-mailed students more frequently than the other way round. Professors and students exhibited a higher degree of reciprocity for social-relationship communication than for task e-mails. E-mail communication contributed positively to both professor-student relationship and teaching evaluation. Professor e-mail helpfulness, reply promptness, and e-mail frequency for social-relationship were the most significant predictors of both professor-student relationship and teaching evaluation. A discussion of implications is provided.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 25 May 2007
Event	57th Annual International Communication Association Conference, ICA 2007: Creating Communication: Content, Control, & Critique - San Francisco, United States Duration: 24 May 2007 → 28 May 2007 https://convention2.allacademic.com/one/ica/ica07/ (Link to conference online programme)

Conference

Conference	57th Annual International Communication Association Conference, ICA 2007
Abbreviated title	ICA 2007
Country/Territory	United States
City	San Francisco
Period	24/05/07 → 28/05/07
Internet address	https://convention2.allacademic.com/one/ica/ica07/ (Link to conference online programme)

Cite this

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title = "Can E-Mail Communication Enhance Professor-Student Relationship and the Evaluation of a Professor?: Some Empirical Evidence",

abstract = "Over 400 undergraduate students participated in this study that examined professor-student e-mail communication, interpersonal relationship and teaching evaluation. Respondents report that 91\% of the their professors had sent them e-mails. The most frequent e-mail communication was about academic tasks while social-relationship communication was less frequent. Professors, likely communication initiators, e-mailed students more frequently than the other way round. Professors and students exhibited a higher degree of reciprocity for social-relationship communication than for task e-mails. E-mail communication contributed positively to both professor-student relationship and teaching evaluation. Professor e-mail helpfulness, reply promptness, and e-mail frequency for social-relationship were the most significant predictors of both professor-student relationship and teaching evaluation. A discussion of implications is provided.",

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year = "2007",

month = may,

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note = "57th Annual International Communication Association Conference, ICA 2007 : Creating Communication: Content, Control, \& Critique, ICA 2007 ; Conference date: 24-05-2007 Through 28-05-2007",

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Can E-Mail Communication Enhance Professor-Student Relationship and the Evaluation of a Professor? Some Empirical Evidence. / Sheer, Vivian C; Fung, Timothy K. F. .
2007. Paper presented at 57th Annual International Communication Association Conference, ICA 2007, San Francisco, California, United States.

Research output: Contribution to conference › Conference paper › peer-review

TY - CONF

T1 - Can E-Mail Communication Enhance Professor-Student Relationship and the Evaluation of a Professor?

T2 - 57th Annual International Communication Association Conference, ICA 2007

AU - Sheer, Vivian C

AU - Fung, Timothy K. F.

PY - 2007/5/25

Y1 - 2007/5/25

N2 - Over 400 undergraduate students participated in this study that examined professor-student e-mail communication, interpersonal relationship and teaching evaluation. Respondents report that 91% of the their professors had sent them e-mails. The most frequent e-mail communication was about academic tasks while social-relationship communication was less frequent. Professors, likely communication initiators, e-mailed students more frequently than the other way round. Professors and students exhibited a higher degree of reciprocity for social-relationship communication than for task e-mails. E-mail communication contributed positively to both professor-student relationship and teaching evaluation. Professor e-mail helpfulness, reply promptness, and e-mail frequency for social-relationship were the most significant predictors of both professor-student relationship and teaching evaluation. A discussion of implications is provided.

AB - Over 400 undergraduate students participated in this study that examined professor-student e-mail communication, interpersonal relationship and teaching evaluation. Respondents report that 91% of the their professors had sent them e-mails. The most frequent e-mail communication was about academic tasks while social-relationship communication was less frequent. Professors, likely communication initiators, e-mailed students more frequently than the other way round. Professors and students exhibited a higher degree of reciprocity for social-relationship communication than for task e-mails. E-mail communication contributed positively to both professor-student relationship and teaching evaluation. Professor e-mail helpfulness, reply promptness, and e-mail frequency for social-relationship were the most significant predictors of both professor-student relationship and teaching evaluation. A discussion of implications is provided.

M3 - Conference paper

Y2 - 24 May 2007 through 28 May 2007

ER -

Can E-Mail Communication Enhance Professor-Student Relationship and the Evaluation of a Professor? Some Empirical Evidence

Abstract

Conference

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