Please Don't give Up On Me: When Faculty Fail To Care

Abstract

Students in an evening MBA program were given the opportunity to respond to the following four questions: (a) Have you ever had the feeling that a faculty member or instructor had “given up” on you and your learning in a course? (b) What did the faculty member or instructor do or not do to give you that feeling? (d) What did you do as a result of that feeling, perception? and (d) What are ways that a faculty member or instructor can communicate to you that he or she has not given up on his or her commitment to you and your learning in a course? The authors examine the student responses in the context of an ethic of care, pedagogical caring, and pedagogical respect. They conclude with some specific recommendations for improving faculty pedagogical caring.