The association of faculty's teaching philosophy and teaching behaviour, and critical thinking and self- direction in learning

摘要

The intent in this study was to investigate in what ways teachers· beliefsabout education and teaching are expressed in the specific teaching behavioursthey employ, and whether teaching behaviours, as perceived by their students,are correlated with students· critical thinking and self-directed learning. To thisend the relationships studied were: among faCUlty members· philosophy ofteaching, locus of control orientation, psychological type, and observed teachingbehaviour; and among students· psychological type, perceptions of teachingbehaviour, self-directed learning readiness, and critical thinking. The overallpurpose of the study was to investigate whether the implicit goals of highereducation, critical thinking and self-direction, were actually accounted for in theuniversity classroom.The research was set within the context of path-goal theory, adaptedfrom the leadership literature. Within this framework, Mezirow·s work ontransformative learning, including the influences of Habermas· writings, wasintegrated to develop a theoretical perspective upon which to base the researchmethodology.Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies were incorporated. FourfaCUlty and a total of 142 students participated in the study. Philosophy ofteaching was described through faCUlty interviews and completion of a repertorygrid. Faculty completed a descriptive locus of control scale, and apsychological type test. Observations of their teaching behaviour wereconducted. Students completed a Teaching Behaviour Assessment Scale, theSelf-Directed Learning Readiness Scale, a psychological type test, and theWatson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal. A small sample of students wereinterviewed. Follow-up discussions with faculty were used to validate theinterview, observation, teaching behaviour, and repertory grid data.Results indicated that some discrepancies existed between faculty'sespoused philosophy of teaching and their observed teaching behaviour.Instructors' teaching behaviour, however, was a function of their personal theoryof practice. Relationships were found between perceived teaching behaviourand students· self-directed learning and critical thinking, but these varied acrosssituations, as would be predicted from path-goal theory. Psychological type ofstudents and instructor also accounted for some of the variability in therelationships studied. Student psychological type could be shown as a partialpredictor of self-directed learning readiness. The results were discussed interms of theory development and implications for further research and practice.