Date of Award

12-1982

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Communication

First Advisor

Dr. James A. Gilchrist

Second Advisor

Dr. W. James Potter

Third Advisor

Dr. June Cottrell

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Increasing numbers of nontraditional students, many of them women, are enrolling in college and university classes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the instructional communicator style expectations of nontraditional and traditional male and female undergraduate students. Students were asked to rate their own preferences on a variety of items designed to reflect instructional communicator styles. The researcher looked for differences in student expectations of their "ideal teachers" based on age and sex.

Nontraditional students rated the precise style of instructional communication higher than the traditional students who gave higher ratings to the friendly, open, dominant, and contentious styles. Differences in past experiences and present commitments may account for these ratings.

Female students rated the friendly and animated styles of instructional communication higher than the male students who gave higher ratings to the precise and contentious styles. Differences in self concepts and expectations may account for these ratings.

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