Instructors’ Interpersonal Interaction with Students in a Tanzanian University: A Study of Students’ Perceived Interpersonal Characteristics of Instructors

Abstract

The study examined students’ perceptions of their instructors’ interpersonal characteristics. I used a sample of 593 final-year students who completed the questionnaire. The study aimed to (i) establish the level of instructors' interpersonal interactions with final-year students, (ii) examine the relationships that exist among instructors’ interpersonal characteristics, and (iii) examine how students’ GPAs influence their perceptions of instructors’ interpersonal characteristics. Results indicated that students scored relatively higher in the Leadership and Understanding aspects. On the contrary, students scored below the mean average in Uncertain, Admonishing, Dissatisfied, and Strict aspects. Mixed results were observed in the correlation among aspects of instructors’ interpersonal characteristics. While some aspects had a positive and large correlation, as the model for instructors’ interpersonal behaviour suggests, others indicated a positive correlation when the model advocates that such aspects hardly portray similar instructors’ interpersonal behaviour. Regarding students’ GPAs, findings indicated that students’ GPAs have a significant relationship with their perceptions of instructors’ interpersonal characteristics in all aspects of the influence sector, implying that students with low GPAs perceived their instructors to possess negative interpersonal characteristics. The study concludes that as instructors interact with students, it is important to advise, encourage, and warn students politely rather than criticising, reprimanding, or correcting them in an unfriendly manner and by being harsh.