The college classroom: a place for interpersonal relationships and academic participation

Abstract

As the increase of research into interpersonal relationships in the sphere of university education is regarded as fundamental, this study has aimed to describe and analyze teacher-pupil and pupil-pupil relationships and the reason why students behave in different ways in the classroom, in terms of their interest and participation, according to the pupils themselves an'd their teachers. The information was collected from 21 teachers and 90 students of a PsychologyCourse by wayof open questionnaires. The data was submitted to categoric analysis and, subsequently, to quantitative analysis. The following categories were formulated: structural, interactional, pedagogic, behavioral and commitment. The aspects associated with interpersonal relationships in the classroom are seen to be positive for the practical classes and negative forthe theoretical ones. Those aspects related to the Pedagogic category are shown to be the main reason for interest and participation in the classroom, especially those relating to the Classroom Procedures sub-category.