Learning factors in the university classroom: Faculty and student perspectives

We examined faculty and student perspectives on variables relating to the instructor, student, and physical environment that affect student learning. Tenured faculty members and university students enrolled in upper level courses completed a questionnaire evaluating their perceptions of variables important to student learning. Overall, faculty and students had similar perspectives regarding factors important to Student teaming, emphasizing foremost the importance of the instructor. Students were more likely to rate characteristics of themselves as important to learning, although faculty placed more emphasis on student characteristics of motivation, attention level, and attitude toward learning. Faculty and students also differed with regard to the optimal learning conditions for several specific variables.