Factors Affecting College Teacher-Student Relationship: A Case Study of a Govt College in Bangladesh

Although a growing number of studies focused on the teacher-student relationship in a school context, little research on this issue in a college context is evident in the literature. Even no studies till now focus on factors that affect college teacher-student relationships. This study attempted to explore this issue and the significance of the teacher-student relationship for students. Data for the quantitative phase came from 157 undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students from Government Brojomohun College, Bangladesh, who voluntarily participated in a Google-based survey questionnaire posted on Facebook groups; data for the qualitative phase came from eight students who participated in a semi-structured interview via the Zoom platform, using convenience sampling. The findings revealed that the teachers' characteristics and ages, pedagogy, friendlier approach, attitude, students' characteristics, positive and negative experiences, and cultural similarities affect students to make relationships with teachers. However, neither the age nor the sex of the students has any effect on the college teacher-student relationship. Besides, college students value the teacher-student relationship as an influential element for their classroom engagement, academic attainment, college adaptability, relatedness with the educational atmosphere, reduction of disruptive behaviour and dropout tendency.