Diane S. Halm. PhD
Abstract
A large body of educational research suggests that initiating and maintaining a rapport with instructors promotes students’ academic success. While there is an abundance of literature offering alternatives to office hours, there is little research on alternative modes of communication which offer students support at that moment in time when they need it. This mixed methods study explored how expanded modes of communication were received and utilized by college freshmen who were offered alternatives to office hours, including texting, emailing, and phoning, to contact the instructor throughout the semester.