Comparing instructor intention with student perception: Teaching strategy and philosophy

Previous research shows that student-centered teaching is the most effective way to teach physics. Student-centered teaching involves strategies including differentiated instruction, inquiry-based teaching like think-pair-share activities, and problem-solving in class. However, it is also evident that faculty don't often practice these strategies effectively. We investigated the student population taking physics classes along with their instructors at our university to explore how faculty's intended strategies are being interpreted by the students. Our research questions are: How do students interpret instructors' teaching strategies? What teaching strategies do students feel are most effective for them? Is there a congruence between instructors' stated pedagogical values and students' interpretations of those values? We surveyed faculty on what strategies and values they intended to implement. At the beginning of the semester we surveyed students on their preferred strategies and pedagogies, and at the end we asked them what they felt was happening in the class and what was most effective for them. We share the survey outcomes to illustrate the congruence of student responses with faculty intentions and whether students believed that student-centered strategies were effective for them.