Abstract
Recommendations for reforming teaching and learning in colleges of agriculture have suggested that instructors implement more student-centered instructional strategies. This would require more self-regulation on the part of the learner; however, critics have proposed that undergraduate students have become increasingly unmotivated and disengaged with the teaching and learning process. Therefore, an investigation into improving the motivation and engagement of undergraduates is warranted. One possible way of increasing student motivation and engagement is through teacher immediacy and professor/student rapport. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of teacher immediacy and professor/student rapport, collectively, with student motivation and engagement. The sample (n = 306) for this study consisted of students from large (50 to 100 students) college of agriculture courses at the University of Florida in the fall of 2011. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and canonical correlation analyses. Participants perceived that their instructors used verbal and nonverbal immediacy behaviors often and they generally agreed they have good rapport with their instructors. Additionally, students reported having high levels of expectancy for success and values/goals, while they reported intermediate levels of self-regulated learning strategy use. The combined variables of teacher immediacy and professor/student rapport were better predictors of motivation than engagement and professor/student rapport appears to be the greatest contributor to these relationships.
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