Language of Students: How do Students Label and Define their Class Experience?

Every day hours are spent in classrooms with professors teaching and students learning - or so we think. As professors, we are expected to engage students in the learning process (Kuh, 2003), keep them entertained (Delaney et al., 2010), impart wisdom, etc. However, what professors see as effective class experiences may be very different from how and why students experience the class as they do. This qualitative study, as the first part of a multiphase research project, sought to identify the language students use to label and describe their perceptions of individual classes. The study involved semi-structured interviews with 24 students, ranging from first to fifth year. Developing an understanding of the labels and definitions students use to articulate their classroom experience may provide insight for both faculty and students in that they may be able to better communicate, or at minimum faculty may better understand how students describe class experiences. Findings may provide both students and faculty ideas into how to create a more effective learning experience.