2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Communication is an important part of our everyday life. Communication allows us to share knowledge, information, and skill sets with people around us. Many professionals are likely unaware that effective communication can lead to faster success and the resolution of many outstanding problems in a university working environment. In most cases, proper communication does not take place or is not available due to a lack of information. For example, an instructor may not know the predominant communication style of the class and, in most cases, may not fully understand their own communication style. This paper will address four different communication styles and compare their differences to help instructors understand how to communicate with their students more effectively. A survey was created for the instructor to take as well as administer to each student. The survey helps the instructor determine the predominant communication style of the class and compare it to their own communication style to strongly understand how to effectively communicate with the class in both lectures and examinations. Although communication is both verbal and non-verbal, this paper focuses on verbal communication as it pertains to university teaching in both spoken and written forms. The purpose of this paper is to determine the differences in the communication styles between engineering students and instructors by a survey, then, use the results to better equip the instructor in adapting the communication of the course to the class communication style. The results of this paper will demonstrate trends in communication styles between engineering students and instructors. In addition, survey results will be analyzed and discussed. This paper will help instructors facilitate improved communication with students both in verbal and written communication, thereby increasing the effectiveness of teaching and learning.