Walking With Students to Increase Satisfaction and Retention
The Walking Office Hours exercise was originally instituted as a requirement in an introductory health topics class. Students were required, in pairs, to walk with the instructor for one-half hour on campus. This activity was seen so positively by students that it was repeated as a requirement for a human resources management class. In both courses, students unanimously reported a higher “comfort level” with the instructor following the walk and believed Walking Office Hours should be repeated in future classes. Although this classroom research project involved students walking with a professor, the activity could easily be adapted so advisors could walk with students.
Contributor Notes
Carol S. Steinhaus, Ph.D., teaches at Indiana University–Purdue University in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She is an assistant professor in Public and Environmental Affairs. Her teaching interests include organizational behavior, human resource management, and health administration courses. Dr. Steinhaus's current research focuses on an analysis of the effects of various health care reform efforts on the work-related behaviors of healthcare professionals. Her classroom research agenda is on determining ways of motivating students to properly prepare for class. Dr. Steinhaus leads the Teaching Effectiveness Interest Group on her campus and is the recipient of campus and state teaching awards. Dr. Steinhaus may be contacted at steinhau@ipfw.edu.
