Exploring student experiences of teacher care communication: the offering of educational care

ABSTRACT

This research describes a constructivist grounded theorystudy exploring Canadian adolescent student perceptions and experiences of what the author describes as educational care, the care offered to them by their teachers. Educational care is a North American concept that resonates with the British Pastoral Care construct. Interview transcripts contributed to the production of data identifying individual codes that describe teacher actions related to the communication of educational care. Data analysis resulted in the identification of 13 distinct categories of teacher behaviors that influence the communication of care. Further conceptualization identified three dimensions of educational care: the personal dimension (caring for the student as a person), the pedagogical dimension (caring for the student as a learner), and the interpersonal dimension (caring for the student as a member of the class community). Grounded theory analysis methods and resources led to the construction of a theoretical explanation, the offering of educational care. The author also discusses how the grounded theoretical results can be merged with the educational care-related literature to suggest an additional theoretical explanation; that is, the successful communication of educational care. The study also explores potential implications for practice and for future research.

KEYWORDS:

• Educational care
• care theory
• teacher care
• pastoral care

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to the individuals who chose to participate in my dissertation study. The data that emerged from their contributions will influence the care experienced by future students. Indeed, it already has. I am also grateful to Dr. Joe Engemann for his support in preparing this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).