The role of the classroom teacher is critical. The teacher is, after all, the point of contact between the educational program or innovation on the pupil operates through the pupil's teachers. Thus maximizing teacher effectiveness is a major goal of education
(Medley, 1986: p. 4)
In the light of the above quotation, expectations and roles can also contribute in creating a conducive learning environment. Lecturers have to know how to use approaches to reach and to teach their students. This is because lecturers’ expectations for individuals and a class as a whole are affected and influenced by the kinds of interactions and relationship lecturers establish with students as well as with what the students learn. According to Arends (1994), lecturers' expectations can “create a cyclical pattern of behaviors on the part of lecturers and students” (p. 149). In other words, it can be seen that lecturers need to be aware of what is possible with respect to attitudes and expectations and act accordingly.
As mentioned, lecturers’ roles become prominent agents in determining the learning and teaching process that take place in the classrooms. This is transparent from the types of activities and materials selected for students. In simpler terms, lecturers’ personalities, attitudes and teaching styles reflect lecturers’ roles in the classrooms as well as their expectations towards their students. Chitravelu et. al. (1996) describes several important roles of lecturers in classrooms. She claims that lecturers are guides in learning, motivator, organiser, assessor, evaluator and others (p. 10). But Robiah Sidin in her book Classroom Management (p. 8 – 12) states that there are two major roles of a lecturer – the task roles and the social roles.
A credible lecturer is a lecturer that has gained his or her students' trust. The level of trust given by students varies according to their age. The more mature the students are, the more subjective the trust is perceived. Therefore, in order to promote trust and credibility, three elements must be studied. They are –
· Credentials
These are necessary to exemplify a lecturer's knowledge of the subject because they can have impact in motivating students' perception and to further motivate them to succeed.
· Content of the messages
A credible lecturer is often looked at as being able to present and to relate topics that are related to the students' needs as well as interests.
· Behaviors
A lecturer must be open, honest and equitable in his or her actions in teaching. He or she should also be able to handle students' comments or criticisms. Similarly, demonstrating interest and concern can also be influential in earning students' trust and credibility.
A businesslike lecturer functions to make learning, the business of the classroom, efficient, successful and effective. In other words, a lecturer is in charged to ensure that the learning process in a classroom is meaningful. He or she must be goal-oriented, serious, deliberate and organized. Thus, certain emphases are essential to establish the businesslike quality in a lecturer. Some considerations that can be highlighted are -
· Establish clear academic goals and objectives
· Communicate the goals and objectives to students
· Plan lessons directed at helping students reach the objectives
· Seek input from students about the reasonableness of goals
· Emphasize activities and time devoted to academics
· Treat the subject seriously and respectfully
· Maintain a professional image
· Involve all students in the instructional activities
· Organize the room and equipment to minimize disruptions
· Use aides or volunteers to provide additional academic attention for students