Nurturing a Respectful Connection: Exploring the Relationship between University Educators and Students in a Spanish Veterinary Faculty

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Though knowledge and the communication capacity of teachers play a crucial role in the student learning process, adequate teaching also relies on the respect of teachers for their students. We initiated this research after a conversation with a group of university students, who expressed their discontent regarding the lack of respect shown towards them by some teachers. The results obtained in online surveys highlighted the need for faculty members to analyze and question their attitudes towards their students. ABSTRACT: The respect of the teacher for the student is essential for effective teaching from the perspective of the students, even in comparison to the knowledge and communication capacity of the teacher. Consequently, the optimal development of this characteristic fosters a more effective and efficient student–teacher relationship. We initiated this research following a conversation with a group of university students, who expressed their discontent regarding the lack of respect shown towards them by some teachers. Therefore, we conducted a descriptive study using online surveys, focusing on the central axis in the teacher–student relationship. The results highlighted the need for faculty members to analyze and question their attitudes towards their students. This paper presents initial results of the data collected at the Veterinary Faculty of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.