The goal of this study was to explore college teachers’ sensemaking (Weick, 1995) of their communicative patterns of helicopter-teaching behaviors and perceived student effects. Semi-structured interviews with college-level instructors were conducted, and results from thematic analysis revealed teachers engaged in informational and relational helicopter-teaching behaviors. Informational behaviors included excessive involvement and over-preparation on student assignments, simplifying course content for ease of understanding, and over-accommodation of student requests for leniency. Relational behaviors included excessive validation/encouragement and blurred relational boundaries. Instructors perceived these behaviors to help students earn higher grades, but concurrently created grade inflation. While helicopter teaching may help students achieve course learning objectives, participants noted that these behaviors may also prevent students from developing critical thinking skills. Finally, instructors reported that these behaviors demonstrated their caring and concern, but that students may also experience increased dependence on them. Instructors expressed difficulty in making sense of their role given the desire to be helpful, but not to hover.

本研究的目的是探索大学教师对直升机教学行为的交流模式和感知到的学生效果的意义建构（Weick，1995）。对大学级别的教师进行了半结构化访谈，主题分析的结果显示教师从事信息和关系直升机教学行为。信息行为包括过度参与和过度准备学生作业，简化课程内容以易于理解，以及过度满足学生要求宽大处理的请求。关系行为包括过度的确认/鼓励和模糊的关系边界。教师认为这些行为是为了帮助学生获得更高的成绩，但同时也造成了成绩膨胀。虽然直升机教学可以帮助学生实现课程学习目标，但参与者指出，这些行为也可能阻碍学生发展批判性思维技能。最后，教师报告说，这些行为表现出他们的关心和关心，但学生也可能会增加对他们的依赖。鉴于希望提供帮助而不是徘徊的愿望，教师们表示难以理解他们的角色。