The 4-Stage Response to Low Student Achievement
When the results come in from the first test in my introductory survey course, I am not surprised by the large number of D's and F's. I've come rather to expect that many, if not most, of the students will fail.
The subject matter is not rocket science, and the homework load for each session of the course is modest: 15 pages of textbook reading, or 40 to 50 pages in supplementary nonfiction books written for a general audience. I average students' final grades from four objective tests and three subjective papers.
My homework expectations are near those found to produce the best results by Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa in Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses, a stinging indictment of low expectations in higher education. I require a little less than the 20 pages of writing that Arum and Roksa deem optimal for an intro course, but I assign a little more than the 40 pages of reading a week that they recommend.
That amount of work, it turns out, is way more than many of my students have bargained for. Why that is the case can be variously explained, but the fact itself cannot be denied. It's something college instructors have to deal with. Here's what I've noticed about how we do that.
Poor student achievement is unfortunately a reality, but so is positive student achievement. Although it is in the best interests of educators to stir their creativity to make learning more desirable and rewarding, the willingness to learn and receptiveness falls on the shoulders of the individual student. The level of personal drive and self-motivation is probably the leading factor in students. Whether or not the student is an online student or attends a traditional campus factors into the scenario. Usually, online education programs require the student to be very self-disciplined and the level of discipline, dedication, and effort is measured in the grade. Traditional campus learning may place more pressure on the student to be punctual with assignments and be prepared to discuss the readings because of the face-to-face interaction.
ReplyDeleteStudents should expect reading, assignments, and to spend a number of hours focusing on their assignments. Maintaining the student's focus on the lesson key points and goals may be present a challenge. A variable, flexible, and creative teaching approach is often required to hold the interest of students with varying learning styles and interest.
A big difference with a college student is they may be used to a lot of coaching from high school teachers and frequent reminders to turn in assignments or meet deadlines. Higher education is perceived to be education at the student's will. The student should be driven enough to get the most out of the education experience and make sure that he/she understands the expectations.