Reply to Article: Students increasingly treat college as a transaction

Forum Index » College and University Discussion

Reply to "Article: Students increasingly treat college as a transaction"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous]I thought this article in the Chronicle summarized well the state of college today. Does this resonate with your students' college experience? Is this less true at LACs?

It's behind a paywall but here is the AI summary:

https://www.chronicle.com/article/customers-in-the-classroom?sra=true

Title: Customers in the Classroom
Subtitle: Students increasingly treat college as a transaction. Who — or what — is to blame?

Initial Enthusiasm: Maiya Villanueva, a native of Fort Myers, Florida, was initially excited about learning and pursuing higher education. She dreamed of becoming a lawyer or entering medicine.

Shift in Perspective: However, her excitement has waned as she progressed through college. She feels that her coursework is repetitive and lacks real-world application, and she worries about the value of her education.

Frustrations with College:
•	Bureaucratic hurdles, such as difficulties accessing textbooks, have caused frustration.
•	Uninspiring instructors and repetitive coursework have made her question the point of college.
•	The high cost of college has led her to work long hours and miss out on extracurricular activities.

Growing Cynicism: Villanueva's experience reflects a broader trend of student cynicism and disillusionment with higher education. Many students view college as a transaction and are primarily focused on grades and job prospects.

Challenges for Professors: Faculty members also face challenges, including pressure to pass students and the increasing prevalence of student cheating.

The Broader Crisis: This crisis in higher education is characterized by:
•	Students' transactional approach to learning
•	Faculty members' struggle to maintain authority and challenge students
•	The need for a renewed focus on the value of education and intellectual exploration

Professor's Concerns:
•	Growing gap between professors and students.
•	Many professors view students as "lost generation" due to cheating, lack of reading, and disengagement in class.
•	Some professors perceive students as "the enemy."

Wrong Solution:
•	"Better customer service" is not the solution.
•	Students may simply want to get through school as quickly and efficiently as possible.

What Students Need:
•	Advice and mentorship.
•	Strong relationships and role models.
•	A sense of purpose and connection to their education.

The Problem with the Student-as-Customer Model:
•	Treating college as a business can lead to a transactional approach.
•	Public perception of college as a business can influence policy decisions.

Historical Context:
•	Public higher education used to be much more affordable.
•	Many voters are unaware of this historical change.

Reversing the Transactional Reputation:
•	Colleges should focus on academic pursuits over nonacademic features.
•	Professors should be transparent and authentic.
•	Colleges need to demonstrate genuine care for students.

Key Takeaways:
•	Students crave meaningful relationships and connections.
•	Colleges need to shift their focus from transactional to transformational.
•	Professors play a crucial role in building positive relationships with students.
[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics