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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]SLAC prof here. Haven't read all the responses, too tired from being overworked. I have seen a drop, not necessarily a big drop, but a significant one, over the past 20+ years of teaching at different institutions. Some of it began before the pandemic, especially mental health, but the pandemic exacerbated it in terms of students not being accountable for turning in work on time, etc. I've also seen a change in critical thinking that I think has at least two root causes - being taught to take a test in high school (even or especially even APs), but also the post-truth era. Lastly, I might only speak for my current institution here, but we've made intentional DEI efforts and our recruiting has changed. This is partially because of the social justice aspect of making a SLAC education more accessible to different kinds of students, but it also has to do with the demographic cliff. This has led to recruiting students from high schools and family environments that have not enabled adequate preparation for college. This has nothing to do with their potential to succeed, but a reality of socioeconomic background as it relates to preparedness.

Universities need to and are shifting to the wraparound services that they provide - ranging from more mental health supports, to increased accommodations and social and financial supports. This is necessary for students to succeed. But it is also taxing for an institution and the realities of grade inflation and students slipping through the cracks can and does occur.[/quote]

Thank you SLAC professor.

That is an interesting point about the post truth era.. what does this mean in terms of higher education? Don’t students still have to back up theoretical claims with empirical or scientific evidence?

Also interesting that you have observed a drop over such a long time.

Agree that mental health care is necessary for learning.

Thanks for your reply.

[/quote]

Interesting the professor thinks the students have the ability to learn and perform and have great potential but since they haven’t had as many privileges they consider the students “less”.

[/quote]

OP -
He or she can speak for themself but I personally did not interpret his remarks in that way .

“This has nothing to do with their potential to succeed, but a reality of socioeconomic background as it relates to preparedness.”

To me, she or he is saying that colleges are wrestling with DEI challenges - they want to be inclusive of a broader field of students but are aware that students from disadvantaged schools or homes face significant obstacles in college preparedness. That does not mean the challenges can’t be overcome but more work and attention is needed by colleges and professors to help them to adapt and succeed.

That is how I interpreted the comments anyway. [/quote]

I'm guessing that you hope that is what they meant. But the reality is that most schools have resources to help with that and the professors only real "job" is to ensure they are aware of those resources. Where a child from a higher SES, for example, knows about writing labs and tutors because they have had access to those resources since 3rd grade.

Adapting and succeeding is rarely on the shoulders of a professor, they have TA's and student success centers for that.

The only real obstacle is for professors to not make assumptions and treat students differently based on those assumptions. That is probably difficult.

It's long been know that teachers that like to read, expect students to read. Teachers that like to write expect students to write. Teachers that like group projects assign lots of group projects. It's not that any of those are wrong or right, it's a preference. Professors perhaps have preferences in other areas that they are not seeing. [/quote]

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