Reply to Are professors at all universities seeing big drop in college preparedness?

Forum Index » College and University Discussion

Reply to "Are professors at all universities seeing big drop in college preparedness?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][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]

SLAC prof here again, yes, this is what I meant. And yes, as a professor I do invest more time with these students, as it is my job at a SLAC to work with students. I have no TA and my students benefit from one on one conversations. My students are human beings to me, not just a group of numbers or labels. [/quote]

Yet you categorize some not even knowing their background as "the cliff kids" or "DEI efforts". You could easily categorize them as "less coddled" and it would be apt and accurate yet you don't, you categorize them as less and the "coddled and tutored" as more.

There are no SLACs without tutors and writing centers.

it's okay, I get it, you have been a professor for 20 years, professors are luddites by nature and the world is passing you by in many ways and it's hard to keep up. But, have you ever just stopped to think, hey maybe I'm hitting the cliff, maybe I'm not the one keeping up.

Zoom, texting, bulletin boards, online lectures... every job has new things to learn every year, maybe it's just too much for you.[/quote]

DP: Wow, your stereotypes are telling.[/quote]

Perhaps or maybe the “professor” could do some self reflection and ask for mentoring from a younger colleague to get back up to speed.

It happens in every profession. There is no shame in falling behind the curve sometimes. We can’t always be at the top of our game for 20+ straight years.

Often it’s helpful to step back take time to identify your strengths and weaknesses and do better.

The world is moving quickly.[/quote]

NP. You are just awful.[/quote]

DP. Agreed. That PP sounds so arrogant and ignorant. Sometimes the anti-educational trolling on this board feels political even when it isn't overt. I wish we had logins for this board to see how much of this comes from the same source(s). It would at least temper the antagonism. [/quote]

It's bizarre that you can't even understand that professors are human doing jobs and they are very, very, very imperfect.

I'm not antagonistic about it but you sure seem triggered. I am simply stating facts, perhaps not couching it with flowery language to protect fragile egos, but the reality is that teaching is a whole new world. Older teachers are being outpaced by technology and new ways to communicate.

I remember when professors had typists and were appalled that they would have to type their own research with a word processor, some never did.

Now there is Canvas and email and texting and zoom and recordings... I feel for professors but in what other profession can you just not be good at your job and then everybody blames their clients.[/quote]

It is bizarre that you can’t understand how unnecessarily antagonistic, over bearing and generally unhelpful your inputs were.

They offered nothing regarding insights into whether college preparedness has changed and attacked a LAS professor for simply telling their experience. [/quote]

It actually does, but your too triggered to read this input and think critically about it. Perhaps you're a new student who has not been taught reading comprehension and critical thinking. [/quote]

It was a consensus opinion that your critique was mean and unhelpful .[/quote]

Nope try again.[/quote]

Leave please. No one cares what you have to say. [/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