Chronicle article: The Attendance Conundrum

[Katrina Gulliver]

article: https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-attendance-conundrum

This piece is an overview of the landscape of attendance regs re covid, which have been confusing for a lot of students. But what I'm suspecting is on its way (and some students clearly want), is the expectation that EVERY class is a blended class, that profs all provide parallel online options for students who can't/won't be present in the classroom - for whatever reason. On the one hand, I'm sure that has some accessibility benefits. On the other, it does mean adding more work onto profs for no extra compensation.

I found having to do blended work (classes that were modified by covid so we had to offer in-person teaching AND set up online activities etc for students who didn't come) was unbelievably time-consuming.

But then I am of the school that profs who don't enforce attendance or deadlines are not actually doing their students many favors - the good student types will attend and do the homework anyway, but the ones who are more likely to disengage need someone to actually enforce some guiderails (and I was one of those first-gen students who flunked classes and nobody seemed to care).

[Caracal]

article: https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-attendance-conundrum

This piece is an overview of the landscape of attendance regs re covid, which have been confusing for a lot of students. But what I'm suspecting is on its way (and some students clearly want), is the expectation that EVERY class is a blended class, that profs all provide parallel online options for students who can't/won't be present in the classroom - for whatever reason. On the one hand, I'm sure that has some accessibility benefits. On the other, it does mean adding more work onto profs for no extra compensation.

I found having to do blended work (classes that were modified by covid so we had to offer in-person teaching AND set up online activities etc for students who didn't come) was unbelievably time-consuming.

But then I am of the school that profs who don't enforce attendance or deadlines are not actually doing their students many favors - the good student types will attend and do the homework anyway, but the ones who are more likely to disengage need someone to actually enforce some guiderails (and I was one of those first-gen students who flunked classes and nobody seemed to care).

Hmm, from the perspective of a mid tier regional school that doesn't seem on its way at all. I'm very willing to help students who miss class because of covid related reasons get caught up, but it would be completely impossible for us to have parallel classes for 170 students.

On the same note, I don't "enforce" attendance. It counts for five percent of the grade in my classes. I take attendance because I found when I didn't, students took that as a signal that there was no need to come to class. That may have been a problem for weaker students, but it was also a problem for me. Absenteeism seems to spread at my school without attendance policies.  First it's just the completely checked out students who vanish, then as the semester goes on, it spreads to the middling students, and then by the end even some good students start coming irregularly. I was having classes where a quarter of the students weren't there and it was making it hard for me to build up a rapport with students. Just taking attendance fixes that problem.

Generally I don't like to have policies designed for the students' "own good." It feels paternalistic. I think students "should do the reading," but that isn't why I have reading quizzes. I have them because I don't think it makes for good pedagogy when I'm discussing the readings with myself in class.

I obviously haven't been penalizing students for missing classes because of illness or covid exposure.  So far, it actually doesn't seem to be a problem. There are a few more people missing classes, but not more than you'd expect. I think just requiring them to write me does the trick. Its one thing to just not come to your class because you didn't feel like it. If you have to email your professor and lie, many students will just come.

[marshwiggle]

But then I am of the school that profs who don't enforce attendance or deadlines are not actually doing their students many favors - the good student types will attend and do the homework anyway, but the ones who are more likely to disengage need someone to actually enforce some guiderails (and I was one of those first-gen students who flunked classes and nobody seemed to care).

Enforcing attendance explicitly is for high school and lower. If there are activities that students need to participate in, and on which they are graded, then that is what matters. Grading them on whether or not they filled a chair reinforces any ideas they may have that the purpose of education is simply box-checking. Grading them on performance reinforces the idea that competence is the goal.

As far as students flunking classes, as the saying goes, "You can't care more than they do." How effective my teaching is doesn't matter to the student who chooses not to show up for any of it.

[Ruralguy]

If you believe that being in class itself is a benefit for some reason, then it makes some sense to grade that (whether it be attendance, participation, etc.). I know professors who only loosely grade participation without keeping track of precise attendance. Other just make sure they are there and might give a slight bump up to those who participate a lot. Its difficult for big lectures unless you have something like clickers.

[mamselle]

Some arrangements with scholastic support, including some loan programs, require proof of attendance.

M.

[marshwiggle]

If you believe that being in class itself is a benefit for some reason, then it makes some sense to grade that (whether it be attendance, participation, etc.).

I'd say if you "believe" that being in class has some inherent benefit, you should endeavour to measure it, and if you can establish the benefit, then maybe you can grade on it. But I'm sure the most boring, disorganized and ineffective profs of all time (of whom each of us know a few) have thought attending their lectures to have been as valuable as hearing the voice of God.

[artalot]

In intro courses I also don't require attendance, but take roll, for many of the same reasons as Caracal. In upper level courses I indicate days where work will be due in class - either group work, a structured discussion or debate, etc. I never had issues with attendance until COVID. Some of them are actually sick, some have COVID fatigue, some are opportunistic. Most of them seem to want class both ways - in person and remote - on demand. And they don't realize how impractical that is and how it hurts everyone when 1/3 of the class is at home with the camera off.
That said, I'm currently teaching in person with a streaming option because of the high positivity rate on my campus. I basically just let the Zoom students watch, but I don't monitor the chat or interact with them. I can either do a good job for the students in person or the students online, but I have found that I cannot do both. And I am absolutely not being compensated in a manner that recognizes the extra work that goes into teaching both ways. Right now, most of the students are in person, so that's where my focus is.

[Katrina Gulliver]

Most of them seem to want class both ways - in person and remote - on demand. And they don't realize how impractical that is and how it hurts everyone when 1/3 of the class is at home with the camera off.

precisely.

[Ruralguy]

Anyone could claim that anything we grade on should be backed by quality data that show that grading on X is important.

There probably are studies on attendance, but I am not really aware of them. I grade on it anyway (not a lot, but enough to knock them down if they don't show up for much of the semester).

I have seen more on importance of certain types of exams or quizzes. Also seen quite a bit on useful class activities (which I suppose presume that its important to be in class if an activity in it can be useful!).

If they want to get OK ish grades by just doing OK on exams and nothing else, then they can probably find a school where they can do that.

[bio-nonymous]

Most of them seem to want class both ways - in person and remote - on demand. And they don't realize how impractical that is and how it hurts everyone when 1/3 of the class is at home with the camera off.

precisely.

This is my experience. A percentage of students say they prefer to learn in person, but a similar number of students say they like the flexibility of not attending class and watching the recording, or accessing asynchronous instruction. I know that many medical schools are trending this way, and I know people who teach to empty lecture halls with 5 or 10 students in attendance on a good day. I really, as an instructor, do not like hi-flex models. That to me is ridiculous and makes me think the whole thing should just be asynchronous instruction to save everyone the hassle of showing up! Especially my 8am lecture...

[Caracal]

Most of them seem to want class both ways - in person and remote - on demand. And they don't realize how impractical that is and how it hurts everyone when 1/3 of the class is at home with the camera off.

precisely.

This is my experience. A percentage of students say they prefer to learn in person, but a similar number of students say they like the flexibility of not attending class and watching the recording, or accessing asynchronous instruction.

Hmm, I suspect this is the sort of thing where it really depends what question you ask and how you ask it. My students overwhelmingly say they want in person classes as opposed to on zoom. It isn't  surprising to me that lots of people would say they prefer a flexible option when presented with it. It seems to offer the best of both worlds. You can go to class most of the time, but if your car breaks down, or you have an appointment, or work calls you, there's a great option!  I suspect that if students got a sense of what a class like that would often look like, they would have different answers.

[Caracal]

Most of them seem to want class both ways - in person and remote - on demand. And they don't realize how impractical that is and how it hurts everyone when 1/3 of the class is at home with the camera off.

precisely.

This is my experience. A percentage of students say they prefer to learn in person, but a similar number of students say they like the flexibility of not attending class and watching the recording, or accessing asynchronous instruction. I know that many medical schools are trending this way, and I know people who teach to empty lecture halls with 5 or 10 students in attendance on a good day. I really, as an instructor, do not like hi-flex models. That to me is ridiculous and makes me think the whole thing should just be asynchronous instruction to save everyone the hassle of showing up! Especially my 8am lecture...

Hey, would you like the faculty meeting to be in person only. Or would you like it to be streamed so you can avoid actually showing up if you don't want to and be home with some headphones?

[ciao_yall]

...Most of them seem to want class both ways - in person and remote - on demand. And they don't realize how impractical that is and how it hurts everyone when 1/3 of the class is at home with the camera off...

I was on a conference call the other day and someone started gushing about what a great idea HyFlex was. Umm, 2020 called. They want their bad idea back.

[artalot]

Hey, would you like the faculty meeting to be in person only. Or would you like it to be streamed so you can avoid actually showing up if you don't want to and be home with some headphones?

Snap. I get so much more done during meetings now! But zoom meetings are not a great way to have a discussion, for the same reasons they don't work for our students. People are distracted, or they turn their camera off and go do something else, or technology glitches, or people glitch the technology. At my uni the chat in large meetings can also be really toxic.

[Sun_Worshiper]

Of course in the current context we have to make special accommodations (i.e. letting sick students Zoom in) but I sincerely hope that hybrid teaching does not become the norm once the crisis has passed. Many students in my university want this, professors generally don't.