IHE: Student Survey: The Things Faculty do Wrong (tests, attendance, etc.)

[Wahoo Redux]

Not sure what to make of this.  Some complaints seem legit.  Some deal with responsibility and the basic structure of college classes.

What Students Want (and Don't) From Their Professors

Students see both internal classroom dynamics and external factors as getting in the way of their success.

Teaching style: As noted, more than half of students say they're negatively impacted by teaching styles that don't match how they learn. The share is significantly higher—67 percent—for students with learning disabilities or related conditions (n=649). Some 60 percent of LGBTQIA+ students (n=899) say teaching style has been a barrier to their academic success, compared to 53 percent of straight students (n=2,095).

Overly difficult materials or exams: One in two students says it's been hard to succeed in a class since starting college due to overly difficult materials or exams. A larger share of women than men report this to be an issue: 52 percent versus 47 percent, respectively. By discipline, this concern is least prevalent among arts and humanities students (42 percent) and most common in the natural sciences (55 percent). There is a large difference between four-year (n=2,403) and two-year college students (n=597) here, as well: 53 percent versus 35 percent, respectively.

School-life balance: The third-biggest challenge for students over all is balancing schoolwork and other responsibilities, at 47 percent. Interestingly, this rate is not elevated among students with jobs, who make up more than half the sample. Schoolwork-life balance is apparently a bigger concern for students with financial aid than for those without, however, at 49 percent and 41 percent, respectively. Balancing schoolwork and other responsibilities may be a gendered concern, too, with half of women saying this has affected their academic success, compared to two in five men.

Unclear expectations: This is a concern for four in 10 students over all, and most prevalently among arts and humanities majors, at 48 percent. By race, some 47 percent of white students say their success in a class has been negatively affected by unclear expectations, compared to 38 percent of Asian students, 32 percent of Black students and 34 percent of Hispanic students. Just three in 10 two-year-college students say unclear expectations are an issue.

One in four students cite strict attendance or participation requirements as a barrier to success. The same goes for unrealistic deadlines. One in five students cite a professor whose office hours conflict with their schedule, an online course they would have preferred to take in person or inaccessible course materials.

[Caracal]

Not sure what to make of this.  Some complaints seem legit.  Some deal with responsibility and the basic structure of college classes.

What Students Want (and Don't) From Their Professors

Students see both internal classroom dynamics and external factors as getting in the way of their success.

Teaching style: As noted, more than half of students say they're negatively impacted by teaching styles that don't match how they learn. The share is significantly higher—67 percent—for students with learning disabilities or related conditions (n=649). Some 60 percent of LGBTQIA+ students (n=899) say teaching style has been a barrier to their academic success, compared to 53 percent of straight students (n=2,095).

Overly difficult materials or exams: One in two students says it's been hard to succeed in a class since starting college due to overly difficult materials or exams. A larger share of women than men report this to be an issue: 52 percent versus 47 percent, respectively. By discipline, this concern is least prevalent among arts and humanities students (42 percent) and most common in the natural sciences (55 percent). There is a large difference between four-year (n=2,403) and two-year college students (n=597) here, as well: 53 percent versus 35 percent, respectively.

School-life balance: The third-biggest challenge for students over all is balancing schoolwork and other responsibilities, at 47 percent. Interestingly, this rate is not elevated among students with jobs, who make up more than half the sample. Schoolwork-life balance is apparently a bigger concern for students with financial aid than for those without, however, at 49 percent and 41 percent, respectively. Balancing schoolwork and other responsibilities may be a gendered concern, too, with half of women saying this has affected their academic success, compared to two in five men.

Unclear expectations: This is a concern for four in 10 students over all, and most prevalently among arts and humanities majors, at 48 percent. By race, some 47 percent of white students say their success in a class has been negatively affected by unclear expectations, compared to 38 percent of Asian students, 32 percent of Black students and 34 percent of Hispanic students. Just three in 10 two-year-college students say unclear expectations are an issue.

One in four students cite strict attendance or participation requirements as a barrier to success. The same goes for unrealistic deadlines. One in five students cite a professor whose office hours conflict with their schedule, an online course they would have preferred to take in person or inaccessible course materials.

Hmm, this probably tells us more about students than their professors. I can't really make my office hours work for everyone's schedule, but I tell my student's constantly to send me an email and I'd be happy to meet with them outside of office hours.

Unclear generally means "I don't understand why I'm not getting good grades, but I haven't asked my professor to explain, because I'd prefer to have someone to blame.

[Hibush]

If 53% of four year students find tests too hard, but only 35% of two-year students do, it must mean that the two-year students are smarter and better prepared for college, right?

[Wahoo Redux]

If 53% of four year students find tests too hard, but only 35% of two-year students do, it must mean that the two-year students are smarter and better prepared for college, right?

Hummmm...perhaps...but my experiences as both a student and then an instructor at 2-year colleges is (forgive me) that the CCs are considerably easier academically speaking than their 4-year counterparts.

Don't shoot the messenger.

[marshwiggle]

Teaching style: As noted, more than half of students say they're negatively impacted by teaching styles that don't match how they learn. The share is significantly higher—67 percent—for students with learning disabilities or related conditions (n=649). Some 60 percent of LGBTQIA+ students (n=899) say teaching style has been a barrier to their academic success, compared to 53 percent of straight students (n=2,095).

So there's an LGBTQIA+ teaching style? I'd like to hear more about that.

[apl68]

I do wonder what "teaching style" refers to when students complain about that.

[Stockmann]

Is this "teaching styles" thing just the debunked "learning styles" under another label? Re-labeling "that doesn't fit my learning style" as "the instructor's teaching style isn't good for me"? That, for starters, doesn't inspire much confidence in the survey. The only interesting part is about school-life balance - students complaining about tests being too hard is pretty meaningless without more info - yeah, the tests could be too hard but the students complaining could be wholly unprepared for college, etc. Likewise unclear expectations - maybe they are, or maybe students are shifting blame - it also tells us nothing about whether students tried to get clarification or made an effort to understand the expecations (like reading the syllabus).

[mythbuster]

My guess is that teaching style is a combo of the old learning styles (let's do kinesthetic math!) and the fact that college profs don't spoon feed the way they got it in HS. Always remember that spoon feed with unlimited redo's up to the last day of the semester may be the true preferred teaching style for many.

The school like thing and financial aid is an interesting connection. I wonder how many students with financial aid with a GPA minimum miss out on key clubs and social events because they are too worried about their GPA. It reminds me of one of my college roommates who jokes that her real major was Meetings and Committees. She was an average student (Psych major), but was totally tied in to a bunch of organizations that ultimately led her to a great career. She was also on a LOT of financial aid. I wonder if things would be different for someone like her now.

[apl68]

Is this "teaching styles" thing just the debunked "learning styles" under another label? Re-labeling "that doesn't fit my learning style" as "the instructor's teaching style isn't good for me"?

I did wonder whether maybe that was the case.

[marshwiggle]

Is this "teaching styles" thing just the debunked "learning styles" under another label? Re-labeling "that doesn't fit my learning style" as "the instructor's teaching style isn't good for me"?

I did wonder whether maybe that was the case.

I don't doubt it. There's not really a lot of useful insight in there. For instance:

Overly difficult materials or exams: One in two students says it's been hard to succeed in a class since starting college due to overly difficult materials or exams.

Clearly, we're failing that other 50% who apparently have never had overly difficult material or exams.  We've got to up our game.

[Caracal]

I do wonder what "teaching style" refers to when students complain about that.

I think it's just one of those terms that has just gone into the vocabulary and can mean a broad range of things. Sometimes it is referring to the ideas of teaching and learning styles, but I think it often just means a general sense that you don't like the way your instructor teaches the course-which is fair enough. I teach a lot of students. Some of them are going to like the way I teach and some won't.