Faculty and staff at colleges and universities across the U.S. have noticed recent changes in students’ relationship to campus life and learning. The causes are complex, partly attributable to COVID-19-related disruptions in K-12 and higher education, mental health effects of the pandemic, and changing student demographics. Faculty and staff are struggling to adjust their pedagogy to meet the demands of the present moment. A recurring question many of us have is: How do we balance flexibility and inclusive pedagogies with expectations about attendance, deadlines, assessment, and other concerns?
At our January 18 retreat, we will explore some of these challenging issues. We have gathered some readings and podcasts that may be helpful as we reevaluate our orientations and teaching practices. [Note: You can access all articles through our shared folder]
Student Disengagement
- Beth McMurtie. 2022. “A ‘Stunning’ Level of Student Disconnection: Professors are reporting record numbers of students checked out, stressed out, and unsure of their future.” The Chronicle of Higher Education.
- Steven Mintz. 2022. “An Epidemic of Student Disengagement: Eight ways to re-engage disconnected college students.” Inside Higher Ed.
Flexibility (Attendance, Deadlines, Assessment, etc.)
- Georgetown Center for New Design in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS), Designing for Flexibility.
- Carolyn Kuimmelis. 2022. “The Deadline Dilemma: When it comes to course assignments, how much flexibility is too much?” The Chronicle of Higher Education.
- David Clark. 2022. “Arbitrary Limits in Our Classes.” Inside Higher Ed Podcast Podcast.
- Büchele, Stefan. 2021. “Evaluating the Link between Attendance and Performance in Higher Education: The Role of Classroom Engagement Dimensions.” Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 46 (1): 132–50.
Mental Health, Disability, and Well-Being
- Katie Rose Guest Pryal. 2022. “When Rigor Targets Disabled Students: Punitive attendance policies and inflexible deadlines make students’ lives needlessly difficulty.” The Chronicle of Higher Education.
- Sarah Rose Cavanagh. 2019. “The Best (and Worst) Ways to Respond to Student Anxiety.” The Chronicle of Higher Education.
- Robert Eaton. 2022. “Improving Learning and Mental Health in the College Classroom.” Inside Higher Ed Podcast.
- Shaina Rowell. 2022. “Promoting Student Well-Being in Learning Environments.” Inside Higher Ed Podcast.
- Francis, Grace L., Jodi M. Duke, and Megan Fujita. 2022. “Experiences of College Students with Disabilities and Mental Health Disorders: Informing College Transition and Retention.” Psychology in the Schools 59 (4): 661–77.
- Ressa, Theodoto. 2022. “Dreaming College: Transition Experiences of Undergraduate Students with Disabilities.” Psychology in the Schools 59 (6): 1175–91.
- Van Doren, Natalia, Stephanie A. Shields, and José A. Soto. 2021. “Emotion Regulation Training in a First-Year Experience Course: A Qualitative Analysis of Students’ Experiences.” Journal of College Student Psychotherapy 35 (4): 377–92.