A Reflection on, "I See Little Point": a report on University Students and Declining Lecture Attendance

As the exciting promise of university starts to sink in over the summer for fresh high school leavers and many of our The Global Undergraduate Awards applicants are finishing up as the crossover intake of Covid/post covid pathways the recent article by The Guardian made interesting reading. - https://www.theguardian.com/education/article/2024/may/28/i-see-little-point-uk-university-students-on-why-attendance-has-plummeted

Among the numerous students who shared their perspectives with The Guardian, many revealed a significant decline in lecture attendance, with approximately half of the respondents admitting to frequently skipping classes, citing various reasons including financial pressures, dissatisfaction with lecture formats, and a belief that attending lectures don’t significantly impact their grades.

It made for interesting reading, particularly as a ‘recovering lecturer’ myself with years of global teaching experience and an acute understanding of life on the ground. Financial constraints were the common theme, with many students prioritising paid work over their studies. The cost of living forcing students to work instead and seek recorded lectures where possible, missing in-person only options which naturally causes a drop in grades and assignment submissions not being met as the subtleties of their subjects are missed through life’s necessities. It highlights a stark choice between affording basic needs and attending classes and this isn’t something that is localised to the UK.

Lecturers themselves noting drastic drops in attendance this year, with rates as low as 30% on good days and students being failed because of poor performance linked to consistent absence.

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Some notable reasons make for thought-provoking reading to:

• Little need to retain lecture information just to complete assignments and essays.
• Inflated cohort size stretches already thin resources and reduces the quality of teaching.
• Exposure to work experience is more valuable than attending lectures.
• Mental health issues also showed high as student concerns - anxiety, fatigue, or lack of preparation.
• On-campus university atmosphere is less sociable post-Covid.
• Decline in sociability and an increase in apathy towards classes post pandemic
• University education feels more transactional rather than a genuine learning opportunity.
• Universities for not adapting to the post-Covid learning preferences of current undergraduates.
• More flexible attendance policies should exist now considering the spend and pivot during Covid was designed to accommodate remote learning.

Overall, the phenomenon of declining lecture attendance among university students appears multifaceted. Financial pressures, changing attitudes towards education, and the lasting impact of the pandemic all contribute to this trend. Both universities and students face challenges in adapting to these new realities, and a collective effort is needed to address the underlying issues.

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Universities can either attempt to reverse this trend or adapt to it as a new norm. So how does a university reverse the trend and encourage attendance on new terms? We offered our own thoughts.

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Enhance lecture engagement? Much talk in recent conferences like the Digital Universities series from THE talk endless ley about building more engaging interactive Sessions: Incorporate interactive elements such as discussions, group activities, and real-time feedback to make lectures more engaging.

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Meet the argument head on for the need for valuable experience and add Guest Speakers and Industry Experts? Invite professionals, alumni or local businesses (not just the big names) to provide practical insights/real-world assignments and real-world applications of the course material.

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Change the programmes to offer Flexible Learning Options formally now the platforms are in place, we can't unlearn some of the positives that came out the pivot through Covid. Blended Learning isn’t a term that is going away and it has existed long before the pandemic. Combine in-person and online learning to provide flexibility while maintaining the benefits of face-to-face interaction. Make recorded lectures available and protected for students who miss classes, ensuring they can catch up without feeling penalised or a blend of global and local enrolment.?

Add in the old primary school classroom staple of Attendance Incentives but without the lollipops/stickers/candy bars. Use plugins for your MLE’s to use incentives like participation marks or attendance rewards, with unit based digital accreditations, micro credits and badges for their LinkedIn profiles.

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For the university keen to bring students back to campus should improve the campus experience with Dedicated Community Building to foster a sense of community through tools like Society and social media and give power to the SU to set up more events, clubs, and social activities that encourage students to spend more time on campus. Give much-needed funding to improve already amazing, but underutilised, support services with enhanced mental health and academic support services to address barriers preventing students from attending classes.

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Create clear communication channels to understand expectations to clearly Communicate the Benefits of Attendance, such as improved understanding, networking opportunities, and better performance. Facilitating well established MLE feedback mechanisms to regularly gather student feedback on lectures and make adjustments based on their suggestions.

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Universities face a pivotal decision in addressing the decline in lecture attendance. They can either work to re-engage students with enhanced in-person experiences and incentives or adapt to the new norm by offering more flexible and personalized learning options. Both approaches require thoughtful integration of technology, clear communication, and a focus on student needs and preferences. Ultimately this is a real issue but the goal will ensure that education remains effective, accessible, and engaging in a rapidly changing world and doesn't become another excuse for policymakers to brand programmes as ineffective or "Mickey Mouse".