What’s the “Cost” When Students Don’t Learn What’s Expected?

How much does it cost when faculty teach less effectively than they could??In this article series, we are considering the financial impact of this question because it will help you make the case for having a coach.?One financial factor that comes into play (and will likely matter to your university) is when a faculty member is not teaching his/her content effectively and then students do not learn what is expected.?

This has a cascading financial impact.?For example, those students’ success in future courses is affected, which then affects the instructors of those classes and other students in those classes.?The students from these poorly-taught classes may not be sufficiently prepared in their careers, which reflects poorly on the entire university.?Do you see the ripple effect??It does not take long to calculate a high-dollar impact from one ineffective professor.

Let’s run some numbers:?

• Imagine that a professor who teaches an intro level economics course does not teach it very well and students do not learn anywhere near what is reasonable to expect.?
• It is possible that some of these students will decide that economics is not for them and head off in a different direction for their majors, which is quite costly to the home department of this professor.?
• Other students will proceed into their subsequent courses where the professors expect them to come in with a foundation from their introductory econ course.?
• If they do not, that slows down the instruction and it frustrates the faculty member as well as students who may have come from feeder courses that were taught more effectively.?

There is a direct financial cost to a department when a course is taught poorly.

Use this knowledge and have the numbers that are true at your university ready when you make the case to the dean, department chair, or other administrator who can fund coaching related to more effective teaching.?

Watch this space for more articles on this topic and/or take a look at one or more of these publications, which you may access free:?https://meggin.com/coaching/#makingtheask ?

About Meggin McIntosh

Helping people reframe their limiting beliefs is a big part of the joyful work I do as a coach. Sometimes I offer group coaching in addition to working with individual clients. It's amazing to watch people generate reframes for a belief that has held them back in the past.

I am thankful every day.