This post is a follow up on the previous one, “breaking the system.” The context of many of the posts I write centers on the statistics course I teach; this one is no exception. Over time, it has become clear to me that the average student has not designed a study system, does not practice time-management, and in general seeks in desperation to anticipate those aspects of a course that they feel will “get them through” via cramming. Certainly, there is social momentum behind these habits, and I cannot fault a student for doing what has come to be expected at the college level. Teaching to the test, the “edutainment” movement, and (to some degree) PowerPoint teaching have reduced instruction and test-taking to a slovenly form that has little to do with mastering material.
The crux of the problem is that faculty members in my department have been frustrated for some time with the fact that students have been unprepared to undertake many of the required tasks in upper division undergraduate courses and in graduate courses. When we challenge students with mastery of concepts, not just recognition of right answers, on average students do poorly. Yet, when we interface with internship programs, companies, and other graduate programs, clearly what they want from us are graduates who can think conceptually, who can make decisions confidently, who can write, and who can handle quantitative analysis of datasets with research in mind. As faculty members, we realized a few years ago that our average students could be better prepared. That is, the world outside of our programs has great expectations, and we want our graduates to meet them.
In the last three years we have redirected our programs to confront these challenges. We have added new classes and re-vamped old ones; we are thinking about our curriculum systematically. What we want is to have confidence in the average graduate, and we are getting closer to meeting these expectations. Our message to students is: “we know the qualities that successful graduates portray, we expect you to adopt those characteristics, and we are putting the challenges in place that encourage these conditions.” Welcome to great expectations.
There are several visible (and vocal) symptoms of these changes: first, students work together much more often than they used to. They may not yet (on average) have the study skills to master all of the material we would like them to, but they show effort and ability, and they do it together. This is an encouraging sign. Second, we have made our courses more challenging; we bend less, and we ask for more out of our students. In short, we have overhauled our programs, but now there is a new problem: some of our students feel shocked, even betrayed at how challenging our programs are becoming.
So, what should be done if you are a student who feels this way? As a student in a challenging academic program you have several options: 1) rehash your study system, completely. You may need to overhaul your system to match the expectations of the degree-program you are in. What this entails is a grueling look in the mirror and a fairly brutal dose of honesty. Do you really manage your time well to make certain that you have clean, clear, efficient study time on a daily basis? Are you on-time for classes, ready to go, with enough rest to listen well, to take good notes, and to participate with good questions? If not, then you need a new study system, perhaps a complete overhaul.
2) Ask for help. What does this mean? Well, it means that after you have taken that brutal look in the mirror, if you have no answers, find someone appropriate to help you. Perhaps you are not a good note-taker; there are learning centers at most universities that can provide you with a short course. Perhaps you suffer from test anxiety; talk to your instructor to try to put your mind at ease. If anxiety persists, then perhaps see a counselor about it (no shame there). Perhaps you are not a very good writer; take an extra class in English composition. All you have to do is seek out the correct resource to overcome the challenge that confronts you. Of course, many students put on blinders and insist that they having nothing to learn; the system is at fault when he/she fails. To the contrary, the system is at fault when it encourages mediocrity instead of excellence!
3) Avoid blaming others at all costs. You are in charge of your own education; if you are not using resources effectively, ask for help. If you are confused, then work with instructors, tutors, and/or teaching assistants to attain clarification. Recall often that your degree is not anyone else’s responsibility, it is yours. A sense of entitlement and/or resentment about the process makes it harder to get the help you need.
4) Develop an air of respect. For what? The process. If your chosen program has great expectations, then professors designing and participating in that program already respect you, even if you feel challenged and frustrated at times.
It may be that you find out in this process that your interests lie outside of the program you have chosen. Better to find that out sooner than later. The last thing you want is to be meeting expectations that you are not fully invested in, especially great expectations.
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