UCF faculty members have been reporting increased challenges regarding students’ lack of concern for learning, for assignment deadlines, and for basic protocols for respectful communication, and these perceptions are widely shared by educators across the country. News headlines on the topic are calling it a “crisis of student disengagement,” and examples include “A ‘Stunning’ Level of Student Disconnection,” “It Feels Like I’m Pouring Energy Into a Void,” and “My College Students are Not OK.” Others are pointing out that, while the pandemic is a significant factor, a lack of student engagement has been a longstanding and complex problem. And, as with any trend argument, one finds enough counter-examples to question any single cause or remedy, and stories of increased student engagement are not uncommon. For this Teaching and Learning Day, we will examine the problem of student disengagement from the perspective of the ongoing pandemic as well as longer-term systemic factors, and we will offer suggestions for improving engagement in your classes.
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