The Curiosity of Classroom Commitment: Why Aren’t More Students Engaging?
Have you ever found yourself questioning the dedication of some of your classmates when it comes to their academic contributions? It’s a sentiment that many students share, particularly during critical moments like finals season. While I respect those who strive for a passing grade, there are instances I’ve observed that truly leave me puzzled—especially when it comes to significant assignments that are evidently doomed to fail.
Allow me to illustrate my point with a recent experience from a biology course. We were tasked with a final presentation that carried a heavy weight: an 80% was the minimum requirement to pass the course itself. Understanding the stakes, our instructor thoughtfully allowed us to pre-record our presentations and upload them to a discussion forum for peer feedback. This setup was intended not only to assist in our learning process but to encourage collaboration.
To successfully complete the assignment, we were given two critical criteria:
1. The presentation needed to reference five contemporary studies focused on a specific genetic variation.
2. It had to be presented in video format and last a minimum of twelve minutes.
However, as I navigated through my peers’ submissions in search of presentations to critique, I was met with a staggering number of inadequacies. For instance, there was a classmate who merely uploaded her slides, completely bypassing the video element. Another student submitted a presentation that clocked in at just five minutes—far shorter than the required length. Yet another individual chose a topic that had little relevance to the assignment, despite the fact that previous coursework had directly fed into our presentation topics.
What perplexed me most was the apparent disregard for the assignment’s expectations. If one’s submission is destined to fail, what drives the decision to invest any time or energy into it at all? This is a common phenomenon I notice at the end of each academic term, and it continues to baffle me.
Are there others who share my disbelief in the lack of effort displayed by some classmates? I believe this is more than a simple question of academic responsibility; it raises deeper discussions about motivation, engagement, and the value placed on learning. It would be great to hear your thoughts on this issue and whether you’ve had similar experiences in your own educational journey.
