In a world where a college degree is nearly a necessity and students pay upwards of $40,000 simply just for tuition, are students taking full advantage of the college classroom?
At Lasell College, small class sizes are a desirable aspect, allowing students to connect on a personal level and partake in discussions easily. However, classroom participation is at an all-time low, creating a stale environment and a lack of attention. Students lack valuable contribution to the course and aren’t gaining reputable knowledge or experience considering the amount of money they’re paying. This unwillingness to learn results in disrespect towards the professor and could potentially cause that professor to stop caring, creating an even less interesting environment.
Additionally, a quiet class can make those students who do want to speak up stay silent. Students fail to recognize that there is something to be gained from every situation, a detail that makes a college investment far more worthwhile.
The fact of the matter is students are going to sit through class anyways, so what’s the point in being miserable? The importance of being positive about an inevitable situation and making good use of that time translates to the value of a student’s money and education. Students deserve to reap the benefits the classroom has to offer and gain social confidence, field experience, and professional associates. Lasell’s connected learning philosophy should not only pertain to the community but encourage students to get involved within the classroom, too.