Importance of attendance
What are some of the successful ways to improve attendance of the students?
Some successful ways to improve attendance of the students are giving them extra credits, some type of award for the quarter or semester and just give the praise and the acknowledge that we as instructors see the effort they are putting forward to be in class.
Yes attendance is very important and I believe if you express to the students the importance of attendance in the beginning you will see that they will have a better attendance. Yes, I do think that keeping the class fun and interesting but they as adults should know that the only way you learn something if you put in the time and effort which means you must be attentive with your attendance.
Abundio, student engagement and making learning fun will always provide great results. I have had the pleasure of viewing the same materials taught by different instructors and then review the results of the learning outcomes and from my own observations, those instructors that make learning fun always seem to get the best results.
James Jackson
The most effective one for the student to assure attendance in class, if we make our classes fun learning environment. I have a little challenges on few most especially on age range between 18-21, still not focus and not to serious on their studies, they have of tendency to be late, absent due of partying every nights. So I kind of set the tune by adding keeping them line up, to incorporate them to the group of adult to guide them, so far it's working.
Michelle, I would imagine that lack of attendance at externship sites would also cause a reduction in a students grade? You may also want to consider discussing with your administration some form of attendance policy which would require students to retake an externship if they do not meet a minimal number of sessions. A policy such as this would then cause students to reconsider being tardy to avoid retaking a key class to meet graduation requirements and costs them additional money. Sometimes the pocket book is the best motivation for some students.
James Jackson
Juan, great point. Different institutions will have various policies on this subject but there is a real life lesson to be learned by having students take their attendance as serious as going into work daily.
James Jackson
Another view could be, how important is to make the students understand attendance in school is like going to work everyday - reability.
I am struggling with students and attendance at externships. I try to explain to students that attendance is extremely important. If a student is unable to attend his/her externship, how do they expect to attend employment. I try to explain that each externship is a job interview and they should show that they can be counted on. It is tough to get every excuse under the sun as to why they cannot go to clinicals that day.
Daniel, simple enough question but many factors can be considered in the response. In general, if your students feel ther is value in attending your class they will typically attend. Question for you to consider is what is the value proposition you provide to your students and what are you doing to promote that message? Higher education is undergoing some radical changes to meet the demands of students today and we as instructors need to be observant of our students and innovatIve in our approach to education.
James Jackson
