Are the students really reading??

sunnysideup09 · Nov 16, 2008

Absolutely! They don't have time to read and this generation of students want to be spoon fed everything to them. That's why we stop giving them our PPTs and just give them lecture outlines, where they have to do some writing. While I know some students must work FT, it is very challenging to do well in school, let alone also have a family. They have to still read the material, but I guarantee that is what goes (the reading). Then they wonder why they are not doing well.

I would use it as a lesson for the students and ask them how they are studying - if they say they are reading, then ask are they doing the review questions at the end. If they aren't I'd point it out to them that 10 of the 50 came from the review questions and if they used the materials given to them, they could be possibly be doing better. Don't take the blame...students have to be responsible for their learning also...it's active learning.

Guest219794 · Nov 16, 2008

No,

It drove me nuts as a student 5 years ago that I would read, but the class would be geared toward those who didn't. Made it boring. In fact, if I knew an instructor geared the class to people who didn't read, I would skip the reading.

As far as failing goes. In my class, several people failed, but nobody who truly tried their hardest, seeking help from peers or instructors, failed.

hhern

BigBadInstructor · Nov 17, 2008

Totally agree about students that are working, single parents, or just have a horrendous family life, and then are going to nursing school. They just have an extremely hard time being successful. I had a student once, who was a single parent, dealing with an abusive ex-husband, and working. I knew she was not reading, doing poorly on tests, but really had the ability to do well. One day in class I watched her trying to keep awake. So after I showed a video, and the student slept through most of it, I gave a surprise quiz on the material covered in the video. I talked with the student after, and showed her that she had gotten correct all of the questions, up to the point where she went to sleep, then all the questions were answered incorrectly. I then asked her what if this had been your patient? You could have done everything right for your patient, but then you lacked the knowledge, and your patient was then in danger. We had a great discussion afterward, and she got the help she needed for her home life, and went on to graduate and is now a very great nurse. I think each student is different and needs to be advised on how to be successful. But the bottom line is that it is the student's decision. The choices the student makes, will dicate their life.

daisybaby, LPN · Nov 24, 2008

Agree with everything posted. At the end of every lecture, I make sure to go over the reading due for next class. Last week, I began my lecture by asking very basic questions straight from the reading that was due, and not a single student could answer without looking through the text.

Won't they be surprised with tomorrow's closed-book, pop quiz on the reading due. (I don't plan on grading this one; but hopefully my point will be made).

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Nov 24, 2008

Might have to change teaching strategies a little. Warn them they will be doing role-play and make team assisgnments for various topics then allow each to "perform". The other students then can evaluate and comment.

I have reported this before, but it still amazes me: a student told me she did not understand why she made a "C" in a specific class because she never missed the class. She actually thought showing up was good enough.

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 24, 2008

Don't take the blame...students have to be responsible for their learning also...it's active learning.

Exactly. Yes, it's a shame when talented students have so many other demands on their time that they start shirking their studies -- but that is not the school's fault. Nor is it the faculty's responsibility to make the class easier for them. Part of life is choosing how to spend one's time and attention -- and living with the consequences of those choices. I can't do everything I want to do in life. I have to make choices. So do the students.

I put this phenomenon under the "We can't always get what we want" heading. Set your requirements and then stick with them.

GiGiRNICU · Nov 25, 2008

I agree with the above post. My students seldom read the chapters. I have told them they were even having a quiz and still most will just skim over. I am teaching Nutrition Roth which is an easy text book, but the students are not applying themselves. I went over and over Protein - primary function repair and build tissue and this past week had a student in clinicals who's patient had a stage 3 ulcer and I asked what would the patient need in thinking of Nutrition for his pressure ulcer and she could not tell me Protein. I had 22 students fail the first Nut exam. So I took away the power points, gave them quizes weekly, gave them homework assignment of answering the objectives and writing out the definition. Then I had a student who failed the quiz told me after I question on how she studied and why she failed after doing the homework and her reply was it only took me about 15 minutes and I did it at work. They understand they have to know the material and build on it and apply it to situations. I agree they want to be spoon fed and only what to know what is actually on the test. I had the second Nut exam today with 17 failing ( most was 70-74) (failing is below 75). I even gave them a study guide for this exam. Not sure it helped. However I had more 80 and 90s on this one that the first one. I even had a student who made 96.

crb613, BSN, RN · Nov 25, 2008

While I am not an instructor, I am a recent grad. I can tell you people do not read. I would get really frustrated at the instructors that did spoon feed the material or give extra credit to boost grades:no:. I read, & if I did not understand something I read it again. There were many times I did extra research in order to understand difficult subjects......

My point is if you are doing all you can to teach.....students need to do their part to learn.

I understand life happens that is still not an excuse. If you don't have the time or maturity to put fort the effort/work needed to pass.....then perhaps this is not the right time. I was one of those that had to wait....but when I did get the chance I gave it all I had. This is just my opinion and I do not think you should blame yourself......you are not failing them they are failing themselves. I agree with hhern there was not one person in my class that really tried & sought help that failed. Just my:twocents:.

crb613, BSN, RN · Nov 25, 2008

I should have said.....most do not do the reading.

Whispera, MSN, RN · Nov 26, 2008

When I began teaching I used the syllabus of my predecessor. When it became time to discuss some "required" readings I got blank looks from my students. It was like pulling teeth to get them to participate. No eye contact, etc. Finally I asked them, "did you do the reading?" One brave student said "we don't have time to do all your assignments." This made me step back and consider....was the reading really necessary or just "required" because it was traditional? I found other ways to get that topic into their minds. While I believe reading the assignments is a very good idea, I tend to believe the readings are reinforcement and more details added to the lecture information. My students are always told they're responsible for the information in the readings, but I have to gear my teaching toward the course objectives. It's my responsibility to give them the potential to learn what needs to be learned, and if a reading isn't doing it, then I need to do something else. While we say students must buckle down and adjust their lives to get all their work done (which is true, of course), their lives are very busy, and even the most dedicated student could be having trouble getting everything done. We don't want to make it easy on them, but we don't want them to be fried either.