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Teaching I – Rethinking the Optional Attendance Policy“We must reconsider optional attendance policies not least for the sake of students’ physical and mental health,” Eric Skipper writes in this Inside Higher Ed piece. Faculty members report continued attendance issues even though we are back to in-person classes. Some feel the optional attendance policies we created during the pandemic’s peak have created a “free pass” mentality toward attending class. In his thought-provoking opinion piece, Skipper argues that it is in the best interest of our students’ mental health to expect them to attend class, be around their peers, and combat depression-inducing social isolation. While he makes a good case for tightening our attendance policies, he does not offer suggestions on how to go about this. This could be a good topic for a faculty learning community. |