I think everyone here hits the nail square on the head in that we are now teaching students who have come through Covid high where standards were nonexistent. The problems I have seen in my class this semester basically amount to a learned helplessness. In the last week:
- student emailed me to tell me he's been using a textbook that's two editions behind the required one and before the midterm (tomorrow), he wants me to go through the book and tell him which chapters match the ones that will be on the midterm. (What has he been reading all semester? And why would this be my job?)
- students who couldn't figure out how to navigate our school's new authentication services that started the first week of the semester and rather than reach out to someone, simply haven't done work since then. Waited until today to tell me when they have a midterm they have to take tomorrow on our LMS. Also, they expect extensions on the last 3 weeks of assignments because it "wasn't their fault"
- students who are upset that, despite my syllabus clearly saying how assignments need to be submitted, that I won't accept unreadable photos of work hastily written a sheet of paper. yes they will receive the standard 10% per day late penalty until they turn in a typed version that I can read. apparently this is completely unfair
- students who couldn't figure out our school's video recording software to post a speech so they just didn't do it rather than calling IT or following the directions I gave them. (heck, I even offered them an alternative way to submit). Logged in. Got confused. Logged off and sent me an email saying they couldn't figure it out. Were shocked when that wasn't accepted as a reason for an extension.
- students who turn in assignments with some variation of "I don't understand the directions" for all or part of it that they don't complete. Didn't come to office hours. Didn't ask questions when I gave them time to do so. Thought that not understanding and not trying to find out would still earn them credit. And were still shocked when they received a 0.
- a PILE of students who think that all assignments are pass/fail. The language "get credit for that" has been creeping up more and more. It's like quality of work or doing it correctly or learning the thing it was designed to teach them is irrelevant... they think they are being assessed on whether they did it or not. Example: Student submits an assignment for peer review that is locked and nobody can access it... finally gets around to unlocking it a week after the due date of the final draft and can't understand why they don't "get credit" at that point after a peer review is no longer needed.
I can see moments where it feels like someone somewhere along the line is doing the work to right the ship because it's not all of them but as for the ones that are, I'm worried about them. It's like they come up against the slightest resistance or confusion and they just surrender. While I believe in accountability and that students will learn how to do these things when they realize it's expected of them, it's a bit harder to break them of this when no one has actually taught them how to problem-solve.