Lecture attendance does matter: evidence from lecture attendance in psychology classes

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Lecture attendance does matter evidence from
lecture attendance in psychology classes

• Prof. Andrew Thatcher, University of the
  Witwatersrand

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(No Transcript)
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Psychology Classes

• Characterised by large student registrations
  (gt250)
• At Wits, instruction is face-to-face classroom
  (supplemented by tutorials) interaction where
  lecture attendance is not compulsory
• Anecdotal evidence (at Wits) of poor classroom
  attendance
• Anecdotal evidence of poor classroom
  participation

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Raises important questions

• Is the anecdotal evidence true?
• If it is true, why arent students attending
  lectures?
• What is the perceived purpose of lectures if many
  students dont attend?
• How do these perceived purposes differ between
  lecturing staff and students?

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Possible factors in non-attendance

• Lecturer characteristics (poor lecturing methods,
  boring style, etc.)
• Student characteristics (motivation, ability,
  perceptions, etc.)
• Extraneous factors (finances, etc.)

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Pilot study - appearing SAJP, 37(3), pp. 656-660

• 9 registers taken randomly across 7 weeks of a
  2nd year class (289 registrations)
• Linked to performance on academic assignments
  (test, essay, examination, and the total mark)
• Removed from analysis any assignments not
  submitted

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Attendance patterns

• 0 attendances 14 students (5)
• 9 attendances 13 students (5)
• 4 attendances or fewer 140 students (48)
• Largest lecture attendance 189 students (65)
• Smallest lecture attendance 115 students (40)
• Average attendance 147 students (51)

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Attendance related to academic performance
(correlations)

• All significant (plt0.01), but moderate
• Test 0.28
• Essay 0.18
• Examination 0.20
• TOTAL 0.26

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Attendance related to academic performance
(ANOVAs)

• Re-categorised groups due to problems in register
  collection
• 0 1 registers NEVER
• 2 4 registers SELDOM
• 5 7 registers FREQUENTLY
• 8 9 registers ALWAYS

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Attendance related to academic performance
(ANOVAs) - TEST

• ALWAYS gt NEVER and gt SELDOM
• FREQUENTLY gt NEVER

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Attendance related to academic performance
(ANOVAs) - ESSAY

• ALWAYS gt SELDOM

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Attendance related to academic performance
(ANOVAs) - EXAM

• ALWAYS gt NEVER

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Attendance related to academic performance
(ANOVAs) - TOTAL

• ALWAYS gt NEVER and gt SELDOM

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Observations from the pilot study

• Academic performance clearly related to
  attendance
• Academic benefits related to attendance
  (knowledge comprehension hint tips)
• Academic performance made up of so much more than
  simple attendance
• Ability, past knowledge and experience,
  motivation, learning/studying style, assignment
  coping style

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Current research

• 3 large classes (1st, 2nd, 3rd year) across 14
  weeks of term
• Questionnaires probing reasons for
  attendance/non-attendance motivation for
  University, and learning styles
• Telephonic interviews with non-attendees
• Interviews with lecturers regarding lecturing
  style and purpose of lectures
• Focus groups with students regarding lecturing
  style and purpose of lectures
• Related to student data (e.g. past performance,
  matric., gender, race, etc.)

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3rd Year attendance patterns

• Class 1 114 students, 6 registers (over 7 weeks)
• 0 attendances 2 students (2)
• 6 attendances 11 students (10)
• Correlations
• Test 0.26
• Essay -0.02
• Examination 0.20
• Overall 0.22

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3rd year attendance related to academic
performance (ANOVAs) - TEST

• ALWAYS gt NEVER and gt FREQ

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3rd Year attendance related to academic
performance (ANOVAs) - TOTAL

• ALWAYS gt NEVER

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3rd Year attendance patterns

• Class 2 102 students, 10 registers (over 7
  weeks)
• 0 attendances 3 students (3)
• 10 attendances 4 students (4)
• Correlations
• Assignment 0.26
• Essay 0.27
• Examination 0.02
• Overall 0.19

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3rd year attendance related to academic
performance (ANOVAs) Assign.

• ALWAYS gt NEVER
• FREQ gt NEVER

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3rd year attendance related to academic
performance (ANOVAs) - ESSAY

• ALWAYS gt NEVER

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2nd Year attendance patterns

• 233 students, 16 registers (over 14 weeks)
• 1 attendance 13 students (5.6)
• 16 attendances 6 students (2.6)
• Correlations
• Test 1 0.29 Test 2 0.29
• Essay 1 0.12 Essay 2 0.20
• Examination 0.26
• Overall 0.28

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Attendance related to academic performance
(ANOVAs) TEST1

• ALWAYS gt NEVER
• FREQ gt NEVER SELDOM gt NEVER

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Attendance related to academic performance
(ANOVAs) TEST2

• ALWAYS gt NEVER
• FREQ gt NEVER

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2nd Year attendance related to academic
performance (ANOVAs) - EXAM

• ALWAYS gt NEVER
• FREQ gt NEVER

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2nd year attendance related to academic
performance (ANOVAs) - TOTAL

• ALWAYS gt NEVER FREQ gt NEVER
• ALWAYS gt SELDOM

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1st Year attendance patterns

• 280 students, 15 registers (over 14 weeks)
• 1 attendance 13 students (4.6)
• 15 attendances 7 students (2.5)
• Correlations
• Test 1 0.11 Test 2 0.007
• Essay 1 -0.001 Essay 2 0.08
• Examination 0.04
• Overall 0. 06

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Why the lack of relationship at 1st Year?

• 1st year closely follows textbook (students can
  learn just as easily from textbook)
• Misalignment of assessments with classroom
  teaching
• MCQ examinations not linked to deeper
  understanding obtained in classroom
• Class sizes too large for effective TL
• Attendance doesnt matter at 1st year

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Inter-related factors

• Academic performance and attendance inter-related
  (partial-out past performance)
• Those with higher ability might also have higher
  attendance habits
• Academic performance and class attendance highly
  inter-related with student motivation (assessing
  motivation as a covariate)
• Other factors serve to confound attendance (e.g.
  financial constraints, study habits, etc.)

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Possible reasons for non-attendance

• Internal student factors (e.g. motivation,
  commitment, interest, ability, self-esteem,
  language differences, learning styles/preferences,
  etc.)
• External student factors (e.g. socio-economic
  context, transport, family commitments,
  overlapping study commitments, etc.)
• Lecturer/Lecture factors (e.g. boring content,
  boring lecturer, lecture size, alienation in
  lecture, de-individuation in lectures, lack of
  active participation, etc.)

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Possible solutions

• All solutions should be guided by research and
  reasons for non-attendance
• Making lectures compulsory
• Provide lectures in alternative media formats
• Improve student motivation (classroom exercises
  and selection
• Informed decision-making for students

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Problem-solving workshop

• Workshop to discuss possible solutions based on
  research and data reporting
• Invitation extended to interested parties
  regionally and nationally
• Scheduled for 1st quarter of 2008 (during Wits
  Universitys TL week)
• More information available later this year
• Please leave business card/contact details if you
  wish to attend

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Prof. Andrew ThatcherAssociate
ProfessorDepartment of PsychologySchool of
Human Community DevelopmentEmail
Andrew.Thatcher_at_wits.ac.zahttp//www.wits.ac.za/p
syc212/andrewthatcher.htm