Students and faculty agree that weighty exams are the least valuable way to measure what students are learning. And both populations, faculty 64% and students 59%, agreed that work and family commitments were challenges limiting students’ ability to learn. However, according to a recent national survey released by Course Hero, the two populations differed in opinions on the best way to provide academic support to students.
The survey polled 2,700 students, full and part time, along with 345 faculty on barriers to student success and the value of online versus in-person student resources. About 65% of students named Google as a top resource for academic support, followed by YouTube (49%) and online study tools (76%). But when it comes to in-person options, faculty named study groups as a top resource, 33%, followed by office hours, 15%, and in-person tutoring, 13%.
Faculty answers varied a bit from students in that they seemed to think in-person resources were much more valuable. They rated office hours, 81%, as the most helpful, followed by study groups or friends, 80%, and then in-person tutoring, 71%. Looking at the value of online resources for academic support, faculty named YouTube (50%) at the top, followed by online study tools (46%) and Google, 38%.
“The difference in views regarding in-person and online resources is not surprising, especially considering the context of the last year and how the pandemic impacted college students where they were primarily studying remotely and had limited to no access to in-person resources,” Shireen Tofig, assistant UX researcher at Course Hero, told Fierce Education. “It’s also important to consider that the audience in this survey were Course Hero users and already have a tendency to use online resources like ours.”
According to Tofig, one reason that faculty may prefer in-person resources is that educators are more likely to be involved in these learning experiences, which allows them to witness student comprehension firsthand.
Another conclusion derived from the survey is that students are more focused on jobs than earning a high GPA. In fact, only 40% of students named a high GPA as the most important priority, over landing a job, earning a degree or personal growth.
“What’s most interesting about the motivators and goals of students compared to what educators believe to be their goals, is that students' top goals were more diverse and split between getting a degree, preparing for a career and personal growth,” said Tofig. “It’s difficult to predict what will happen in the next 5-to-10 years, but there are signs that both students and faculty are working together to emphasize learning experiences and other means of measuring learning over GPA’s and grades.”
Still students and educators continue to question the value of exam results on gauging a student’s accomplishments. Students see more value in homework, 49%, and online discussions, 43%. Faculty numbers were higher, with homework being a priority for 60%, presentations, 59%, and independent projects, 56%.
“I’m often asking students about their needs and what they place value on in their courses. I actively invite them to provide feedback about what they care about most and I encourage other educators to do the same,” said Professor Marianna Burks from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “Giving students the means to assess us creates a community of learning in the classroom. We learn from them as much as they learn from us. It’s a two-way street.”
Moving forward, Burks encourages educators to continue to seek ongoing student feedback. She also recommends offering extensions and alternative resources when needed to accommodate different learning styles.
“Many students appreciate online resources and supplemental materials because it allows them the flexibility to study at a time when they learn best. A class in the morning doesn’t mean they can register the material best during that time, they may come back to the material later in the day or another day when their mind is ready to absorb the information.“