A Workable Compromise?

In many cases, it isn’t the student's fault for considering traditional lecture boring. As Hal mentioned, students are growing up in a culture that is all about being entertained. While I don’t think we should try to become entertainers in the classroom (I would certainly find that a challenge), we do need to understand the overall background and culture of the students and be willing to adapt. I don’t think that requires a big change; most students will appreciate the effort you are making no matter how small it might be. At the same time, we must work to influence the students in a way that will help them to realize that higher education isn’t just about a piece of paper that will lead to a better job. If we as faculty are willing to adapt our styles and they, as students, are willing to see our view of higher education, maybe we can find some common ground somewhere in the middle. For the faculty who are unwilling to change and the students who are unwilling as well, neither will be effective in the long run.