General Discussion

Grim Chieftain

(1,644 posts)

32. Agree completely

Mon Mar 16, 2026, 04:47 PM

16 hrs ago

I am a retired professor. I noticed in the last years of my tenure, I had to "dumb down" my lectures each year. Perhaps it's social media, the internet, texting, whatever, but many students today are less engaged and less intellectually curious than they once were.

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This is what I'm dealing with: Assignment I gave to one of my classes..... [View all] Coventina 18 hrs ago OP

Probably too busy texting to listen to you. Ritabert 18 hrs ago #1

Exactly. Ray Bruns 7 min ago #61

"Yes. No. Check Your Class Notes." ColoringFool 18 hrs ago #2

This, right here. relayerbob 17 hrs ago #20

Tell them: the most important thing you need to learn from this class... Wounded Bear 18 hrs ago #3

So frustrating. Traildogbob 18 hrs ago #4

They don't have to buy a report. All they have to do is use a free dumbing-down tool from one of highplainsdem 17 hrs ago #15

Wow. Traildogbob 17 hrs ago #22

Teaching is challenging, and an existentially important profession. What the AI companies have done to it is highplainsdem 17 hrs ago #29

AI is one of the most frightening developments out there right now. COL Mustard 17 hrs ago #30

Write them back, saying... Totally Tunsie 18 hrs ago #5

Except be president. ananda 18 hrs ago #10

But only if he has a multimillionaire father who is willing to bankroll all his failures! 🤣 ShazzieB 16 hrs ago #33

I heard an interview several years ago on NPR mcar 18 hrs ago #6

and "I wasted my whole weekend studying when I could have been having a good time!" erronis 18 hrs ago #8

Yep mcar 17 hrs ago #19

I actually recall that when I tutored back in the 70s GenThePerservering 17 hrs ago #13

And "teaching to the test" where tests have become easier to grade - multiple choices, etc. erronis 17 hrs ago #21

I went to a Jesuit uni in the late 70s mcar 16 hrs ago #34

I was always glad when a test or quiz was postponed. LisaM 17 hrs ago #24

"I will teach you to think." BarbD 16 hrs ago #41

Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but it's the students' fault MadameButterfly 15 hrs ago #48

Sometimes it isn't about learning vs memorizing... it's about recall OhioBlue 13 hrs ago #53

Well, sorry you didn't get to raise your grade MadameButterfly 6 hrs ago #60

"...do I have to go out of my way to find the research?" CBHagman 18 hrs ago #7

and his definition of "go out of my way to find the research" is probably ask chatGPT. (n/t) thesquanderer 17 hrs ago #17

Since many students gravitate to AI's as their first source of information ... SomewhereInTheMiddle 6 hrs ago #59

Tell the student they can get five points of credit on the assignment... littlemissmartypants 18 hrs ago #9

But don't hold your breath while waiting SheltieLover 17 hrs ago #27

Exactly. I taught at a state college in NC. littlemissmartypants 8 hrs ago #56

When I was in Catechism class and I failed to pay attention I got a ruler across the hand. Jacson6 17 hrs ago #11

Brace yourself. There's more of them coming up through GPV 17 hrs ago #12

How sad. LoisB 17 hrs ago #14

I quit teaching after 15 years because of stuff like this perdita9 17 hrs ago #16

That must be BEYOND frustrating OddMom20 17 hrs ago #18

I've never been a teacher.. bless every one of you mountain grammy 17 hrs ago #23

Also retired prof here... flor-de-jasmim 17 hrs ago #25

Answer email with message to refer to their class notes. SheltieLover 17 hrs ago #26

Classes need Helper Captains in the class to prod the sheep along bucolic_frolic 17 hrs ago #28

You didn't mention whether the student was male or female. I would guess it was a male. flashman13 16 hrs ago #31

Yes, a male. nt Coventina 16 hrs ago #37

"...don't be an ignorant creep..." is a good place to start. 3catwoman3 16 hrs ago #43

Agree completely Grim Chieftain 16 hrs ago #32

You didn't say if the student could read. Sneederbunk 16 hrs ago #35

Let me provide some balance here Sympthsical 16 hrs ago #36

I am not that kind of professor AT ALL. Coventina 16 hrs ago #39

I understand that Sympthsical 16 hrs ago #46

It's not every student, but a lot of them. Coventina 15 hrs ago #50

I love your asignment! Mossfern 15 hrs ago #49

Thanks! You're so kind! Yes, I'm an art history professor. Coventina 14 hrs ago #51

Hmmm, let's see BlueSpot 10 hrs ago #55

A little Trump in the making? peppertree 16 hrs ago #38

Smacks of effort, man. cab67 16 hrs ago #40

The student's nose is probably superglued to their phone, so they missed class despite being there. Vinca 16 hrs ago #42

I want to sign up for your class. Permanut 16 hrs ago #44

Geez Figarosmom 16 hrs ago #45

Lets hear it Cherokee100 16 hrs ago #47

gawd I'm glad I'm out mike_c 14 hrs ago #52

Jeezus. Joinfortmill 12 hrs ago #54

Is this class an elective or a requirement for a degree? fujiyamasan 7 hrs ago #57

IOW, ChatGPT couldn't figure it out for them. n/t flvegan 6 hrs ago #58