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How challenging should the pursuit of a college degree be?
The release of “Academically Adrift” in 2011 sparked significant concern regarding the effectiveness of higher education in adequately preparing students for modern demands. Researchers Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa argued that many institutions lacked the necessary rigor, primarily because students were not sufficiently engaged in reading and writing activities necessary for honing their critical thinking abilities. Yet, is mere workload a sufficient metric for determining the academic rigor of a college education?
As a higher education researcher, I have closely examined the experiences and outcomes of college students over the years. While some interpret rigor through the lens of the workload—like pages read or written—my 2021 peer-reviewed study, conducted alongside colleagues John Braxton and Ernie Pascarella, indicates that such a narrow focus may overlook essential factors that contribute to students’ development as critical thinkers and lifelong learners. This approach could also impose unnecessary burdens on students juggling various life responsibilities.
Understanding Rigor
Within the educational landscape, academic rigor is often conceptualized in two distinct manners: as a demanding workload or as a learning experience that encourages deeper cognitive engagement and critical thought.
The implications of how rigor is defined are significant, affecting public perceptions as well as the assessments made by administrators, policymakers, journalists, and scholars. Moreover, it influences faculty expectations, classroom dynamics, and the nature of student assignments.
If we equate rigor with workload, one might assume that extensive study hours correlate with enhanced critical thinking. Conversely, if rigor is understood as intellectual challenge, then it follows that engaging students in higher-order thinking skills—such as analysis and evaluation—would yield better critical thinking outcomes.
This distinction is crucial in my study, which evaluates both definitions of rigor in relation to their capacity to nurture critical thinking skills and lifelong learning habits, including habits such as reading and writing for enjoyment and cultivating deep, analytical thought.
The College Experience
The study encompassed approximately 2,800 students from 46 four-year colleges across the United States over the period from 2006 to 2012. Participants engaged in the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education, a comprehensive investigation into how college experiences influence outcomes associated with liberal arts education. They completed surveys and assessments at three key junctures: at the start of their first year, upon completion of their first year, and by the end of their fourth year.
Students provided insights regarding their coursework, including the number of books read, pages written, and hours dedicated to studying. Additionally, they assessed the extent to which their courses challenged them to engage in higher-order thinking, which is prompted by faculty through critical inquiries and assignments requiring analysis and argumentation.
The longitudinal design of the Wabash National Study allowed for an examination of how student development in critical thinking and lifelong learning unfolded relative to their reported workload and the challenges posed by their classes. It is important to note that students aiming for strong academic performance may inherently develop these skills, and various other college experiences—such as faculty engagement outside of class and participation in honors programs—may play crucial roles. My analysis accounted for these variables to isolate the distinct impacts of each type of rigor.
Key Findings
Our findings were illuminating.
In the initial year, engagement in higher-order thinking corresponded with increases in both facets of lifelong learning: the enjoyment of reading and writing and the propensity for deep thinking. However, higher-order thinking did not correlate with the enhancement of critical thinking skills, and workload did not show any relationship to either critical thinking or lifelong learning dimensions.
Over the entire four-year college experience, higher-order thinking was associated with measurable gains in critical thinking abilities and both lifelong learning facets. In contrast, workload only correlated with the enjoyment of reading and writing, predominantly driven by the volume of reading rather than writing or study hours.
The most significant takeaway from this research is that students cultivate essential critical thinking skills and lifelong learning capabilities through challenging academic experiences, independent of the amount of time spent in study. In essence, it is possible for colleges to enhance these skills among their students without necessitating extensive workloads.
Considerations for Higher Education Institutions
The implications of this study extend to how academic rigor is defined and assessed within educational institutions, as well as to instructional methods employed by faculty. There is a clear mandate for instructors to focus on fostering higher-order thinking engagement rather than merely assigning lengthy reading and writing tasks.
This is particularly crucial for supporting students from low-income backgrounds, who often face additional pressures such as full-time jobs and family obligations. These students are also more likely to commute and maintain family responsibilities.
Balancing academic workloads with personal obligations can challenge the success of low-income students, contributing to an opportunity gap in higher education achievement. A 2018 report by the Pell Institute highlighted that low-income students graduate at significantly lower rates compared to their higher-income counterparts.
To bridge this gap, colleges must ensure that students from low-income backgrounds have manageable academic workloads, enabling them to effectively balance their educational pursuits with personal responsibilities.
Source
www.higheredjobs.com