Importance Of Mandatory Attendance

Why should colleges implement mandatory attendance policy?

One of the focal opinions in favor of requiring attendance is that good attendance is needed to develop a strong sense of public in a classroom, and to foster a healthy sense of class involvement. For instructors who choose to stick with the old lecture model, this isn’t an issue. However, many instructors opt to have a participatory classroom filled with discussions and activities. This kind of teaching requires quite a bit more effort, and if it works well, the experience can be very beneficial and rewarding for students. However, students have to show up for this to work and take mutual responsibility to participating in class discussion– and failure to show up and participate

In the real world, if you don’t show up for work most of the time, you’re going to be fired. If students get into the habit of not showing up for class with no concrete consequences, what lesson does that teach? One of the most important lessons that students need to learn in college is self-discipline, and by requiring students to come to class, students are given strong incentives to become disciplined (or at least disciplined enough to come to class).

A third argument in favor of mandatory attendance is that students generally do much better in class if they show up. In classes where class exercises and activities are a major part of the learning experience–like public speaking, or creative writing, or television production–low attendance may lead quickly to a failing grade. By forcing students to show up, their grades are likely to improve– whether they like it or not.

Arguments Against Mandatory Attendance

In the real world, if you don’t show up for work regularly, you’re going to be fired. If scholars get into the habit of not showing up for class with no real repercussions, what lesson does that teach? Significant lessons that students need to learn is self-discipline, and by requiring students attend lectures, colleges should include strong incentives such attendance percentages accumulated in the final results for being disciplined.

The third argument in favor of mandatory attendance is that students perform better in class if they turn up. In classes where class exercises are a major part of the learning experience –like public speaking or creative writing–low attendance may lead to a failing grade. By forcing scholars to turn up, their score is likely to improve – whether they like it or not.

Arguments Against Mandatory Attendance