Bloom's Sixth

Something has been happening with class attendance. Actually, there are several somethings, which I’ll get to shortly. First, though, consider, this: Since the start of the pandemic, many students have treated class attendance as optional, making discussion and group interaction difficult. Online classes tend to fill quickly, and students who enroll in physical classes often ask for an option to “attend” via a video connection. Many K-12 schools report record rates…

KU’s big jump in freshman enrollment this academic year ran counter to broader trends in higher education. Around the country, college enrollment has been trending downward (although there was a slight increase in 2023), many campuses have been closing or consolidating, and a lower birthrate after the 2008-09 recession looms in what has become known as the “enrollment cliff.” That is, with fewer births, there will soon be fewer students graduating from high school and thus fewer potential college applicants…