Day 275 -- truth, consequences and maturation

As we approach the midpoint of the term, class attendance begins to drop. Sadly, this is just when course content begins to expand, sometimes exponentially. The intro and background pieces have been reviewed and now comes the heavy lifting. This is also the time when assignments begin to take centre stage and midterms are in the coming 7 to 10 days. So, why would people choose not to be in class to hear what isn't on the slides or examples from outside the text book?  I do know that as the pace becomes wilder, I want to hide or stay in bed and sleep. I suspect the students feel similarly. I do recall dragging my butt into early classes and ensuring that I was there to hear things that would be on the exams -- the extras that just helped to contextualize the theories or details -- things I often relied on when asked to provide an example on an exam. Attending class and taking notes also ensured that I wouldn't get way behind and have trouble catching up near the end of term, which led some of my classmates to be irretrievably lost when trying to study for the final. Of course, I do know that my long term goals were not the same as most students.

From a psychological and physiological standpoint, there are explanations for what appears on the surface to be less than responsible behaviour. Life happens, even when at school, so juggling personal issues or illness can be overwhelming. At this age, many people have not yet had to do major time management or deal with shifting agendas. It isn't surprising then, that decisions made to focus on one area to the detriment of another occur. Recent research indicates that the prefrontal cortex does not finish development until around age 25 years. This is the area of the brain that deals with abstract thought and helps with complex problem solving, focusing attention, planning functions, understanding consequences of behaviour, and tempering extreme emotions. In short, it helps a person understand the future rewards for behaviours that seem to be only short term. Given that post-secondary students tend to be 18-24 years of age, it should not be surprising that decisions make little sense to older adults. In fact, some researchers have suggested that adolescence be extended into the mid-20s while the brain finishes the maturation process.

So -- while it can be frustrating and appear disrespectful to other classmates and instructors when people choose to prioritize their time to be elsewhere, it can be explained from a biological basis. Telling people that there is a strong correlation between class attendance and course grades, just won't help. Logic doesn't work here <smile>.  Surprisingly I found a song that expresses this aspect of growth very well. The lyrics present the frustrations of rule-governed behaviours as well as noting that the 'real world' may not exist -- a nod to the 'logic' that is often used. Enjoy!

No Such Thing -- John Mayer