Practice 2 • Mandatory Class Attendance
Your professor is teaching a course on higher education policy.
In your response, you should do the following:
- Express and support your opinion.
- Make a contribution to the discussion in your own words.
- An effective response will contain at least 100 words.
Professor Whitfield
At many universities, some courses require students to attend class in person, while others allow students to watch recorded lectures and skip live sessions. Supporters of mandatory attendance argue that being physically present improves learning and accountability, while critics argue that students should be trusted to manage their own schedules. Should college attendance be mandatory, or should students be allowed to decide whether to attend class? Why do you think so?
Priya
I think attendance should be mandatory. When students know they have to show up, they are more likely to keep up with the material and avoid falling behind. Class discussions also help students understand concepts more deeply than reading alone. Without required attendance, many students would simply stop attending and struggle later in the semester.
Tom
I disagree. College students are adults who should be responsible for their own learning. Some students learn better by reviewing recorded lectures at their own pace, especially if they have jobs or family responsibilities. Forcing attendance doesn't guarantee engagement anyway; a student can be physically present without actually paying attention.
Nothing is uploaded — this downloads your response as a .txt file to your computer.