College Students and Work Ethic

A New York Times commentator recently argued that students are lacking in work ethic and expect to be rewarded for effort. Here's some thoughts on this.

Are today's Generation Y college students lazy? Do they lack a work ethic that previous generations of college students shared? Or have professors always complained about students who don't live up to the standards of a mythical former generation who committed themselves fully to school? Here's a July 1, 2007 New York Times commentary on the subject, written by University of Richmond professor Joanne B. Ciulla:

The Work Ethic, In a Modern Guise

Many of today's students, argues Giulla, are very goal oriented and do not value education for its own sake. It's all about the end result-- the grade, and ultimately the diploma and the corresponding job. She argues that students feel they are entitled to grades that reflect their level of effort, as opposed to the quality of their work, as if the grade was a paycheck for the work put into the assignment. When students enter the workforce, this very well may hurt them, as employers are looking for both quantity and quality of work and aren't much concerned about effort.

As a professor who recently left academia, I've got to say that this rings true to my experience. No, this certainly does not reflect all of my students, and probably not even most of them. But the lack of pride that many students show in their work, and the sense of entitlement they have about grades for effort, is very disturbing. I share concerns with Dr. Giulla about what will happen when these students enter the workforce.

At the same time, I think it's important to emphasize that many students are committed to their work and are a pleasure to teach. It's also important for teachers to avoid taking a doomsday attitude towards their students. There are some commendable qualities to the learning style of today's generation. Students tend to be efficient and results driven, which can be annoying when they seem obsessed with a grade and nothing else. However, in a fast-paced world driven by technology, this no-nonsense attitude can be a valuable attribute.

So hang in there, teachers. Every generation causes their elders to panic a little because of their newfangled attitudes. Yes, many young people could stand to have a better work ethic. At the same time, many professors could stand to be a little more patient.