Dr Lei Zeng is a lecturer and a year manager in Fashion Business and Technology working in the Department of Materials. She is passionate about the value of integrating doctoral research into higher education, and she was awarded the FHEA in 2019. In her current role, she focuses on teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate students, delivering engaging and inclusive learning experiences across a variety of subjects. With a keen interest in student support and community building, particularly for international students, she is dedicated to creating an inclusive academic environment that empowers students to thrive both within and beyond their studies.

Student attendance is a recurring concern for educators in universities. As the education landscape evolves, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, student attendance has seen significant changes. From my personal experience as a student, graduate teaching assistant (GTA), and now a lecturer, I have witnessed various trends in attendance across different learning environments.

Attendance During My Student Years

During my time as a student, I rarely considered attendance a serious issue. Most of my classmates attended classes regularly, with an attendance rate of around 80% across most units. Without the help of asynchronous videos or Podcast, the need to attend every lecture was evident if we wanted to avoid missing critical information or feeling overwhelmed during exam periods. Class participation was an integral part of learning.

When I began working as a GTA, I observed a similar trend. The attendance rate remained solid, around 70%, with this figure derived from the record of paper registration, indicating students still valued in-person classes. Therefore, when I transitioned to a lecturer role, I did not initially expect attendance to be an issue. However, some colleagues kindly warned me that student attendance might not be as consistent as I anticipated.

In this post, I will explore factors influencing student attendance, its impact on learning, and some strategies to improve it.

Attendance Variations Across Different Class Sizes

For smaller classes, usually consisting of around 20 students, maintaining high attendance rates was easier. The close-knit environment fostered a greater sense of accountability among students. However, for larger classes, particularly those with approximately 400 students, gauging attendance was more difficult. In these cases, the size of the lecture theatre often obscured the real attendance rates. It was not until the final revision sessions that I realized how empty the classroom had been throughout the semester.

Course Type and Attendance

The type of course also plays a crucial role in student attendance. For example, lab sessions generally maintain a high attendance rate. This is largely because labs are directly linked to assessments, requiring students to submit reports based on their lab work. Furthermore, health and safety regulations necessitate close monitoring of attendance, reinforcing the need for students to participate.

Interestingly, we found that courses with strict attendance monitoring consistently had higher attendance rates than those without any monitoring. On the other hand, lecture attendance, particularly at the start of the semester, can be less consistent. The final revision lectures typically see a spike in attendance as students rush to prepare for exams. Additionally, some students perceive seminars led by GTAs as less critical than lectures, leading to lower seminar attendance. This assumption is further compounded by students’ reluctance to engage in discussions with peers or GTAs during these sessions.

Post-COVID Attendance Trends

The pandemic drastically altered the dynamics of student attendance. With the rise of online learning, many students became accustomed to virtual lectures and independent study. As a result, some students feel that attending in-person lectures is redundant, believing they can access the same information online.

Another factor affecting attendance is students’ sense of belonging. Those who feel disconnected from their peers or the academic community may avoid in-person sessions altogether. Time management challenges also play a significant role. Students often struggle to balance coursework, part-time jobs, commuting, and social activities, leaving little time or motivation to attend in-person lectures.

Sometimes, the reasons for poor attendance are more mundane, and economically motivated. For instance, leading up to Easter, I noticed a significant drop in attendance. When I inquired, students explained that travel was cheaper before the official holiday, so many opted to skip class to save money.

Why Good Attendance Matters

Ensuring good attendance is not just about filling seats; it plays a critical role in students’ academic success and personal development.

Enhanced Learning Experience: Regular attendance allows students to engage more deeply with the course material. Although students may believe that missing a few classes at the start of the semester is inconsequential, each absence makes it harder to reintegrate into the academic environment. This leads to a cycle where students fall further behind and are more likely to skip subsequent classes.

Improved Communication Skills: Attendance in lectures and seminars also helps students develop their communication skills. This is particularly important for international students, for whom lectures may be the primary space where they engage in English conversation. Consistent attendance in classes where discussion and interaction are encouraged can significantly enhance their language skills and boost their employability after graduation.

Conclusion and the Path Forward

Student attendance is undeniably an essential component of academic success. While the shift toward online learning has offered flexibility, it has also introduced new challenges in maintaining student engagement. As educators, we must find ways to balance the benefits of digital tools with the irreplaceable value of in-person learning. Encouraging attendance by emphasizing its impact on both academic performance and personal development is key. Whether through monitoring, more engaging teaching methods, or fostering a stronger sense of belonging, improving attendance is a goal that requires a concerted effort from both educators and students.

Currently, we have embedded SEAtS, an attendance monitoring system, to track student participation more effectively. We are eager to see how this method will influence attendance patterns in the coming semesters. By using SEAtS, we hope to gain more insights into students’ engagement and intervene early when attendance issues arise.

Acknowledgements

This blog stems from the insightful discussions held during the Wicked Problem set at the ITL Conference. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Dr Alison Harvey, who chaired the Wicked Problem set and expertly led the discussion on this topic.

I would also like to thank all the colleagues who organize this exceptional conference, creating a platform for meaningful dialogue and collaboration.

The ideas shared in this blog are a direct reflection of the engaging and thought-provoking conversations that took place, offering potential strategies for addressing this pressing concern in higher educational settings.

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