Our Underachieving Colleges

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Drawing on extensive empirical evidence, former Harvard President Derek Bok examines the progress college students make toward the goals of undergraduate education. His findings are sobering: while students show gains in some areas, they improve significantly less than expected in crucial skills like writing, critical thinking, quantitative abilities, and moral reasoning. A large number of college seniors report minimal progress in foreign language proficiency, cultural interests, and the knowledge needed to be informed citizens. Despite increased resources, advanced technology, and numerous new courses, colleges cannot be assured that student learning has improved over the past fifty years. Bok also highlights that many essential courses are taught by less experienced instructors, and that professors often rely on teaching methods that are less effective than available alternatives. Faculty discussions typically focus on course requirements, neglecting the more critical issue of teaching effectiveness, which likely has a greater impact on student outcomes. In his concluding chapter, Bok outlines potential changes that faculty and academic leaders can implement to enhance student achievement. While acknowledging the contributions of American colleges, he presents a compelling critique that educators must heed to avoid stagnation in educational effectiveness.