Your Career: Why aren’t students doing the reading?

How to hit the reset button this fall and inspire undergraduates to read course texts. ADVERTISEMENT [Your Career Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. How to hit the reset button this fall and inspire undergraduates to read course texts Students are “coming to college less able and less willing to read,” a recent Chronicle story, “[Is This the End of Reading?]( found. If you’re like many faculty members, you are stumped about why. It’s difficult to teach content when students don’t prioritize reading. And it’s frustrating to spend time and energy carefully selecting texts for a course, only to have them go unread. Puzzled by your students’ seeming indifference, you may vacillate between blaming them and wondering what you’re doing wrong. But their not completing the reading isn’t necessarily a personal attack on your teaching or choice of texts. In fact, many of the reasons are environmental and social: - We stop teaching the subject too soon. Reading is taught as a fundamental skill in the early years of elementary school, but after that point it’s less and less developed. In assigning tasks that require higher-order thinking, high-school and college teachers assume students know how to read actively, think critically about the material, and formulate questions and critiques. For many students, that just isn’t the case. Reading needs to be foundationally introduced, and then reinforced through lots of practice. Various methods of reading comprehension (outlining, note taking, analysis, peer editing, reading aloud, etc.) should build flexibility and agility. Too often, teachers are dropping the ball both on building the foundations in K-12 and reinforcing them in college classrooms. - Digital distractions are hard to escape. In 2024, the average household has 17 screens, and that includes tablets, TVs, computers, and cell phones. Students are streaming, scrolling, and watching — a lot. Amid those distractions, only 20 percent of teenagers report reading for pleasure. Most reading is done for class (if at all) and seen only as a mandatory school activity. Practice makes perfect, so if there is no practice at home, the activity becomes harder within the confines of the classroom. Continue reading: “[How to Get Your Students to Read]( by Kerry L. O’Grady Share your suggestions for the newsletter with Denise Magner, an editor at The Chronicle, at denise.magner@chronicle.com. If you’d like to opt out, you can log in to our website and [manage your newsletter preferences here](. ADVERTISEMENT SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to essential news, analysis, and advice. Upcoming Workshop [The Chronicle's Crash Course in Academic Leadership | August 2024] If you’re curious about becoming an academic administrator, we’re once again offering The Chronicle’s Academic Leadership Crash Course, a four-hour virtual workshop designed for faculty aspiring to administrative roles. Join us in August to gain essential insights, practical tips, and valuable resources that will help you pursue your next professional step. [Learn more and register!]( LATEST CAREER ADVICE, OPINION, AND NEWS ADVICE [How to Pilot a Postacademic Career]( By William Pannapacker and Jennifer Polk [STORY IMAGE]( Two Ph.D.s who left academe and now run their own businesses offer advice on professional transitions. ADVERTISEMENT [How to Pilot a Postacademic Career]( ADVICE [The ROI of a History Degree]( By Patryk J. Babiracki and James W. Cortada [STORY IMAGE]( How to direct history students toward fulfilling nonacademic careers, and make the case for the value of the field. 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[Order this report]( to improve your understanding of AI technologies, and explore how other colleges are adapting their policies and guidelines. What we’re reading Here’s more on career issues and trends from around the web. See something we should include? [Let me know](mailto:denise.magner@chronicle.com?subject=Your Career feedback). - [Advice]( in the Harvard Business Review on how to refine your work/life goals. - A [report]( in The Wall Street Journal forecasts that the “pandemic-induced hiring spree” is over; the market is still healthy, but “signs of difficulty are creeping in.” - The fall semester is fast approaching, but you still have time to do some summer reading for pleasure. Here are lists of the 100 best books of the 21st century (so far), [chosen by critics and writers]( and [voted by readers](. MORE CAREER RESOURCES [Chronicle Festival: The Road Ahead to 2035]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: September 10-12, 2024 | Join us for our annual ideas summit, on how higher education must plan now for student demographic shifts, rapid technological change, an uncertain labor market, and more. What can your institution do to adapt? With Support From Workday, University of South Florida, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Florida International University, Google, and Strada. [Register here.]( [The Chronicle’s Academic Leadership Crash Course]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: August 23rd or August 24th, 2024 The Chronicle is partnering with the experienced faculty members and administrators at Dever Justice LLC to design a fast-paced course for academic professionals looking to advance their skills in preparation for administrative roles. This four-hour workshop will provide key insights for new and aspiring academic administrators on the inner workings of taking on an administrative position—from application all the way through the transition. [Register here.]( POLITICS AND RACE [DEI Legislation Tracker]( By Chronicle Staff [STORY IMAGE]( Legislators, mostly Republicans, want to get rid of diversity, equity, and inclusion offices; end anti-bias trainings; and banish diversity statements. DATA [Tracking Higher Ed’s Dismantling of DEI]( By Erin Gretzinger, Maggie Hicks, Christa Dutton, and Jasper Smith [STORY IMAGE]( We’ve documented actions taken on dozens of campuses to alter or eliminate jobs, offices, hiring practices, and programs amid mounting political pressure to end identity-conscious recruitment and retention of minority staff and students. JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Search thousands]( of faculty, administrative, and executive job openings and [upload your resume]( to be searchable by employers! 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