Two years into his English literature degree at the University of Pittsburgh, sophomore Luke Johnson has noticed something in his liberal arts courses: Students in his classes have gone quiet. As he sits in sociology or English writing classes, he finds himself having to fill the silence through more participation.
Every time his professors assign a book or an excerpt to read, he ensures it’s completed by class time so he can participate effectively. When no one else speaks, he feels frustrated—unable to dialogue with his peers and deepen his learning about the text.
“I feel indebted to my teacher to make the class engaging,” Johnson said. “I feel like the majority of people in the class are taking it as a gen ed and therefore sort of discounting the importance of doing the coursework.”
Read more at AP News.
