“Les écoles d’enseignement supérieur ne devraient pas embaucher des intervenants en fin de carrière ou qui recherchent la tranquillité ou l’argent facile.
Les écoles d’enseignement supérieur ne peuvent pas s’attendre à des élèves motivés si leurs intervenants ne sont pas motivants.“
– Étudiant(e)
- Student Outcomes: Failure vs Success
Student Outcomes: Failure vs Success.
Coursely asked 1,400+ students, teachers & recruiters across France how to improve higher education. Here is a summary of what we found:
Why students ‘fail’ in higher education and beyond How students succeed Academic Lack of direction or clarity in career path leading to a lack of interest in course topic, coursework, workload or teaching style
Unreasonable or unrealistic expectations about university, teacher, course content, field of study, career trajectory…
Poor study habits in high school that compound in higher education: procrastination, laziness, lack of focus or focusing on the wrong things, impulsiveness, multi-taskingAwareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses and how to use them in one’s favor
Resourceful with strong problem-solving, analytical and critical thinking skills leading to creative and innovative decision-making
Love of learning with good research and note-taking habits and an ability to apply theory to practicePersonality & real-world Poorly maintained mental and physical health such as lack of exercise and sleep and substance abuse
Lack of accountability: blaming others, arrogant, self-centered, defensive, unable to handle criticism or question themselves, disrespectful
Inability to adapt to a wicked, VUCA environmentConscientious – organized, diligent, perfectionist, prudent & aware
Goal-oriented with high self-motivation and self-discipline, strong work ethic, mature, positive attitude and ability to perservere
Good time management, financial planning and professional networking skills
Agreeable – forgiving, gentle, flexible and patient
Able to work independently and collaborate in a team
Emotionally intelligent and persuasive – effective writing and communication skillsResources & Support Family and financial difficulties
Inadequate family and friends support system
Culture shock – failing to build meaningful friendships and integrate into campus life and extracurricular activities
Discrimination or bias
Lack of quality mentorship, or wrong guidance
Limited access to technology and study materialsAbility to network and build positive relationships with professors, advisors and fellow-students
Willingness to seek help and accept constructive feedback
Access to resources such as career services, mentorship and guidance from professors and professionals in their field - Learning Environments: Kind vs Wicked
Learning Environments: Kind vs Wicked.
Coursely asked 1,400+ students, teachers & recruiters across France how to improve higher education. Here is a summary of what we found:
A kind learning environment is like a friendly, no-stakes game of chess where the clear and unchanging rules of the game and the almost-instant feedback guarantee that the more you play, the better you understand the game.
A wicked learning environment is one where “information is hidden, convoluted, and feedback is delayed, inaccurate and infrequent,” such as a VUCA environment.
Kind learning environment Wicked learning environment Can increase personal development and student’s self-confidence through controlled mastery, but may lack structure and discipline because there is no consequence for failure Can increase motivation and develop adaptablity and resilience over the short-term, but prolonged failure and setbacks may lead to demotivation, burnout and abandonment. Can provide a nurturing and supportive environment where student feels safe to take risks and make mistaks, but may give student a false sense of mastery when placed into a wicked environment Lack structure and predictability, which can enhance problem-solving and critical thinking skills and inspire creativity and innovation May not challenge students enough, which leads to unrealistic expectations when placed in a competitive, wicked environment Can develop teamwork and interpersonal skills and improve communication, collaboration and leadership skills, but may also lead to extreme competitiveness up to aggression and sabotage May promote empathy and emotional intelligence which promotes ethical behavior when placed in a wicked environment, but may provide poor quality feedback and criticism which do not prepare learners for real-world challenges and ethical dilemmas. Can foster unethical behavior and a disregard for other’s well-being, as winning – or not losing – becomes the primary goal. May not promote a growth mindset or strong work ethic, which may set student up for failure in faced with setbacks in a wicked environment A VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) environment is “constantly changing and unpredictable where everything is in flux and nothing is certain, which can be disorienting and difficult to navigate.” In a VUCA environment the successful are able to “adapt and change quickly and make decisions without complete information.”
Coursely’s research findings:
Motivation & Feedback Kind: motivation through positivity, encouragement, praise, and meaningful feedback
Wicked: motivation through punishment, fear, shame, and humiliation
Our findings: At their own pace, students understand the professional world is a wicked learning environment that teaches through punishment (denial of opportunities) and rewards through opportunities (raises, promotions…). They were raised on social media and unconsciously understand even if they cannot articulate it.
In their higher education setting, students tend to prefer a kind learning environment where their teachers provide a safe learning environment that focuses on real-lworld, how-to training with personal stories and case studies to help them prepare for and succeed in wicked learning environments.
Related Responses: Career Preparation, Student SatisfactionTeaching Style Kind: adaptable, need-based, student-centered teaching that promotes diversity & inclusivity
Wicked: inflexible, exclusive, authoritarian teaching methods with little support and accomodation
Our findings: Higher education students expect a kind classroom environment, however with quality controls set in place by their university and teachers to protect them from being treated unfairly and not being hindered by other students.
Related Responses: Teaching Styles, Course Content, Career Preparation, Student SatisfactionBehavioral Assessment & Measurement Kind: prioritizes mastery and growth through meaningful and relevant tasks where mistakes are opportunites. Provides restorative justice to improve misbehavior. Promotes diversity, positivity and collaboration
Wicked: prioritizes deliverables and conformity based on grades and KPIs; assign busywork and rote memorization. Mistakes are failures with consequence. Relies on punishment as a deterrent for misbehavior. Promotes conformity, punishment and competition
Our findings: Students expect real-world examples, case studies and class projects relevant to their career. Likewise students expect comprehensive, personalized feedback on work submitted.
Related Responses: Course Content, Workload Expectations - Teaching Style Comparison: Pedagogy vs Andragogy vs Heutagogy
Teaching Style: Pedagogy vs Andragogy vs Heutagogy.
Coursely asked 1,400+ students, teachers & recruiters across France how to improve higher education. Here is a summary of what we found:
Level of Dependence Pedadogy: teaching children who are dependent upon their teacher
Andragogy: teaching adults who are striving for autonomy
Heutagogy: teaching autonomous self-learners
Our findings: Students want to be treated as autonomous adults, however tend to be ill-prepared for the transition from lower education’s traditional, pedagogical approach to the professional world’s andragogical and heutagogical expectations.
Teachers are pushed by universities to use non-traditional teaching methods, however classrooms tend to be designed for a traditional pedigogical approach.
As a result, students prefer internships & work-study programs over classroom learning because they are treated as working professionals and for the responsibility and real world, on-the-job training.
Related responses: Student Satisfaction, Course Content, Student ‘Failure’ vs Success, Wicked vs Kind EnvironmentsAccess to Resources Pedadogy: learner is fully dependent on teacher for content and direction
Andragogy: learner has resources and autonomy and learns through their’s and other’s experience
Heutagogy: learner has resources and autonomy and learner decides direction
Our findings: Students today have immediate, unregulated access to so many resources that they tend to suffer from information overload, and prefer multi-tasking than concentrating on one task at a time. Students tend to be unable to distinguish reliable from unreliable sources, and prefer short, concise, easy-to-consume content over more challenging, high-quality information in long form.
Related responses: Course Content, Workload Expectations, Student ‘Failure’ vs SuccessLearning Intentions Pedadogy: linear, organized learning required to progress to next stage in life/career
Andragogy: linear, organized learning required to improve in current stage in life/career
Heutagogy: non-linear, unplanned learning based on identified needs and potential
Our findings: Students polled prefer the non-linear, multi-tasking learning challenge offered in internships and work-study programs and prefer their classroom experience to be predictable, organized, and practical; designed to help them be successful in their internships and work-study program.
Related responses: Career Preparation, Teacher Recruiting, Wicked vs Kind EnvironmentsLearning Focus Pedadogy: sequential, structured learning based on subjects and following an enforced curriculum
Andragogy: task-centric or problem-centric learning
Heutagogy: pro-actively avoid problems by learning from own and others’ experiences
Our findings: students polled want practical learning in the classroom designed to help them excel in the working world. Depending on university accreditations, curriculum syllabi with comprehensive content and testing standards are enforced, putting teachers in the difficult position of managing contradictory student and university expectations.
Related responses: Teacher Recruiting, Career Preparation, Course Content, Wicked vs Kind EnvironmentsMotivation for Learning Pedadogy: externally motivated
Andragogy: internally motivated
Heutagogy: internally motivated
Our findings: students polled want both short-term gain and long-term advantage, and tend to be disappointed by their academic experience, which resorts to external motivation up to threats of academic failure if the student does not ‘do what the teacher says’.
Related responses: Career Preparation, Student Satisfaction, Course Content, Student ‘Failure’ vs SuccessTeacher’s Role in Learning Pedadogy: teacher designs and imposes learning process and content
Andragogy: teacher creates environment that encourages self-learning
Heutagogy: teacher manages autodidact’s learning environment
Our findings: learning during internships and work-study programs involve being paid to perform autonomous and collaborative projects with deadlines, and hands on training and personalized feedback from colleagues when the student has questions. Employers can monetize student output, thus employers have a vested interest in the student’s success.
Conversely, learning in universities involve students paying to be grouped into traditional classrooms and obliged to prioritize theory taught by a teacher where the students know their output will receive little personalized feedback, will most likely be deleted at the end of the semester, and has no legitimate place on their CV.
Related responses: Course Content, Workload Expectations, Student Satisfaction, Wicked vs Kind Environments - Recruter les meilleurs intervenants dans l’enseignement supérieur. Recruter les meilleurs étudiants pour des stages et des alternances 103
“Les écoles d’enseignement supérieur doivent améliorer la qualité de leur cafétéria sur le campus avec un meilleur café et une meilleure nourriture – c’est de là que nous tirons notre énergie.
Améliorez également le service de leur cafétéria sur le campus : des centaines d’étudiants, 1 caisse enregistreuse, 1 machine à café, 1 microondes, 2 employés de la cafétéria et seulement 10 minutes de pause entre les cours.
La logistique est impossible !“
– Étudiant(e)
- Recruter les meilleurs intervenants dans l’enseignement supérieur. Recruter les meilleurs étudiants pour des stages et des alternances 102
“Les intervenants doivent donner aux étudiants des informations sur l’insertion professionnelle et les réalités du marché du travail après l’obtention de leur diplôme.
Les intervenants doivent prendre le temps de comprendre et de s’adapter aux besoins de la population étudiante (potentiellement même une fracture générationnelle), sinon l’enseignant et son contenu ne se connecteront pas avec la jeune génération.“
– Recruteur d’Intervenants
- Recruter les meilleurs intervenants dans l’enseignement supérieur. Recruter les meilleurs étudiants pour des stages et des alternances 101
“Les étudiants devaient être tenus de réussir un examen d’entrée ou de franchiseur des étapes pour suivre certains cours. Ce n’est pas juste pour les étudiants qualifiés qui doivent suivre une version ralentie ou simplifiée d’un cours pour que tous les étudiants susceptibles de participer.
Dans les projets de groupe, les étudiants qualifiés se sont plaints qu’ils devaient également faire le travail des étudiants non qualifiés pour que leurs notes n’en pâtissent pas.“
– Intervenant(e)
- Recruter les meilleurs intervenants dans l’enseignement supérieur. Recruter les meilleurs étudiants pour des stages et des alternances 100
“La rigidité absolue des horaires de classe des écoles d’enseignement supérieur rend difficile l’enseignement, et encore moins d’arriver en classe à l’heure.
En tant que professionnel, mes clients et mon employeur exigent de ma part une disponibilité importante, parfois à la dernière minute.
Des horaires d’enseignement inflexibles et des notes non rémunérées en dehors des cours, combinés à de longs transports non rémunérés vers et depuis le campus, me font me demander si je veux ou non continuer à travailler avec certaines écoles.”
– Intervenant(e)
- Recruter les meilleurs intervenants dans l’enseignement supérieur. Recruter les meilleurs étudiants pour des stages et des alternances 99
“Les étudiants sont des clients payants. Les écoles d’enseignement supérieur devraient donner la priorité à leurs étudiants en premier car c’est nous qui payons.
Les écoles devraient rafraîchir leur site Web et fournir des explications plus précises dans la brochure, car l’école n’est pas comme ce qui est annoncé.
Les écoles doivent aligner leur programme vendu et le programme réalisé. Et arrêtez de changer les noms des programmes chaque année.”
– Étudiant(e)
- Recruter les meilleurs intervenants dans l’enseignement supérieur. Recruter les meilleurs étudiants pour des stages et des alternances 98
“Espionnez d’autres écoles d’enseignement supérieur et volez ce qui fonctionne. L’université devrait voir ce qui se passe dans les autres écoles et développer des programmes spécialisés pour s’améliorer et se démarquer de la concurrence.
Les écoles d’enseignement supérieur devraient investir davantage dans les étudiants et leur équipe pédagogique, pas dans les publicités scolaires.“
– Étudiant(e)
