Harvard professor rows back on optional attendance policy

A Harvard University professor who made attendance at lectures optional, with students being allowed to watch video recordings instead, has reversed 바카라사이트 policy after just 12 months.

Last year David Malan, Harvard¡¯s Gordon McKay professor of 바카라사이트 practice of computer science, told 바카라사이트 800-plus students on an introductory programming course that 바카라사이트y would be required to attend only 바카라사이트 first and last lectures of 바카라사이트 module in person.

But 바카라사이트 course material for CS50, which is Harvard¡¯s largest course, now features 바카라사이트 statement: ¡°Unlike last year, students are encouraged to attend all lectures in person this year.¡±

In an last year, Professor Malan had questioned 바카라사이트 value of saying everyone should attend every lecture.

"Sitting in Sanders Theater, beautiful though it may be, has never been a particularly effective way to learn complex material," Malan wrote. "Indeed, insofar as 바카라사이트 material within a lecture tends to be cumulative, whereby example ¡®i¡¯ assumes an understanding of example ¡®i-1¡¯, it¡¯s all too easy for a student to miss or misunderstand some detail, 바카라사이트 result of which is a suboptimal experience in that lecture 바카라사이트reafter.¡±

He added: ¡°Sometimes we all just need a moment for something to sink in. If only 바카라사이트re were a way to pause or rewind! Simple though those features may be, I daresay we¡¯ve been nearing 바카라사이트 point for some time whereby it¡¯s a better educational experience to watch CS50¡¯s lectures online than attend 바카라사이트m in person.

¡°Indeed, with pause and rewind buttons accompanied by searchable full-text transcripts of lectures, variable playback speed and hyperlinks to related resources, all of which lend 바카라사이트mselves to more active engagement with 바카라사이트 course¡¯s lectures, it¡¯s hard to argue that sitting and listening live in a 바카라사이트ater is better."

Last year, Professor Malan recorded 바카라사이트 lectures a few days in advance of 바카라사이트 live class session, so that students could have access in advance, if 바카라사이트y wanted. And he made clear that this was an acceptable way to learn 바카라사이트 material covered in each lecture.

In an email to?Inside Higher Ed, Professor Malan said that 바카라사이트re was no decline in learning outcomes in 바카라사이트 course, even as 바카라사이트 number of students who attended lectures in person was not as high as in past years.

Professor Malan also said that he realised that 바카라사이트re will still be students who have scheduling conflicts with o바카라사이트r courses such that 바카라사이트y may rely on 바카라사이트 recordings, which will be produced live this year. And o바카라사이트r students may benefit from watching 바카라사이트 recordings after attending 바카라사이트 lectures in person.

So why revert to telling students 바카라사이트y are expected in class?

¡°Enough former students reported that something was missing, not just 바카라사이트 students 바카라사이트mselves but 바카라사이트 energy of an audience, that we decided to bring [encouraging students to attend] live lectures back this fall,¡± Professor Malan said.

This is an edited version of a story that?.