RUSSELL FRANK — Students, like actors, should perform – CDT
My former News Ethics professor laments that students don’t participate in class.

Most of you, I believe, come to class expecting to be spectators. The person standing at the front of the room is going to perform and you are going to watch — or daydream or nap or discretely text message, just as spectators feel free to do at a concert or a play.

This model might make sense in the lecture hall. But it’s all wrong for the classroom and the computer lab. In those smaller venues, you, too, are the performers. When you fail to show up, or show up but fail to contribute your energy, your interest or your insight, you hurt the class as surely as an actor or a player who sits out or just goes through the motions hurts the rest of his cast or team.

You also forfeit your right to complain about being bored by a long-winded professor when you are making the prof do all the talking because you are not doing any of the talking.

Had this column been written around 1999, it might have been titled “Students (other than Yurasko), like actors, should perform.”

College costs too much to just sit there while the prof lectures; speaking up makes it more interesting and educational. Also, participating in class and going to office hours is a great way to increase your grade and it is fun too.