Growing numbers of university students now learn by watching recordings of their lectures or studying the course material instead of actually attending them.
Many cite the cost of living, caring responsibilities and the need to work for their lack of in-person learning, but academics argue this can affect their university experience – and their grades.
Academics also say that low attendance often correlates with students’ use of AI, which can summarise hours long lectures into handy notes, but fails to provide the deeper understanding of the topic.
Lectures ‘averaging about 50 per cent attendance’
Following Covid, lecture attendance plummeted, with half of seats often empty and students preferring to watch on their screens.
