The College Fear Factor (text only) by R. D. Cox

by Rebecca D. Cox

The College Fear How Students and Professors Misunderstand One Another [Hardcover]Rebecca D. Cox (Author)

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction, Leadership, College

Hardcover

First published October 1, 2009

Reviews

[Karl Steel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title's a bit misleading. Cox exclusively treats Community College students, particularly their experience in introductory English composition courses. I can see it, then, being most useful for disciplines that expect students to produce analytical writing and for faculty at institutions, like mine, whose student body is largely "non-traditional." An important note: as Cox observes, "non-traditional" may be a misnomer, since only a 52% of students who graduated high school in 1992 and went to a 4-year institution attended that institution continuously until obtaining their degree; and a 1999 NCES survey "estimated that nearly 75 percent of all undergraduates possessed nontraditional characteristics and...28 percent were highly nontraditional" (6-7). In other words, it is the supposed "traditional" student--financially stable, from a college-savvy family, in his or her late teens or early 20s, a native English speaker, who finishes a degree in 4 or fewer years at a single institution--who is nontraditional, and we should rethink higher education with this in mind.

Most of the book anecdotally considers students' anxieties, motivations, and criteria for good instruction. The students' voices are worth hearing, of course, and not only as a corrective for rateyourstudents or the jumble of nonsense at ratemyprofessor (although I think many professors would be better instructors if they took those comments--and the student concerns they represent--more seriously). However, only the last two chapters, "Academic Literacies" and "Reimagining College from the Inside Out," really need to be read to 'get' Cox's argument. It is here, for example, that she engages most thoroughly with the fields of pedagogical theory and cognitive science, usefully for faculty (like me) underfamiliar with either one of these fields.

Here's the key passage:

Teachers' lack of understanding of students' assumptions and motivations exponentially magnified the difficulty of teaching. When instructors recognized the reasons for students' lackluster performance--whether in class or on assignments--they were much more likely to be able to shape students' beliefs and behavior. Indeed, by virtue of their professional authority, instructors exerted tremendous influence over students' sense of competence and willingness to seek assistance with coursework. Virtually across the board, an instructor's efforts to assuage students' fears functioned as an active invitation to take part in the class and marked the first step toward fostering the perception on the part of students that the coursework they were being asked to accomplish was challenging but "doable." In this way, the most promising pedagogical approach accomplished three crucial goals: it (a) demonstrated the instructor's competence in the field of student; (b) clarified both the instructor's expectations for student performance and the procedures for accomplishing the work; and (c) persuaded students that they were more than capable of succeeding. Achieving these results required that instructors be very clear and consistent in their messages to students and actively respond to students' conceptions of the course goals, instructional activities, and learning strategies. (163; my emphasis)

While other readers may benefit most from Cox's critique of the academic paradigm of gatekeeping (in which an institution's exclusive student body somehow indicates the quality of instruction) and her record of student expectations of professors (sadly, they tend to think of us as a kind of organic powerpoint, present only to to impart knowledge), I've emphasized what in Cox's book spoke most to me: managing student fear. It's true that most students tend to find the academic hunt for ambiguity pointless, that they do not want to "waste their time" on class discussion, that they want to study efficiently with an eye towards the test and, often, just towards getting through the class: and I can respond to each of these points by making my pedagogy and the class more transparent and, especially, by training students in "academic literacies" (perhaps with the help of a book like this). However, the hardest thing has simply been getting students to turn in work, particularly in Core classes, i.e., courses with nonmajors. Cox shows me that the students suffer, in essence, from impostor syndrome. They expect to turn in papers and discover that they don't belong in college. Students need low-stakes in class writing assignments (especially in the first few days of the semester) to acclimate them to submitting work, and faculty should return this work (not just keep it as a diagnostic) with encouraging comments amid the criticism. This may seem a simple point, but I know I failed at least one student this last semester for want of this.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was very little in this book that was a suprise to me (teaching composition at a community college as I do) but Rebecca Cox put it together in an engaging package. Cox's discussion reminded me why I do some of things I do to connect with my students but also inspired me to think of ways to make the workings of academic culture more explict.

My private liberal arts college education (working minimal hours as a work study student) more than two decades ago was pure luxury--one that most students cannot afford. This book reminded me that even (or maybe especially) at a community college, students take both personal and financial risks in enrolling in my class.

One of my favorite scholars, Lisa Delpit, talks about the importance of becoming students of our students and this book was a solid example of that. This is a must read for anyone wanting to teach (or already teaching) at a community college and I think it would benefit professors at four-year schools as well.

[Gary Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although public perceptions of postsecondary education are primarily based on portrayals of Ivy League colleges and universities, the reality is that only about half of American college students are enrolled full-time in a traditional four-year college. The other half of American college students are enrolled on a part-time basis and/or attending community colleges. While college access has exploded in recent decades, vast numbers of those who enroll in college do not succeed, especially at schools that offer the most access. Why? In The College Fear Factor, Seton Hall professor Rebecca D. Cox explores how students’ expectations of the college experience are different from what they frequently encounter, and why some professors are frustrated by students’ lack of engagement with their course work. Based on several research studies, The College Fear Factor is helpful for anyone concerned with the concept of college-readiness, or those interested in how to foster a productive academic environment in a college setting that offers wide access to a heterogeneous student body.

[Johari · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't think Dr. Cox introduced anything that instructors don't already know.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant book—sensible, clearly written, and grounded in scrupulous and empathetic research. Cox looks at the emotional and cultural barriers that get in the way of college learning—even when both teachers and students are doing their best to connect. She is particularly astute in showing how expectations distinguishing “professing” (the transmission of expert knowledge) and “teaching” (helping people master a practice) get in the way of the attempts of college faculty to, well, teach students. I’m particularly impressed that Cox’s work is grounded in her close observation of several composition teachers—whose efforts she clearly admires even when their students do not. She shows that good pedagogy is not in itself enough— a chastening lesson for someone who has spent his career refining his pedagogy as awriting teacher.

[Gina · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is already outdated and hardly engages in this topic in an equity-minded way. While Cox's intent to address the fear and anxiety that students' face in college is a good one, the book hardly delivers on that front.

The book is filled with anecdotes of students who seem to be, in actuality, quite privileged based on their rude commentary and thinly veiled bias and racism against an African American woman professor, Lori (which, Cox does not address at all until the last paragraph of her chapter on observations of Lori's classroom).

Reading this in the context of 2018, it's cringeworthy for Cox not to at least address the fact that students were disrespecting Lori based on her gender and race. One male student compares what he felt was an excellent male professor to Lori's teaching and it's laughable how sexist his comments are.

Cox sits in on Lori's composition classroom for a semester and it turns out that the students are still disgruntled by the end. Cox chalks this up to, simply, students expecting to be taught in a different way than how she teaches. That is surface level stuff right there. Cox says the problem isn't Lori's lack of teaching skill but the students' expectations not meeting reality. I don't doubt Lori's skill but clearly there's a larger disconnect that Cox does not care to delve into or show us.

I don't see students like the ones in my classroom represented much at all in this book. The students who feel that they don't belong in college or who are afraid to ask questions. Cox spends most of her time recording the most vocal students and these are the students with the privilege to speak out and to do so frankly. These students are outliers in my classroom and typically calm down after they understand how we engage in a student-centered classroom community. Cox claims to be talking about those fearful students yet in all of chapter 5 she gives anecdote after anecdote of students who think the work they're doing is a waste of time or don't respect the professor. It's possible these comments are also defense mechanisms out of fear, but they signal to me their privilege.

This is quite simply the most frustrating and biased books I've read about pedagogy, and I've read a lot of good equity-minded books that others should read instead of this one. I had to read this for a professional development class, and a colleague who also couldn't stand the book cynically pointed out that Cox must have written this book simply to get published and get tenure.

[Marcos Fuerte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca D Cox, conveys the idea of the gap between students conception of appropriate writing task and the professors expectations; it also illustrates a broader difficulty of adjusting the two culture of academia for students entering higher education. Cox describes the ranges differences of thinking, acting, speaking, and writing habit from students outside academia compared to those inside. A major independent problem is the prevalence of mangled language, which underscores students perceptions on topics under discussion, and alienating some students. A crucial point is that many college faculty members have forgotten over the years of graduate studies how it feels to be a college student coming in, and assume that entering students will do well. Once students have completed the writing courses such as composition requirements, they will probably be schooled in the kind of writing required in the rest of their college courses. Research, however has concluded that this premise is highly flawed: skills and knowledge that an individual acquires in one context to another. Do not automatically transfer to new contexts. For example, Beth, an instructor, is in disagreement with how well Comp 1A prepares for further college work, stating: "it doesn't seem that an english class into history or philosophy would translate skills. This is because writing skills required through different academic disciplines vary immensely." Learning how to write according to the conventions of a particular academic discipline is best accomplished while a person is immersed in discipline during-specific courses. A crucial element in general context is the standardized testing through K- 12. The testing regime has altered, recent high school graduates notion of appropriate educational writing. The resulting effect with academic discipline in K-12 students is the increasing gap between high school and college level academic expectations. Colleges have an incentive to keep attrition rates low due to students' lack of preparation in  attending two-year institutions. A possible solution to the issue is implementing the three strategies for academic improvement: (a) changing the entry level assessment tools, (b) adjusting cutoff scores for placement in remedial course, and (c) developing an exit test for writing courses. Even then this is a difficult problem to resolve because these strategies fail to address the communication gap between students and the professors.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book would be good for new teachers, especially those new to the community college environment. However, for those who have been teaching at the college level for a while, nothing in this book is revolutionary. There are still some important take-aways though, particularly about the way we think about content knowledge v. pedagogical knowledge. This is certainly an issue at the college level, where an advanced degree in a content area is valued more than a degree in education, educational psychology, or content+education (i.e. math education, English education) degrees. But, as most research shows, the advanced degree in a content area does not necessarily make one a good TEACHER. And, at the community college level especially (where we are not expected to do research), teaching is the primary goal, yet most of us don't know how to do it well. This is the other important part of this book: curriculum v. practice. Many departments and administrations try to make curricular changes in order to increase student success but neglect to look at what actually goes on in the classroom (we look at the WHAT instead of the HOW). In doing this, we make surface changes that may not have the desired effect we hope for because what really needs to change is HOW instructors think about their students in general, think about their students in relation to the content area, and think about the way learning happens.

Overall, not a bad read to inspire some thinking about teaching, but, again, nothing mind-blowing especially for people who have been doing this for some time.

[Melanie Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suppose I didn't realize just how much community college students can be afraid to take that next step. When people flood my classroom and look bored, I take it as a lack of care, but Cox demonstrates that students are hiding, hoping to just survive, or utterly terrified (which is why they disappear). Cox argues that the most important thing a community college instructor can do is reassure students that they can pass the course. Perhaps they won't the first time, but they've all taken a test that says they have the right to be there. Anything that crumples a community college student's confidence, which is typically paper thin, can cause them to not only leave your class, but college altogether.

Reading in students' own words how they perceive the classroom is invaluable, too. One case study examines a professor whose model appears logical and sound, but students rebel against her because they don't trust her knowledge when she lets go of lecturing and moves to student-oriented class sessions.

Oh, and students hate hate hate hate peer review. I did too. So did my husband. So does everyone I've ever spoken to. Do any of you use it? Do you find value in that activity?

[L. Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the insights were not particularly stunning to me (I had a really good graduate school education), I think they would be to many professors who've been in the field 10+ years. Basically, the professorial model is dead (or dying). Those who've made it through grad school/doctorates did so DESPITE lecture-kill not because of it. Most students don't learn by being droned at--in fact, only 5% retain much information at all via lecturing only. It's partially a problem with our system thinking that content knowledge = pedagogical knowledge. Professors need to learn how to teach too. It doesn't come naturally to most people.

Wow. End rant.

Back to the book: it discusses students fears about the college experience and professors' misconceptions about those fears. For example, most students avoid assessment not because they're lazy or dumb, but because they're afraid of assessment. They're afraid that they can't achieve, when in reality, many can. If they only show up. Which many vulnerable students don't. [Insert another fragment here.]

Overall, great read. Very important for all community college professors to read.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though not particularly shocking or new, the ideas in this book are extremely important for teachers to think about. It seems rather obvious that students are interested in getting value for their money (at least to me, since I myself was a student not long ago), but she examines how those interests affect their behavior in class. One of the most valuable contributions this book has to offer is its examination of the reasons for students' failures. Instead of just writing the students off as lazy, unprepared, or troubled, she recognizes that there are real sources to the problems in the classroom, and that if a teacher can address those, things go much better. Lastly, I appreciate her emphasis on teacher expectations. Believing our students are capable of success is crucial to ensuring their success.

[Chechoui · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must for all community college professors and students. Most books focus on University students, so I really liked that the author Cox completed research with community college students across the nation. She mostly focuses on the affective needs of students and those who are placed in remedial math and English sequences. The detrimental effect of this remedial course coursework is clearly seen and she offers suggestions about how professors can address these affective needs and reduce students' fear and anxiety.

[Ann Hefner-Gravink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the classroom observations and student interviews focused largely on composition classes there are still some lessons in there for all of us. We need to meet students where they are and teach them not only what to learn but how to learn instead of expecting them to work/think like we do as college professors. Summary of advice for myself is CCC. Demonstrate Competence, maintain Clear expectations, and reassure students that they are Capable of college level work.

[Katharina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though most of the book seemed to be anecdotal, I found there was some very useful information about how to conduct college classes and the relationship between students and faculty, especially in the latter half of this book. I look forward to discussing it in my book club, and it has actually been quite helpful for a research project on which I'm currently working.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent short book on teaching in community colleges. Cox draws on many comprehensive classroom studies, including seven college writing courses and a number of related interviews with students. Highly recommended--wish I had had it years ago. Thanks, Meagan Newberry, for recommending this book (Meagan teaches at the College of Western Idaho).

[Mike Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard about this book when a speaker at the S-STEM PI Conference was taking place. The speaker was talking about the well-intentioned open door policy at institutions that are supported by other policies at the same institution.

So I picked this up in earnest, because I am at a community college, and the factors that contribute to student success are complex. Fear as an overall factor comes up a lot. The context here was predominantly English Composition, with some forays into History. I would have been interested in seeing something that tackled more math and science.

The books is built on observations of classroom instruction that resulted in a deeper exploration of a couple professors. This book is a little dated, and I wonder what an update would look like. There was some discussion of interesting and innovative pedagogy that fell outside of student expectations, and was therefore ridiculed and rejected. It also showed up on evaluations.

I would recommend this book to those serving in community colleges, for sure. I would recommend it as part of a larger body of reading that is becoming more and more essential.

[Lisa Aofrate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did similar phenomenological research as Rebecca with the same or similar outcomes and was told by a colleague after giving my results summation to the college (of the research) that she had the same outcomes I did and that I needed to read her book. So, I did!

Rebecca's book was so affirming and I wish that more people interested in adult students' persistence (which statistically proves for individual success) will read her book. . .and perhaps my thesis. My thesis was regarding developmental reading students, but in the end what I found is due to the college student 'fear factors' Rebecca writes about, the same or similar ways of supporting adult students from her book and my dissertation will work in any adult study environment.

So read her book first! If you are so inclined, here is my thesis: 'Perceptions of Community College Students and Faculty on Persistence in Developmental Reading.'

Thank you!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed and appreciate this book very much. Others have said it's not exactly groundbreaking, and I agree. In fact, the author acknowledges that much of what she writes about has been discovered, through trial and error, by the best college teachers. Nevertheless, to have these observations validated and explored in more detail is useful and interesting. The historical discussions of the professoriate and of the focus on student preparation and curriculum were also valuable for me and will help me as I present ideas to my administration.

[Elaine Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Read this for a class)
Interesting and pretty insightful at points, but very limited in scope and frustratingly unwilling to do more than scratch the surface of a lot of the socioeconomic issues it touched on. also kinda repetitive. maybe would’ve banged as a 20-30 page essay but didn’t really hold up as a book for me? still, I can think of a few instructors in my life who would probably benefit from reading it

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

If teaching at a community college especially, I think there's a lot to consider in this book. Some of it seems to be common sense, but a lot of it is nice to see student anecdotes and quotes to better understand.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going from a HS to CC environment, much of this text seemed to be common sense; however, I think it provides a valuable perspective for those who haven't formally been trained to teach and it also reminds us that the art of teaching requires constant knowledge of one's subjects over subject matter.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting insights into community college students...any my sons.

[Casey Dworzynski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this book did not provide any groundbreaking insights into higher education and focused on a small proportion of students - mainly first generation students attending community colleges. The main arguments included:

- We are seeing an increase in students coming to college because of the cost-benefit analysis between short term cost and potential long-term gains in the job market
- Students come to college with some level of anxiety and fear
- Students expect classes to be beneficial, with tangible outcomes that they will learn and apply
- Teachers can impact the perception of students, either by confirming their fear or coming down to their level and praising the student for the successes that they do have

Rebecca Cox focuses on students expectations of college versus the realities often provided. The media paints a portrait of Higher Education as a situation where elite, educated individuals profess their knowledge down upon their pupils. This creates a false expectation that college is about receiving sacred knowledge from an elite genius. However, many in college realize that this lecture-based model is inefficient and many educators do not conform to the elitist model. Instead, college educators (especially those teaching entry-level material) are most interested in creating opportunities for critical inquiry. This creates a disconnect between the expected and the reality and can increase students' level of fear to a crippling level.

Cox argues that instructors must keep their students' perceptions in mind, balancing their class sessions with traditional lecture and instruction but also providing approachability and their own style. If students are encouraged and given positive reinforcement alongside the rigorous standards, they will often achieve at higher rates.

To me as an administrator, I find that we should seek to provide outside-of-class opportunities for students to engage with professors to eliminate the perceived barrier. Once students see professors coming to their own level, Cox argues that they are more likely to communicate with the professor and attempt to meet their standards. Additionally, I believe that this book is seeking to have teachers trained in classroom etiquette and teaching techniques to close the gap.

[Lars · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very helpful in its characterization of first-generation college students at "access" institutions such as community colleges and regional four-year colleges. I have taught at such institutions for the past five years, and have tried to learn how best to reach students. Thus, some of the thoughts in this book are familiar to me, and some feel like common-sense once one meets enough of the type of students profiled in the book, but Cox provides deeper research and a better analysis of the population than one can do merely from being a teacher.

The book was very helpful in expressing students' feelings of fear, distrust, and dislike of many modern educational approaches that teachers use, some of which are designed exclusively to increase student buy-in and interest.

The book comes away with a set of principles for effective teaching in this context (increase students' confidence in you by demonstrating your knowledge of the material, give students a lot of instruction on how to complete the work you want them to do, and assure them always that they are capable of doing it), and even a great chapter about how a few exceptional teachers do these things (chapter 6, the strongest in the book), but the book really focused more on the problems than potential solutions. This is ok, problems may be easier to demonstrate empirically, but I wanted more positive ideas.

Still, I recommend this book to teachers working at access institutions and anyone who wants to know more about the relationships between teachers and students right now.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good qualitative research performed in remedial courses at a community college (2 year program), confirming much of what I've heard through other sources. However, the author oversteps the limitations of the research when she genralizes from the single setting to all other colleges including 4 year schools. The difficulties, expectations, and miscommunications between students and faculty give us much to think about, but the findings cannot be generalized to the very different types of populations that exist at and between bachelors degree granting institutions.

[Karyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is amazing (with one exception: her inability to clearly define what constitutes "explicit instruction"). Cox makes important points about what lies beneath our classroom interactions and how we as a country have structured education--including the futility of Freshman Composition. Though she focuses on community colleges, her book should be required reading for anyone who teaches at the college level.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down! At first, I thought I knew all about the topic as I work hard in my teaching to alleviate student fears. But, now that I am a student again, I remember what it is like to not know what the teacher has in mind and to feel anxiety about my own abilities as a student. I would recommend this to anyone planning to teach college students - particularly in a community college setting.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prompts Thought

If you care deeply about transforming students to learners and professors to learning-facilitators, read this book. It doesn't offer detailed solutions, but it does point the concerned reader in the right direction. Thankfully, there is growing research in the scholarship of teaching and learning that helps too. Ideally, this book would have shared more of this work.

[Karen Cowden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rebecca Cox brings practical activities and insights on a student's perspective of higher education in her work. As an instructor I struggle to see the current trends of student's fear in adapting to college. This work showed how perspective and mindful practices support students in the tricky adoption into college thinking and working.

[LSC-University Park SLRC]

Read it through Lone Star College's EBSCO Ebook Collection.