Bill Lukens
@paleosol.bsky.social
geology | paleoclimatology | geochemistry | soils | sed/strat | Assoc. Prof. at JMU | views are my own
Lab website: https://sites.google.com/view/lukenslabjmu
Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Nlx0NacAAAAJ&hl=en&authuser=1&oi
Lab website: https://sites.google.com/view/lukenslabjmu
Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Nlx0NacAAAAJ&hl=en&authuser=1&oi
Agreed! I was a sophomore Film & Media Arts major, and my 8 am geology course is what sent me down my current career path! :)
November 7, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Agreed! I was a sophomore Film & Media Arts major, and my 8 am geology course is what sent me down my current career path! :)
Are other people seeing a big shift in aptitudes this semester? I don't worry about the upper echelon - they did fine even in Covid.
I worry about the C- student who has great potential and just hasn't figured out how to excel in college yet.
#AcademicSky
6/6
I worry about the C- student who has great potential and just hasn't figured out how to excel in college yet.
#AcademicSky
6/6
November 6, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Are other people seeing a big shift in aptitudes this semester? I don't worry about the upper echelon - they did fine even in Covid.
I worry about the C- student who has great potential and just hasn't figured out how to excel in college yet.
#AcademicSky
6/6
I worry about the C- student who has great potential and just hasn't figured out how to excel in college yet.
#AcademicSky
6/6
I wonder if this is the start of AI brain rot inflicting some students? For the first time, I started seeing some students asking ChatGPT to answer questions on in-class activities (paper handouts). I always intervene and explain why AI can't help in this setting. Usually works.
5/6
5/6
November 6, 2025 at 3:00 PM
I wonder if this is the start of AI brain rot inflicting some students? For the first time, I started seeing some students asking ChatGPT to answer questions on in-class activities (paper handouts). I always intervene and explain why AI can't help in this setting. Usually works.
5/6
5/6
The effect of mandated attendance has seemingly worn off. Perhaps it's a post-post-Covid swing, where students are responding to our mechanisms emplaced to normalize behavior after the pandemic peak. Or...
4/6
4/6
November 6, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The effect of mandated attendance has seemingly worn off. Perhaps it's a post-post-Covid swing, where students are responding to our mechanisms emplaced to normalize behavior after the pandemic peak. Or...
4/6
4/6
There was always a sizeable chunk of GenEd students who coast, not engaging even with frequent in-class activities. I require attendance and use QR codes/surveys to track it.
This used to result in a consistent 65-70 / 80 students to show up regularly. Now? Often only 55-65 students show up.
3/6
This used to result in a consistent 65-70 / 80 students to show up regularly. Now? Often only 55-65 students show up.
3/6
November 6, 2025 at 3:00 PM
There was always a sizeable chunk of GenEd students who coast, not engaging even with frequent in-class activities. I require attendance and use QR codes/surveys to track it.
This used to result in a consistent 65-70 / 80 students to show up regularly. Now? Often only 55-65 students show up.
3/6
This used to result in a consistent 65-70 / 80 students to show up regularly. Now? Often only 55-65 students show up.
3/6
I usually see a bimodal distribution of exam scores in this class (13 semesters). Typically the lower mode centers on ~70-75%, and only a handful of non-attending students fail.
Not the case here. The lower mode was ~55%, and that group includes many students with perfect attendance. ???
2/6
Not the case here. The lower mode was ~55%, and that group includes many students with perfect attendance. ???
2/6
November 6, 2025 at 3:00 PM
I usually see a bimodal distribution of exam scores in this class (13 semesters). Typically the lower mode centers on ~70-75%, and only a handful of non-attending students fail.
Not the case here. The lower mode was ~55%, and that group includes many students with perfect attendance. ???
2/6
Not the case here. The lower mode was ~55%, and that group includes many students with perfect attendance. ???
2/6
It's a bit of a hike even for us! Takes 1 hour, minimum, to get on any outcrops, and up to 1.5 hrs if you're headed out toward the Allegheny Front. Worth the trip, but not frequently!
November 4, 2025 at 5:58 PM
It's a bit of a hike even for us! Takes 1 hour, minimum, to get on any outcrops, and up to 1.5 hrs if you're headed out toward the Allegheny Front. Worth the trip, but not frequently!
It's fascinating that if you ask students to read a graph (w/ time on the x-axis) and make a prediction about what would happen in the future based on available info on the graph, they often make an argument based solely on allegory or non sequitur rather than using trends/relationships shown.
October 23, 2025 at 8:53 PM
It's fascinating that if you ask students to read a graph (w/ time on the x-axis) and make a prediction about what would happen in the future based on available info on the graph, they often make an argument based solely on allegory or non sequitur rather than using trends/relationships shown.
Oh certainly not! Students with stats or AP-level math from HS usually are quite bored as I try desperately to get the other 70-ish students to discern what units are shown on each axis. 😅 That said, the better-prepared students add depth and insight that is appreciated by their peers.
October 23, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Oh certainly not! Students with stats or AP-level math from HS usually are quite bored as I try desperately to get the other 70-ish students to discern what units are shown on each axis. 😅 That said, the better-prepared students add depth and insight that is appreciated by their peers.