Two professors and a student are deliberating on making lecture attendance compulsory. Dr. Green (Professor) I've been reviewing attendance statistics across several courses, and the trend is concerning. Students who regularly attend lectures consistently perform better. I believe making attendance compulsory could help lift overall academic outcomes and reduce the growing number of underperforming students. Participation is part of learning, not just content absorption. Dr. Riley (Professor) I understand your concern, but I favour flexible learning. Some students thrive through independent study or rely on recorded lectures due to personal circumstances. Compulsory attendance risks alienating those who manage their time differently. Academic freedom should apply to students as well, especially in a university setting. Liam (Student) Honestly, I'm against mandatory attendance. It treats us like schoolkids. If the lectures are useful, we'll show up. But forcing it feels punitive. Besides, online lecture recordings exist for a reason. We all have different learning styles and commitments. Some weeks, showing up in person just isn't feasible. Dr. Green (Professor) But Liam, recordings aren't the same as live interaction. When students are present, they ask questions, engage in discussions, and create a dynamic environment. We’ve also noticed that students with poor attendance often perform poorly, even when lectures are available online. Participation points might nudge students to engage more actively. Dr. Riley (Professor) That's a possibility, though we must weigh it against student satisfaction. The recent survey showed students valued autonomy in managing their learning. Rather than enforcing rules, could we explore systems that encourage attendance without mandating it perhaps offering small incentives tied to participation or presence? Liam (Student) Now that I could get behind. I'm all for being encouraged, not coerced. If attending gets me participation points or some form of recognition, I'm more likely to turn up, especially if there's room for occasional absence without penalty. That feels more respectful of our maturity. Dr. Green (Professor) It's a compromise I can live with. Let’s pilot an incentive based system offer points or small benefits for consistent attendance without punishing those who miss occasionally. We'll monitor if this approach improves engagement and grades without strict enforcement. Dr. Riley (Professor) Yes, and we can gather fresh attendance data and compare it against performance and satisfaction feedback.If it proves effective, we'll consider rolling it out more widely next year,adapting based on what we learn from the pilot. Liam (Student) That sounds fair. Giving us a reason to show up without punishing us for being absent shows you trust us. Let's try the incentive system this semester and see what the results say before deciding anything long term.