Is the class you're teaching a general education elective or is it a class that the students need for their major? That could be the difference. During freshman year, I took Physical Geography (where we learned about rocks and soil) as an elective satisfy my general education science elective. I never really studied because I didn't care and the subject didn't interest me (sorry Diane! I know it's your interest!
). As for my business classes, I tried in those classes because the subject matter interested me.