Creating Welcoming Spaces

Ideas

Idea #9: Engagement, Reflection, and Application

"Student engagement does not result from motivation or active learning alone, but rather is generated when these two components work together synergistically. Engagement may be described as a double helix in which active learning and motivation are spirals working together, building in intensity, and creating a fluid and dynamic phenomenon that is greater than the sum of their individual effects." —Elizabeth F. Barkley

Learning Intentions

An investment in engaged teaching and learning helps students to be fully invested in the material, put effort into the course, and take away as much learning as you can give them. Once motivated and actively engaged, students are more apt to delve deeper into course material, reflect upon it, and apply it.

Active Learning Model

  • Engagement: combination of teaching method, student concentration, and intrinsic interest
  • Reflection: students personalize what they are learning, practicing key take-aways
  • Application: making a topic practical and useful in important ways

Strategies

  • Think, Pair, Share: Given a prompt, students reflect or write about it individually, then discuss with partner(s), and then report out to the class.
  • Case Studies/Simulation: Given a scenario relevant to the course or discipline, some primary sources for data, and some stakeholder perspectives, students explore solutions; in groups, students can each take on a different role.
  • Field Experiences: Taking course activities into field contexts makes it authentic and applicable in the deepest way.
  • Experiential Learning: Practice with hands-on activities assists with transfer of learning into other contexts.
  • Interactive Quizzes and Polls: Check for knowledge or get anonymous feedback, insights/misconceptions.
  • Flipped Classroom: Having read or watched key material, students spend time in class problem-solving, discussing, creating, and doing "out of class" activities with peer and teacher support.
  • Peer Teaching: Students take turns leading a discussion or being a peer mentor for a portion of class content.

Benefits

  • Information is retained better.
  • Allows practice of collaboration, critical thinking, and intercultural communication.
  • Better motivation relates to more enjoyable and effective learning.
  • Allows for accessible and differentiated opportunities for learning.

Challenges

  • Students may not expect or welcome the methods if they do not understand why it is connected to the course or learning outcomes.
  • Collaboration requires comfort and trust-building first.
  • Time required may be in competition with content coverage.

Resources