Have you ever stood in front of a classroom and all you could think is, “How do I keep my students engaged?” Especially when half of them have laptops or phones in front of them? Today’s classrooms are a whole new world. Students show up with a million things competing for their attention – laptops,… Read more »
Tag: engagement
Creating Connection: Engaging Students in Large Classes
This post was written by Joshua Shelton from the School of Public Health. Introduction by Madeleine Gonin Joshua Shelton joined the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington (IUSPH-B) in 2019. He teaches M211 Intro to Sport Management, handling sections of 250 students both in-person and online. I have invited Joshua to share his approaches to… Read more »
Quick Tip: Use Attendance Questions to Increase Student Engagement and Build Classroom Community
Let’s face it: getting students to participate in class is a challenge. My discussion-based sections of English composition sometimes felt more like Old Western standoffs than the collaborative learning communities I was striving for. After much trial and error, I found a simple practice that amped up the volume in my classes: attendance questions. Research… Read more »
What Will You Keep This Fall? – Carl Ipsen on Video Modules
This this week’s “What Will You Keep this Fall?” video, I am talking to Dr. Carl Ipsen from the Department of History, learning about how he used short instructional videos accompanied by short questions to improve student accountability and engagement. While Carl notes teaching an asynchronous course was a challenge, he thinks many students were… Read more »
Using Undergrad Poster Sessions for Final Assignments
Having students create and present posters as a final course assignment is a great alternative to traditional term papers. Not only does this type of assignment allow a creative approach to synthesis and application of course concepts, but it also offers a fun end to the semester that emphasizes collaboration and community. If this idea… Read more »
But They Don’t Do Their Homework! Holding Students Accountable
What do you do when your students come to class unprepared to work? How much valuable class time do you spend covering what they didn’t do or don’t know? Holding students accountable for assigned work is an important strategy in student-centered learning. When students prepare for class, in-class lecture segments will be more meaningful and… Read more »