Resources
Small Changes, Big Impact: Promoting Student Engagement
Allowing students the opportunity to actively engage with the material they are learning is a proven strategy for helping them better consolidate and retain knowledge. This booklet was created by one of the 2022-2023 Communities of Practice, which focused on how small changes made to one’s teaching can have a big impact on student learning. It includes techniques you can use to add more dimension and involvement to traditional, lecture-based classes.
Special thanks go to the members of the CoP: Lori Hochman, Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions (convener of the group); Sophie Christman, Humanities, College of Arts and Sciences; Shaina Flanzraich, Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions; Eric Greenberg, Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions; Melissa Huey, Psychology and Counseling, College of Arts and Sciences; Pam Karp, Occupational Therapy, School of Health Professions; and Nayoung Kim, Psychology and Counseling, College of Arts and Sciences.
CFE Library Collection
Our departmental library contains a wealth of resources on teaching strategies, instructional design, faculty professional development, and more. If you’re interested in borrowing a book or exploring what’s available, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
Types of Engagement Activities
If you already have your own student engagement activities, use them! If you need some fresh ideas or want to try something different, then try one of these easy-to-implement ideas:
- Minute Paper to quickly gauge student understanding at the end of a class.
- Think-Pair-Share to actively engage all students in discussions of class material.
- Mid-Semester Feedback Survey to find out what is helping your students learn most effectively.