Student engagement

Teaching academics and university staff address what student engagement means to them and offer advice on capturing students’ attention in an age of digital distraction and keeping them motivated to learn. Find insights on teaching strategies that give students agency over their learning, boost class attendance and participation and help to build a campus community.

By dene.mullen , 25 November, 2021

Classes need less focus on employability and more on profound learning

Profound learning can be a revolution for your university

Classes are sometimes the least transformative elements of what students experience at university. We need to change that, say Davin Carr-Chellman, Ali Carr-Chellman and Michael Kroth

By Eliza.Compton , 18 November, 2021

How to be comfortable with uncomfortable conversations

Ruth Woodfield outlines steps that academics, students and university staff can take to support and work through the discomfort of difficult discussions

Reading time

4minutes

By Miranda Prynne , 17 November, 2021

Co-creation and empowerment: pathways to better student engagement

Advice on creating equitable pathways to better engage all students regardless of background or prior knowledge

Effective approaches universities can take to promote equity and improve student learning outcomes and employability, shared by a team from the University of Salford

By dene.mullen , 5 November, 2021

In praise of the ‘watch party’ – an update to the flipped learning model

Watch parties are a variation on the flipped learning model used in universities

Many new students struggle with the amount of self-directed learning at university. Perhaps it’s time to introduce watch parties, say Emily Nordmann and Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel

By dene.mullen , 28 October, 2021

How I stopped worrying and learned to embrace pre-prepared courses

Universities are creating pre-prepared, fully complete courses called shells

I was shocked when first told I had to teach a ‘shell’ prepared by a colleague a few years ago, but I’m actually growing from the experience, says George Justice

By Miranda Prynne , 27 October, 2021

Building identity and belonging among students

Advice on why and how to build a sense of identity and belonging among students for better learning outcomes

Proactively building students’ sense of identity and belonging is vital for positive learning outcomes, explains Blake McKimmie. In this video, he gives advice on how it can be achieved

By miranda.prynne , 14 October, 2021

How does national culture affect the adoption of learning technology?

Research backed advice on managing different national cultures to encourage engagement with learning technology

Na Li, Xiaojun Zhang and Maria Limniou offer tips to counter the hidden cultural and social factors that reduce acceptance of virtual learning environments, based on their research

By miranda.prynne , 12 October, 2021

Engaging students in applied research to tackle Sustainable Development Goals

How to ensure online teaching benefits the education of sustainability issues

Jen O’Brien describes a pedagogical project that engages students in applied research carried out in partnership with external organisations, related to the Sustainable Development Goals

Reading time

4minutes

By dene.mullen , 8 October, 2021

Forget the tech – in the new normal, let’s focus on human beings

In the new normal we might forget the technology and focus on motivating human beings again

The key to making learning effective, now and in the post-pandemic world, is focusing on motivation, says Grace McCarthy

By miranda.prynne , 29 September, 2021

Capturing students’ attention in the classroom: does listening equal learning?

Webinar discussion how to reduce student drop out rates in the context of the pandemic and online learning

Four teaching academics discuss effective approaches to keeping students focused and engaged inside and outside the classroom

Student engagement