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 , 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

By miranda.prynne , 15 September, 2021

Listen to this! Using podcasts for online learning

Advice on why and how to use podcasts to supplement your online teaching

Emily O’Reilly explains why and how to use educational podcasts to supplement your online teaching

By miranda.prynne , 13 September, 2021

Fake news, educated views and how-tos: social media for teaching and research

Advice on using popular social media platforms to support your university teaching and academic research

Terese Bird shares her ideas on how to use some of the most popular social media platforms to support your teaching and research

By miranda.prynne , 7 September, 2021

Stay in the frame: how to persuade students to keep cameras on in lessons

Advice on explaining to students why they should keep their cameras on during online classes

Paul Moss shares advice on how to convince students that making themselves visible during online classes is in their own interest and will aid learning outcomes

By dene.mullen , 7 September, 2021

What is the purpose of a university lecture?

A lecturer speaks to university students, but what is the role of the lecture in modern HE?

We must continue to question the true role of the lecture and how lecture recordings fit in to the effective delivery of higher education, says Jill MacKay

Student engagement