Introduction
As educators, we’re always seeking ways to engage learners, motivate them, encourage them, and support them in their journeys. There are many ways to make learning more meaningful; this article features some actionable ideas on how to do that.
Guiding Framework
The guiding framework below presents a series of prompts and examples to guide you in enhancing an existing activity or creating a new activity in your course that is personalized to students' interests or needs and promotes active learning.
Framework Details
Download the framework template to use as you progress through this article.
The framework begins at the upper left and moves clockwise through the four steps:
- Identify an activity.
- Personalize it for your students.
- Promote active learning.
- Refine.
Step One: Identify an Activity to Enhance
Your course is a myriad of lectures, supporting resources, and experiences you've crafted for students to help them realize course outcomes. Take a moment to consider the organization of your course, thinking about each activity and how your students engage with and experience the course as a whole.
Step One Details
List one specific learning activity students complete in your course that could be enhanced. Consider one that you think could be more engaging or compelling, or one that could be enhanced or refreshed. This may be an activity that often seems to be a hurdle for students or feels like it just falls flat and is an opportunity to improve.
Step Two: Personalize
Now that you have identified an activity to enhance, explore ways to personalize it for your students. Personalized assignments enhance engagement and learning by aligning tasks with students' individual goals, experiences, and interests, making the content more relevant and applicable to their lives. The key lies in relating the activity to students’ career, educational, and personal goals and interests.
Step Two Details
How might you personalize the activity for your students? Below are some ideas to consider.
Leverage the Introductory Discussion
The introductory discussion is a great way to get to know your students and connect with them on a personal level which in turn allows you to tailor learning paths to their strengths. Frame questions that prompt students to:
- Reveal their motivations for taking the course.
- Identify how they intend to improve their lives through the application of the course material.
- Share what they are most interested in learning about as related to the course.
Ask Strategic Questions
Write questions that will elicit personal responses from students and reveal their interests. By asking specific, strategic questions, you can gain valuable insights into your students' interests, making the class informative and aligned with what they want to learn.
Some questions to consider:
- Why does this course interest you... does it relate to your professional life or personal goals in some way?
- What tools or experiences do you bring to this course topic?
- If you could apply what you learn in this course to a dream project or goal, what would it be?
- What are your favorite hobbies?
Many times a fun question can tell you more about a person than asking them directly about course topics. These types of questions could potentially spark alliances, create friendships, and establish partnerships with other students in the course.
Create Personalized Learning Paths Using Students' Responses
Students' responses to the introductory discussion can reveal the reasons they take your course (e.g., they are switching careers, they are hobbyists taking it for personal growth, etc.). Consider how you can use that information to help shape their learning paths.
Consider modifying a subsequent assignment (or creating a new one, if appropriate) to offer different paths for students to complete a project based on their goals. Or, give them an opportunity to pitch a completely different project they choose that fits their interests and aligns with course goals. For example, a student aiming to advance in their current job as a writer might write a short story that could be submitted to a literary magazine or competition, focusing on emphasizing strong character development, polished prose, and adherence to genre conventions or submission guidelines. Alternatively, a hobbyist might write a short story that reflects a genre or theme they enjoy and focus on experimenting with narrative techniques and letting imagination guide the story.
Provide Individual Guidance
Students value your expertise. One approach to personalizing an activity is by responding to students' discussion posts and assignments and asking additional and/or clarifying questions. This allows you to get to know your students better, prompt student reflection and critical thinking, and provide personalized guidance based on their responses.
Offer Flexible Assignment Formats
Provide students with the option to complete assignments in different formats, such as written reports, presentations, videos, or creative projects. This accommodates different learning preferences and strengths.
Incorporate Students' Experiences
Encourage students to draw on their own experiences in assignments. For instance, ask students to relate course concepts to a personal or professional scenario they've encountered.
Introduce Peer Collaboration
Adult learners appreciate choice. Allow them to choose their own groups for collaborative projects based on shared interests or career paths. This can lead to more meaningful and engaged group work.
Reference Past Course Evaluations
Glean insights into your students' interests and goals by reviewing your past course evaluations. You may find that most of your students take the course for career advancement. Or, perhaps the results point to students wanting personal growth. Reviewing past evaluations can reveal your primary learner audiences and provide a perspective on previous students' experiences that can aid in shaping your discussion questions and other activities.
Step Three: Promote Active Learning
Active learning levels up any activity and goes beyond merely reading and absorbing information. It reflects how students personally understand and apply content, testing their success and enhancing content retention. The result is a deeper grasp of the material, timely feedback, and opportunities for students to quickly address misunderstandings, reinforce their knowledge, and improve their learning outcomes.
Step Three Details
What are some ways to promote active learning through this activity?
Let’s first consider three key questions and a summary checklist when developing or enhancing your activities to ensure that they have elements of active learning.
Key Question #1
What is the main priority of the activity? Besides your learning outcomes, what is the main goal of the activity? Is it:
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Content comprehension and retention? For example, you've made some video lectures, but want to see if students can understand and retain the content.
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To create a personal connection to the content to improve the course experience? For example, you have students compare and contrast how a business they are interested in achieves the learning objective versus how they would choose to accomplish it.
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To spark motivation and energy in the classroom? For example, you invite a successful guest speaker to tell their story, shake things up, and answer prepared student questions.
Key Question #2
What types of interactions do you love? It's easy to be idealistic about everything you want to provide your students with, but it's crucial to be realistic about what you can accomplish given the environment, the number of students, and your energy and motivation.Consider some examples:
- Let's say you are eager to give personalized feedback to each student, assign a two-part activity where they present and share, and have even prepared a survey with individualized follow-up for one activity. This is great for a class of 10 and is incredibly curated, but quickly becomes unmanageable for 20 or more students, especially if you have additional responsibilities in your professional and personal life. Focus on positive aspects that energize you, are sustainable, and fuel your passion.
- If tests and grading question-and-answer formats drain you, design a fun, interactive game instead. The game engages students in real-life scenarios and encourages teamwork, allowing for assessment, interaction, and grading to occur during class. This saves you time and creates enjoyment for both you and your students.
Key Question #3
Can your goals be achieved outside of the classroom? Active learning extends beyond the classroom. You can gain valuable insights into how students engage with learning by creating opportunities for active participation in more relaxed settings. Examples:
- Office hours can be used to support students and keep them on target.
- Posting an open forum where students can pose and answer questions and learn about one another forms a community and a safe place to engage.
- Introducing field trips either in person or by sharing a virtual tour on a shared screen can immerse students in new educational experiences they can remember using all of their senses.
These environments allow you to learn with and from your students and foster a collaborative approach to understanding and problem-solving.
Step Three Summary Checklist
Now that you've considered three key questions, use the following checklist that keeps those questions in mind and ensures that the activity has elements of active learning.
Checkpoints:
- Does the activity test knowledge through critical thinking and problem-solving? For example, you could assign questions that spark student reflection, challenge them to create a visual map that explains the main concepts of the lesson, or design a group activity that challenges students to problem-solve a moral dilemma related to the course.
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Does this deeper understanding increase motivation and personally connect students to content? For example, you could encourage students to incorporate their interests and experiences by having them research or share their perspectives on a project to make it more meaningful.
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Does the activity provide immediate feedback? For example, you could provide useful feedback and assign helpful comments from students' peers. Creating opportunities where student ideas are affirmed or challenged is an essential part of developing their understanding of course materials.
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Are you enthusiastic about this activity, and do you believe it can be realistically sustained over time? For example, you could assess your class size and what you can manage. Then ensure your assignments are challenging and tailored to various levels of experience and interest, but are fair in rigor and grading.
These considerations are crucial for making discussions, assignments, group activities, one-on-one sessions, or office hours truly informative and active.
Additional Resources
Explore more about active learning through the resource below.
Step Four: Refine
Consider potential impacts as you enhance the activity and then refine it or make adjustments in your course as needed.
Step Four Details
What refinements might be needed to the activity or the course? Consider the following impacts before finalizing your enhanced activity.
Course Format
Will the activity work well with your course delivery method (online, in-person, or hybrid)?
Course Workload
Changes to one activity can shift the overall workload. Each course is assigned a specific number of credit hours (noted at the top of your syllabus) that determines the total student hours of work. Think about whether adjustments might be needed elsewhere in the course to keep things balanced.
Assessment and Grading
An effective activity aligns with learning objectives and outcomes and is graded appropriately. Does your activity measure the most important skills or knowledge, and is it weighted appropriately for grading?
Cognitive Load and Prior Knowledge
Too much information at once can be overwhelming. Consider what your students already know and how your activity builds on that without exceeding their limits. Keeping tasks challenging but manageable is key.
Inclusivity and Accessibility
Does your activity meet diverse needs and preferences? Consider using various approaches—visual, auditory, reading and writing, and kinesthetic—to help make your activities more accessible and engaging for all students.
Technology and Resources
Think about whether students have the technical skills and access to required resources. Are there costs involved or tools that students might need support to use?
Instructor Presence and Feedback
Be realistic about how much time you can devote to providing guidance and feedback. High-touch activities add value but are easier to manage with smaller classes. Find an approach that supports students well and that you can maintain.
Scaffolding and Support
Will students need extra resources like examples, templates, or tutorials? Providing these can help them navigate tasks more smoothly and with less frustration.
Group Dynamics
If your activity involves group work, think about group sizes, student comfort levels, and how to manage dynamics to encourage participation and collaboration.
Scalability and Flexibility
Assess whether the activity can be scaled up or down depending on class size and whether it can be adapted if your course format changes.
Course Alignment
As a best practice when making course enhancements, reference your syllabus. It's important to ensure that what is presented in the course supports and aligns with the information in the syllabus.
Summary
We hope these steps will help you rethink your course activities and provide you and your students with options that are engaging and impactful.