The RISE framework was created to describe characteristics of good teaching that are relevant in all disciplines and courses. The pillars of rigor, inclusiveness, support, and engagement were chosen based on research findings that demonstrate their broad benefits for student learning and their benefits for specific students who are part of underrepresented or marginalized groups. RISE Project definitions (which are based on definitions in the research literature as well as on themes collected from Lindenwood faculty) are provided below along with associated research findings, references and readings, and teaching strategies and resources.
Rigor
How are we defining rigor?
Courses can be rigorously designed and designed for rigor, and both are characteristic of effective teaching.
Rigorous course design involves thoughtfully planning a learning experience that aligns with program and institutional expectations, the traditions and trends of the field, and proven methods for learning.
Courses that are designed for rigor are those in which an instructor sets appropriately high expectations for student learning, engage students in deep learning of meaningful content, assesses learning at levels of cognitive complexity beyond recall and understanding, and challenges students to develop new habits of mind that transfer across concepts and contexts.
Signs of a rigorous class culture
It's tough to distinguish between teaching and learning.
In a classroom characterized by rigor, it's often hard to tell where the teaching stops and the learning starts because everyone is involved in both. The instructor and the students work together to dig into the content, to ask and answer questions, and to reason through and co-create knowledge.
Questions are just important -- or more important-- than answers.
In rigorous courses, learning tends to center on questions and questioning; asking good questions is often a primary goal. Content is often explored rather than delivered.
The instructor models and rewards curiosity, critical thinking, intellectual humility, and risk-taking.
An instructor’s values and behaviors play an essential role in creating a rigorous class culture. When instructors model the behaviors they wish to see from students, like being curious, taking risks to ask or answer questions, or engaging in critical analysis, students see how an intellectual person operates and will often learn to approach intellectual endeavors in the same way. Rigor is most effective when instructors create a climate where it’s safe for students to take intellectual risks and rewards them for doing so.
Connections are commonplace.
Finally, a sign of a rigorous class culture is an emphasis on connections. An instructor teaching with rigor puts course content into context, connecting it to historical and current trends, to real-world issues, and to other disciplines. The instructor asks students to connect new knowledge to what they've already learned in the course, what they've learned in other courses, to their own experiences, and to their future goals. ;
Why should we teach with rigor?
At Lindenwood, we want students to feel challenged in their coursework and to experience intellectual growth. We want our graduates to be analytical thinkers, adaptable problem solvers, and ethical decision makers, and rigorous academic experiences can help them to develop these attributes.
Rigorous learning experiences marked by instructional strategies like assigning complex and meaningful readings, higher-order questioning, assessing student learning at levels beyond recall and understanding (Renaud & Murray, 2007), and communicating high standards for student work are essential for this kind of intellectual development (Bowman & Culver, 2018; Slavich & Zimbardo, 2012).
Though it may seem like academic challenge could hurt students are already facing other challenges related to learning, like first-generation status or stereotype threat, the opposite is actually true; rigor especially benefits these students (Bowman & Culver, 2018; Padgett, Johnson, & Pascarella, 2012; Steele, 2003). According to Foote Schwegler (2019), “Lowered expectations for academic performance have damaging implications because they perpetuate the inequalities students have already experienced when they apply to and enroll in college. Holding some students to lower academic standards because they have insufficient prior preparation for the rigors of college level work fails to close these gaps, and it is a social justice concern because all students are not provided access to a rigorous educational experience.” (p. 48).
Check out this excellent study on the benefits of teaching with rigor:
What are some teaching strategies for enhancing rigor?
- (Recorded) Rigor Roundtable
- Were you unable to attend the first Rigor Roundtable or would you like a refresher on the strategies presented during the session? Listen as the RISE scholars review research-based strategies to help create a rigorous learning experience for our students.
- Using Backwards Design to ensure all course elements are focused on the most significant content, connected to learning outcomes, and aligned for a coherent and purposeful learning experience.
- Including course materials (e.g., primary resources) that encourage critical thinking, exploration, and engagement with the work of the field.
- Talking with students about high expectations and making those clear in the syllabus, during interactions with students, and in feedback.
- Design learning activities that center on inquiry or problem-solving.
- Using assessments that are writing intensive and/or quantitatively intensive.
- Did you know that the Learning Academy has a Faculty Certificate in Writing? Former Faculty Fellow, Elizabeth Fleitz created this self-paced learning experience to support faculty in teaching students to write across disciplines. Contact Elizabeth to get enrolled in the Canvas shell.
- Assessing student learning at levels of cognitive complexity beyond recall/reproduction and understanding.
- Using interleaved practice.
- Using a cumulative assessment at the end of the semester.
Remember to Log your Professional Development
References and Additional Readings on Rigor
Bowman, N. A., & Culver, K. (2018). Promoting equity and student learning: Rigor in undergraduate academic experiences. In C. M. Campbell (Ed.), Reframing notions of rigor: Building scaffolding for equity and student success (New Directions for Higher Education, no. 181, pp. 47-57). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Draeger, J., P. del Prado Hill, L.R. Hunter, and R. Mahler. (2013). The anatomy of academic rigor: The story of one institutional journey. Innovative Higher Education, 38(4), 267-279.
Foote Schwegler, A. (2019). Academic Rigor: A Comprehensive Definition. Part one of a three-part series. [White paper]. Quality Matters. https://www.qualitymatters.org/qa-resources/resource-center/articles-resources/academic-rigor-white-paper-part-one
Padgett, R. D., Johnson, M. P.,&Pascarella, E. T. (2012). First-generation undergraduate students and the impacts of the first year of college: Additional evidence. Journal of College Student Development, 53(2), 243–266.
Slavich, G., & Zimbardo, P. (2012). Transformational teaching: Theoretical underpinnings, basic principles, and core methods. Educational Psychology Review, 24(4), 569– 608.
Steele, C. M. (2003). Stereotype threat and African American student achievement. In T. Perry, C. Steele, & A. Hilliard (Eds.), Young, gifted, and Black (pp. 109–130). Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
Inclusiveness
How are we defining inclusiveness?
Inclusive teaching involves ongoing reflection and actions to mitigate biases, value difference, enhance accessibility, encourage meaningful dialogue, and increase feelings of belonging among students.
Why should our teaching be inclusive?
At Lindenwood, we want our students to feel that they belong, that they are valued, and that they matter. We want them to feel that their diversity of experience, ability, identity, and opinion are appreciated and will not prove to be barriers to their learning. We want them to feel that they have the ability to succeed not only in a given course, but in the discipline being taught in that course. We want our students to become responsible citizens, global advocates, and effective communicators, and being a part of a diverse and inclusive learning community can help them to develop these attributes.
When students have the feelings and attributes mentioned above, it is often in large part due to the values, beliefs, and behaviors of their instructors. Research has shown that inclusive teaching is linked to a plethora of positive outcomes for all students due in part to the fact that it not only helps to reduce stereotype threat (Platts & Hoosier, 2020; Steele, 2010; Steele & Aronson, 1995), it also shows students they truly belong and can succeed in "scholarly spaces" (Gannon, 2018). In an inclusive classroom that welcomes, encourages, and values each individual, students report greater satisfaction with the course and increased motivation (Cooper, Haney, Krieg, & Brownell, 2017; Cornelius-White, 2007; Granitz, et. al., 2009) in addition to greater self-confidence and cultural awareness (Milem, 2003). When students feel a sense of belonging, they are more likely to achieve the course learning outcomes, develop higher-order thinking, and have higher educational aspirations (Allen, Witt, & Wheeless, 2006; Frisby & Martin, 2010; Granitz, et. al., 2009; Lundberg & Sheridan, 2015; Meyers, 2009; Pittman & Richmond, 2007; Wilson & Ryan, 2013).
Recent research by Gopalan and Brady (2020) found that “belonging was positively and robustly associated with outcomes colleges care deeply about, including persistence and mental health…[and] within-student increases in belonging were positively associated with improvements in these outcomes” (p. 136). It is obvious that making our courses more inclusive is an imperative given the tremendous impact on students’ academic and personal lives (Gannon, 2018; Glass, et. al., Hausmann, Schofield, & Woods, 2007).
What are some teaching strategies for enhancing inclusiveness?
- (Recorded) Inclusiveness Roundtable
- Were you unable to attend the first Inclusiveness Roundtable or would you like a refresher on the strategies presented during the session? Listen as the RISE Scholars review research-based teaching strategies to help enhance our students’ sense of belonging and inclusion in your courses.
- Making course materials that are accessible to students with varying abilities or learning preferences
- Including varied perspectives and identities in course materials or activities
- Asking students what names and pronouns they use, making earnest attempts to use them correctly and frequently
- Need a little help remembering students' names? Check out this helpful resource: Tips for Learning Student Names
- Check out this excellent study on the impact of learning students’ names: What’s in a name? The importance of students perceiving that an instructor knows their names in a high-enrollment biology classroom.
- Sharing about your own identity and experiences, and encouraging students to do the same
- Modeling and encouraging respectful communication and appreciation for diverse identities, abilities, and perspectives
- Did you know that the Center for Diversity and Inclusion offers a variety of interactive, virtual training sessions to help individuals reflect on their biases and develop appreciation for others? See the Diversity & Bias Trainings listed in the Learning Academy Calendar for more information.
- Encouraging students of all identities and abilities to see themselves as capable of success in the course and as potential scholars and/or practitioners in the field
- Encouraging students to discuss, disagree, and debate one another, the instructor, and scholars of the field (i.e., authors of readings) in constructive ways
- Creating learning activities or assignments that help students explore and empathize with cultures, life experiences, and worldviews different from their own
- Creating assessments that gauge students’ prior knowledge so that it can be corrected and/or built upon
- Adapting course content, schedule, activities, or assessments to the interests or needs of students
- Implementing the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework in your courses is a great way to ensure that you are meeting the needs and interests of your students. See the following resources for some great tips for adopting UDL for your courses:
- The UDL Guidelines
- Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone: Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education (Contact the Learning Academy to borrow a copy of this excellent UDL resource.)
- Did you know that the Learning Academy, in partnership with the Office of Academic Effectiveness and the Office of Student Affairs and Community Equity and Inclusion, has a Certificate in Culturally Responsive Assessment? This virtual, self-paced learning experience will help instructors create assessments that are appropriate for a diverse student body. See the Certificate in Culturally Responsive Assessment FAQs or contact Assessment@lindenwood.edu for more information.
Remember to Log your Professional Development
REFERENCES AND ADDITIONAL READINGS ON INCLUSIVENESS
Allen, M., Witt, P. L., & Wheeless, L. R. (2006). The role of teacher immediacy as a motivational factor in student learning: Using meta-analysis to test a causal model. Communication Education, 55(1), 21–31.
Cooper, K. M., Haney, B., Krieg, A., & Brownell, S. E. (2017). What’s in a name? The importance of students perceiving that an instructor knows their names in a high-enrollment biology classroom. Cell Biology Education—Life Sciences Education, 16 (Spring), 1–13.
Cornelius-White, J. (2007). Learner-centered teacher-student relationships are effective: A Meta-Analysis. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 113–143.
Freeman, T. M., Anderman, L. H., & Jensen, J. M. (2007). Sense of belonging in college freshmen at the classroom and campus levels. The Journal of Experimental Education, 75(3), 203–220. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20157456
Frisby, B. N., & Martin, M. M. (2010). Instructor-student and student-student rapport in the classroom. Communication Education, 59(2), 146–164.
Gannon, K. (2018) The case for Inclusive Teaching. The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-case-for-inclusive-teaching/
Glass, C. R., Kociolek, E., Wongtrirat, R., Lynch, R. J., & Cong, S. (2015). Uneven experiences: The impact of student-faculty interactions on international students’ sense of belonging. Journal of International Students, 5(4), 353–367.
Goldwasser, M. M., & Hubbard, M. E. (2019). Creating and maintaining inclusive classrooms. Forum on Public Policy Online, 2019(1).
Gopalan, M., & Brady, S. T. (2020). College students’ sense of belonging: A national perspective. Educational Researcher, 49(2), 134–137. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X19897622
Granitz, N. A., Koernig, S. K., & Harich, K. R. (2009). Now it’s personal: Antecedents and outcomes of rapport between business faculty and their students. Journal of Marketing Education, 31(1), 52–65.
Hausmann, L. R. M., Schofield, J. W., & Woods, R. L. (2007). Sense of belonging as a predictor of intentions to persist among African American and white first-year college students. Research in Higher Education, 48(7), 803–839.
Lundberg, C. A., & Sheridan, D. (2015). Benefits of engagement with peers, faculty, and diversity for online learners. College Teaching, 63(1), 8–15.
Meyers, S. A. (2009). Do your students care whether you care about them? College Teaching, 57(4), 205–210.
Milem, J.F. (2003). The educational benefits of diversity: Evidence from multiple sectors. In Compelling interest: Examining the evidence on racial dynamics in higher education, ed. M. Chang et al., 126-69. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
Pittman, L. D., & Richmond, A. (2007). Academic and psychological functioning in late adolescence: The importance of school belonging. The Journal of Experimental Education, 75(4): 270–90. https://doi.org/10.3200/JEXE.75.4.270-292
Platts, T. K., & Hoosier, K. (2020). Reducing stereotype threat in the classroom. Inquiry, 23(1).
Steele, C.M. (2010). Whistling Vivaldi: How stereotypes affect us and what we can do. New York: W.W. Norton.
Steele, C.M. & Aronson, J. (1995). Stereotype threat and the intellectual test performance of African Americans. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 69(5), 797–811.
Strayhorn, T.L. (2018). College students’ sense of belonging: A key to educational success for all students (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315297293
Walton, G. M., & Brady, S. T. (2017). The many questions of belonging. In A. J. Elliot, C. S. Dweck, & D. S. Yeager (Eds.), Handbook of competence and motivation (2nd Edition): Theory and application (pp. 272–293). Guilford Press.
Wilson, J. H., & Ryan, R. G. (2013). Professor-student rapport scale: Six items predict student outcomes. Teaching of Psychology, 40(2), 130–133.
Support
How are we defining support?
Instructional support refers to course design, organization, guidance, interactions, or resources that aid student learning or success and/or enhance students’ self-efficacy.
Why should we provide instructional support?
At Lindenwood, we want our students to feel that they have the guidance and resources they need to rise to the high expectations we set. We want our graduates to head into their futures with confidence that they can achieve the goals they set for themselves and that they built the foundation for their future success here at Lindenwood.
Instructional support is anything that an instructor can do in their course design, instruction, or interactions with students to help increase students’ chances of academic success. Research has found that instructional support benefits all students, especially students who feel ill-equipped to meet the demands of college, and offering a variety of support in our courses is essential. Support can include activities such as summative and formative feedback, a teaching strategy that Hattie (2009) found to have a profound and direct impact on students’ academic achievement and performance. Since research has found that the “literacy levels of assessed first year college freshmen are above 5th grade but below 12th grade, [and] that only 32% of these freshmen are reading at a 12th grade level,” reading instruction is another instructional method that would have a profound impact on many students (Olney, Walker, Davis, & Graesser, 2017).
Earwaker (1992) asserts that the aim of support for student learning is “to ensure that they derive maximum benefit from their course” (p. 11). A good deal of literature on support in the course context narrows in on scaffolding, which refers to “tools, strategies, and guides which support students in attaining a higher level of understanding; one which would be impossible if students worked on their own” and in its truest form, it is a strategy wherein instructors gradually reduce the level of support offered as students develop the knowledge and skill needed to self-direct in their learning process (Saye & Brush, 2002). The literature has identified various types of scaffolding. Saye and Brush (2002) describe soft scaffolds as dynamic and situation-specific supports provided by instructors spontaneously during the learning process when they see that students need guidance, while hard scaffolds are static, predetermined supports that are integrated in the course or assignment design. Hannafin, Land, and Oliver (1999) divide scaffolds into two categories; conceptual scaffolds that help students focus on the most relevant information and strategic scaffolds that help students complete specific tasks and assignments. Meyer and Turner (2007) broadened scaffolding to include emotional scaffolding, defined as “teacher-initiated interactions that support students’ positive emotional experiences to achieve a variety of classroom goals” (p. 244). Regardless of the type of scaffolding, each plays an important role in supporting a diverse student population.
When instructors anticipate the needs of their students and include guidance and resources to help them succeed, research has found an increase in student motivation, engagement, attitudes, self-efficacy, level of understanding, satisfaction, and academic achievement and performance (Lee, 2010; Lee, Srinivasan, Trail, Lewis, & Lopez, 2011; Mullen & Tallent-Runnels, 2006; Strage & Curley, 1996). Including instructional support in our courses has a tremendous impact on our students.
What are some teaching strategies for enhancing support?
- (Recorded) Support Roundtable
- Were you unable to attend the first Support Roundtable or would you like a refresher on the strategies presented during the session? Listen as the RISE scholars offer research-based teaching strategies to help support our students.
- Providing thorough, clear syllabi with course schedules
- Organizing courses with the student user in mind
- Are you teaching an online course this semester? Remember that Lindenwood is using a standardized Canvas template for all fully online courses. To access the template, see the 'LU All Courses Template’ in Canvas Commons. Contact Dr. James Hutson, chairperson, Online Learning Committee with any questions or requests for support.
- Teach students how to navigate the course materials and resources
- Drawing upon subject matter expertise to provide clear explanations for, examples of, and answers to student questions about concepts
- Designing assignments with clear and explicit purpose and expectations, criteria for success, and instructions for completion
- Providing clear, constructive, and timely feedback
- Need some help providing effective feedback? Check out these helpful resources: Feedback for Learning and Providing Effective Feedback to Students.
- Being responsive to questions and requests for assistance
- Encouraging students to persevere when they experience challenges
- Please see the “Support, Don't Smother: How to Stay in Touch with Students During Trying Times” virtual workshop by Dr. Jenny Billings for help identifying appropriate instructional support to implement when your students are struggling.
- Utilizing campus resources (i.e., student alert system – LindenCircle) to support students who are struggling
- Remember your students have access to 24/7 Online Tutoring via Tutor.com, an online tutoring service provided by Lindenwood to all Lindenwood students.
- Need a little help remembering the many support resources that Lindenwood provides for students? See the Student Academic and Support Services (SASS) for an up-to-date list.
- Using methods like formative assessment, practice, and scaffolding to facilitate success on major assessments
- When creating a major written assessment, be sure to check out the numerous services offered by the Writing Center. The Writing Center can help you select an appropriate type of writing, scaffold an assessment, create peer-review worksheets, and much more.
Remember to Log your Professional Development
References and Additional Readings on Support
Duffin, L. C., Keith, H. B., Rudloff, M. I., & Cribbs, J. D. (2020). The effects of instructional approach and social support on college algebra students’ motivation and achievement: Classroom climate matters. International Journal of Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education, 6(1), 90– 112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40753-019-00101-9
Earwaker, J. (1992). Helping and supporting students: Rethinking the issues. Buckingham, UK: The Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press.
Hannafin, M., Land, S., & Oliver, K. (1999). Open learning environments: Foundations, methods and models. In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-design theories and models: A new paradigm of instructional theory (Vol. 2; pp. 115-140)., Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Hattie, John. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. 10.4324/9780203887332.
Ifenthaler, D. (2012). Determining the effectiveness of prompts for self-regulated learning in problem-solving scenarios. Educational Technology & Society, 15(i. 1), 38–52.
Lee, J. -W. (2010). Online support service quality, online learning acceptance, and student satisfaction. The Internet and Higher Education, 13(4), 277–283.
Lee, S. J., Srinivasan, S., Trail, T., Lewis, D., & Lopez, S. (2011). Examining the relationship among student perception of support, course satisfaction, and learning outcomes in online learning. Internet and Higher Education, 14(3), 158–163.
Lin, C.-H., Yang, S.-C., & Lai, C.-C. (2013). Support as a mediator of the impact of cognitive load on students’ e-portfolio learning outcomes. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 41(1), 17-30.
Meyer, D. K., & Turner, J. C. (2007). Scaffolding emotions in classrooms. In P.A. Schutz & R. Pekrun (Eds.), Emotion in education (pp. 243-258). San Diego, CA: Elsevier Inc.
Mullen, G. E., & Tallent-Runnels, M. K. (2006). Student outcomes and perceptions of instructors’ demands and support in online and traditional classrooms. The Internet and Higher Education, 9, 257-266. http://doi.org/d7t5nh
Olney, A. M., Walker, B., Davis, R. N., & Graesser, A. (2017). The Reading Ability of College Freshmen. Grantee Submission. Paper presented at the 10th International Conference on Educational Data Mining. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED596352.pdf
Orlando, J. (2016). Scaffolding learning. The Teaching Professor. https://www.teachingprofessor.com/?p=57138
Piamsai, C. (2020). The effect of scaffolding on non-proficient EFL learners’ performance in an academic writing class. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 13(2), 288–305.
Reeve, J., and Jang, H. (2006). What teachers say and do to support students’ autonomy during a learning activity. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98(1), 209-218.
Strage, A., & Curley, R.G. (1996). Instructional support and demands: Helping teachers help students meet increasing academic standards. Education, 128-133.
Saye, J. and Brush, T. (2002) Scaffolding critical reasoning about history and social issues in multimedia supported learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 50, 77- 96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02505026
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Engagement
How are we defining engagement?
Engagement refers to course design or instructional strategies designed to stimulate student interest, motivation, and involvement in learning. At Lindenwood, we want students to feel a sense of curiosity, excitement, and ownership in their learning experiences, and engaging teaching is an important way to motivate these things.
Why should we teach for engagement?
At Lindenwood, we want our graduates to become lifelong learners, and being engaged in their learning here at Lindenwood will help them to develop this attribute. Student engagement includes behaviors, feelings, and cognitions such as asking questions, self-confidence, and reflective thinking (Fredericks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004; Kuh, 2003; Ruhe, 2006). Students show more engagement when instructors display enthusiasm (Zhang, 2014), design authentic assessments (Fox, Freeman, Hughes, & Murphy, 2017), and encourage metacognition (McGuire, 2015).
While engaging students can be difficult, connecting with your students by getting to know them is one of the most important acts you can do to make your courses more engaging. In fact, “research has shown that “student-instructor interactions produce positive outcomes and matter more than other kinds of interaction.” (Nilson & Goodson, p. 133). Making these connections benefits both you and your students. By getting to know your students, you learn about their background, any disabilities or conditions that may negatively impact their learning experience, their background knowledge on the course topics, levels of preparedness, biases, values and much more. This vital information will help you to create an engaging course for all students. Also, if your teaching aligns with the other pillars and is rigorous, inclusive, and supportive, your students are more likely to be interested, motivated, and involved in your courses.
Research has shown that increasing student engagement in the classroom can result in higher levels of motivation, participation and persistence (Bowles & Brindle, 2017; Gasiewski, et al., 2012; Zumbrunn, et al., 2014) Pascarella and Terenzini (2005) state, “Simply put, the greater the student's involvement or engagement in academic work or in the academic experience of college, the greater his or her level of knowledge acquisition and general cognitive development” (p. 7). As we saw with rigor, inclusiveness, and support, making our course more engaging has a tremendous impact on our students.
Before reviewing the strategies listed below, check out this wonderful resource on student engagement: You've got to reach them to teach them: Hard facts about the soft skills of student engagement. (Copies available through the Learning Academy Library)
RISE GUIDES COMING SOON!
What are some teaching strategies for enhancing engagement?
- (Recorded) Engagement Roundtable
- Were you unable to attend the first Engagement Roundtable or would you like a refresher on the strategies presented during the session? Listen as the RISE scholars offer research-based teaching strategies to help engage our students.
- Creating a consistent and positive instructor presence through frequent and appropriate communication and academic interaction (e.g., providing content coverage or engaging in class discussions of content).
- Displaying enthusiasm for the discipline and content.
- Actively working to facilitate connections among students and between instructor and students.
- Did you know Lindenwood students list “forming connections with instructors” as one of the most important elements of a positive learning experience? Contact us to learn more about Lindenwood students’ thoughts about how best to engage them in the classroom.
- Making clear the relevance of the course and discipline.
- Learning about students’ interests and encouraging them to see and make connections between personal experience or academic interests and course content.
- Implementing a framework for engagement in course design: For each week/module/topic, consider intentional means for student-to-student, student-to-instructor, and student-to-content interaction.
- Check out this helpful resource for activities to help students connect and interact with their classmates and the course content: Recipe for Engagement: Connection Strategies that Work.
- Designing/choosing course materials, learning activities, and assessments with an intention to interest and motivate students. Specifically, designing authentic assessments is an excellent way to engage students.
- Need help designing authentic assessments? See Authentic Assessment and Why Authentic Assessment? for some helpful tips.
- Facilitating student metacognition and self-directed learning.
- For practical strategies to facilitate student metacognition and enhance student learning, take a look at Dr. Saundra McGuire’s keynote address for the RISE Project Launch.
- Using collaborative learning / group work / team-based projects.
- Providing students with some measure of choice in their work.
- Creating opportunities for students to provide feedback on their experience in your course throughout the term.
- Need some ideas for collecting student feedback? See Strategies for Gathering Student Feedback and Three Ways to Use Student Feedback to Improve Your Course for some helpful tips.
Remember to Log your Professional Development
References
Bowles, T., & K. Brindle. (2017). Identifying facilitating factors and barriers to improving student retention rates in tertiary teaching courses: A systematic review. Higher Education Research & Development, 36(5): 903–919. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2016.1264927.
Fox, J., Freeman, S., Hughes, N., Murphy, V. (2017). “Keeping it real”: A review of the benefits, challenges and steps towards implementing authentic assessment. AISHE, 9(3), 3232-32313.
Fredericks, J.A., Blumenfeld, P.C., & Paris, A.H. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74(1), 59-109. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543074001059.
Gasiewski, J., Eagan, M., Garcia, G. et al. (2012). From gatekeeping to engagement: A multicontextual, mixed method study of student academic engagement in introductory STEM courses. Research in Higher Education, 53, 229–261. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-011-9247-y.
Kuh, G. D. (2003). What we’re learning about student engagement from NSSE: Benchmarks for effective educational practices. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 35, 24-32. https://doi:10.1080/00091380309604090.
McGuire, S. Y. (2015). Teach Students How to Learn: Strategies You Can Incorporate into Any Course to Improve Student Metacognition, Study Skills, and Motivation. Stylus Publishing, LLC.
Nilson, L., & Goodson, L. (2018). Online teaching at its best: Merging instructional design with teaching and learning research. Jossey-Bass. Available through the Learning Academy Library
Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (2005). How College Affects Students: A Third Decade of Research. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Ruhe, V. (2006). A toolkit for writing surveys to measure student engagement, reflective and responsible learning. Retrieved July 22, 2008, from http://www1.umn.edu/innovate/toolkit.pdf.
Zepke, N., & Leach, L. (2010). Improving student engagement: Ten proposals for action. Active Learning in Higher Education, 11, 167-177. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787410379680.
Zhang, Q. (2014). Assessing the effects of instructor enthusiasm on classroom engagement, learning goal orientation, and academic self-efficacy. Communication Teacher, 28(1), 44-56. https://doi.org/10.1080/17404622.2013.839047.
Zumbrunn, S., McKim, C., Buhs, E., & Hawley, L. (2014). Support, belonging, motivation, and engagement in the college classroom: A mixed method study. Instructional Science, 42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-014-9310-0.
