Engaging students in their education has become an important aspect of teaching today for several reasons. Research demonstrates that when students are engaged in their learning, they are more likely to move from simply receiving information from the instructor to understanding the content and thus create knowledge (Bain, 2004; Nilson, 2010). Additionally, classrooms that are student-centered and allow students to actively participate in instruction provide them with efficacy, meaning that when students get to connect content to what is important to them personally, education has a measurable impact on their lives (Ambrose, Bridges, DiPietro, Lovett, & Norman, 2010). Lastly, when students are engaged in their learning, they are also more likely to persist in school, making engagement a main retention technique today (McClenney & Arnsparger, 2012; Snyder, 2010).
References
Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., Lovett, M. C., DiPietro, M., & Norman, M. K. (2010). How learning works:
7 research-based principles for smart teaching.
Bain, K. What the best college teachers do. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
McClenney, K. M. & Arnsparger, A. (2012). Students speak: Are we listening: Starting right in the
community college. Austin, TX: Center for Community College Engagement.
Nilson, L. (2010). Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors. San Francisco,
CA: Jossey-Bass.
Snyder, B. (Ed.). (2010). What faculty members need to know about retention. A Magna Publications
White Paper. Retrieved from www.magnapubs.com
Day 1:
Learn Names
Rest of semester:
Demonstrate care
Create Community Among Students
Personalize Course
Pikes Peak Community College Libraries
Information ∞ Inquiry ∞ Learning