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Strategy: Design for Engagement

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Design for Engagement

What is it?

Design for engagement requires the combination of online learning environments that feature the alignment between learning materials, learning activities and assessments together with a dynamic set of learning opportunities that are student-centred and engage the students in the learning process. This solution considers the design of engaging learning environments, active learning strategies and the technologies that can be used to facilitate student-centred learning.

Associated Learning Theories

  • Cognitive load theory
  • Community of inquiry
  • Conceptual scaffolding
  • Creating a Community of Inquiry through online discussions
  • +9 more

Consider the following design considerations as well as strategies for the design of student-centred learning environments. These considerations can be grouped into the following categories.

  • Design of learning materials and considerations related to cognitive load
  • Scaffolding and preparing students to become flipped learners
  • Soci0-cultural theories of learning
  • Exemplar active learning strategies (e.g. problem-based learning)
  • Design frameworks for development of student centred learning environments (e.g. Five Stage Model, Community of Inquiry)

Tools and Technologies

Technology Learning Futures

Padlet is a virtual wall tool where users can add or post content, including, text, images, videos, documents and links, and comments in real time and asynchronously.

Technology Learning Futures

Popplet is an online mind mapping tool that allows users to easily add and organise information.

Technology Learning Futures

GoSoapBox is an online student response system that allows students to interact with their instructors and peers before, during or after a teaching session.

Learning Activities

This is an extensive list of learning activities that place students at the centre of the learning process.

Brainstorm
Activity Learning Futures

Brainstorming is an effective way to encourage students to generate creative ideas and solutions to a specific issue in a safe and supportive environment.

Case studies
Activity Learning Futures

Cases studies are scenarios or stories that are created by students. These can be used to promote analysis and discussion and they encourage exploration and investigation of real-world problems.

Closing summary
Activity Learning Futures

Students summarise the key concepts of the lesson in their own words and synthesise and evaluate the knowledge from the teaching session.

concept map
Activity Learning Futures

A concept/mind map is a teaching and learning technique that can be used to help students synthesise and connect key concepts and ideas.

Debate
Activity Learning Futures

Debate is a systematic approach to teaching and learning that allows students to actively explore a wide range of views on a particular topic or issue.

Field trip, situated
Activity Learning Futures

Field trips are examples of experiential learning. They help to encourage situated pedagogies, critical thinking and problem-solving in real-world contexts.

Fishbowl, active learn
Activity Learning Futures

A student-centred activity that helps actively engage students with the content presented through group discussions.

Active Learning
Activity Learning Futures

Focused listing is an active learning technique that can be used to encourage students to focus on the content being taught and to promote listening and comprehension skills.

Four-Corners Activity
Activity Learning Futures

There are several ways to implement this activity and it can help to promote collaborative learning, knowledge sharing, communication and critical thinking and decision-making skills.

Group work
Activity Learning Futures

Collaborative or group-based learning is a significant part of active and student-centred learning because it promotes student autonomy and student-centred knowledge sharing and construction.

Icebreaker activities
Activity Learning Futures

Initiate discussions and begin the process of building a community among students.

Interviews
Activity Learning Futures

An interview is a learning activity that helps to promote communication skills, knowledge of research design and data analysis and methods for eliciting views and knowledge from individuals or groups.

Jigsaw activity
Activity Learning Futures

Jigsaw is a cooperative learning activity that can be used to develop skills and expertise for effective group-based learning

Logbook
Activity Learning Futures

A logbook is a record of events, experiences and performance of procedures or processes that students document to provide evidence of meeting course requirements.

Modelling
Activity Learning Futures

The modelling of expert processes and performance is a key component of authentic learning.

Misconceptions
Activity Learning Futures

Muddiest point is a strategy which allows the teacher to identify misconception related to learning material or learning activities. This can be designed as a group or individual activity.

Communication
Activity Learning Futures

Use this strategy to promote student skills in communication, analysis, evaluation and synthesis of learning material.

Discussion
Activity Learning Futures

Panel discussion is a great way to engage students in meaningful classroom discussions and it provides an opportunity for students to experience authentic real life, panel-based activities

Practical report
Activity Learning Futures

Practical reports enable students to document processes related to field work, experiments or other forms of investigation.

Activity Learning Futures

Presentations provide opportunities for students to communicate ideas and to analyse, evaluate and synthesise different perspectives.

responsive lecture
Activity Learning Futures

Responsive lecture is a strategy which encourages active listening as students are encouraged to reflect on the lecture material prior to attending and participating in the lecture.

Role play
Activity Learning Futures

Role play is a form of experiential learning that promotes collaborative learning practices using authentic scenarios and problems

Activity Learning Futures

The use of simulation promotes deep learning, critical thinking, knowledge transfer and provides a safe environment for students to experiment with ideas and development of skills

Activity Learning Futures

The snowball activity is an active learning strategy that promotes the development of communication skills and knowledge sharing within collaborative learning settings.

Think-pair-share
Activity Learning Futures

Think-pair-share is a collaborative learning strategy where students are encouraged to share and discuss ideas around a given concept or problem.

Voting
Activity Learning Futures

This strategy promotes rich class discussions through the generation of various perspectives. Voting can also be used as an icebreaker activity to promote the development of your learning community.

Activity Learning Futures

World cafe is a collaborative teaching and learning strategy that promotes an environment for structured discussions for sharing knowledge and perspectives.

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