Since college students do much of their learning outside of class, the time they spend in class is extremely important. Facilitating class sessions where students feel engaged, connected and supported leads to greater student motivation and learning.
Setting clear norms and expectations is an essential ingredient of an effective class. While we often articulate our expectations on our syllabus, it can also be useful to engage students in creating some of the class norms or policies. Doing so allows students to know their voices are being heard and helps them feel invested in the class.
Students need opportunities to grapple with course concepts and practice key skills during class time so they can ask questions, correct misunderstandings get immediate feedback. Even in large lecture-style classes, creating short opportunities for students to recall information or make connections between different areas of knowledge can have a significant impact on learning. Such opportunities can help students develop a “growth mindset”, where they see struggles as a necessary step in the learning process, rather than a sign of failure.
Students learn in different ways, so giving a class multiple ways to engage with course content can ensure that a greater number of students are successful. In addition to lessons and readings, opportunities for group work, problem-solving, and active and collaborative learning can all spark student motivation and foster deeper understanding. We of course want to be conscious of how we are ensuring our class sessions are inclusive of all learners and provide equitable learning opportunities for all students. And no matter how well we plan, difficult moments will arise an any learning environment. Thinking ahead about how we want to handle difficult moments in the classroom can help us successfully navigate those experiences.
