Technology-Enhanced StrategiestoEngage Your Students: Technology-Enhanced Strategies to Engage Your Students


What is Engagement?*: What is Engagement?* Participation in class activities/assignments? Time on Task? Deep, sustained effort? Enthusiastic, curious approach to content? * Do your students hold the same definition?


Barriers to Engagement: Barriers to Engagement Social Administrative Learner Motivation Break down the barriers; build up engagement.


Social Barriers: Social Barriers Feeling isolated Lacking interaction Missing social context cues (Am I being understood? Do I understand?)


Reducing Social Barriers: Reducing Social Barriers GOAL Make students feel part of a community. STRATEGY 1: FIRST CONTACT Welcome students to class and offer support. STRATEGY 2: INTRODUCTIONS Require students to introduce themselves. STRATEGY 3: TEAM WORK Assign work that fosters collaboration & sharing.


Reducing Social Barriers: Reducing Social Barriers STRATEGY 1: FIRST CONTACT Welcome students to class and offer support. STRATEGY 2: INTRODUCTIONS Require students to introduce themselves. Tech Enhancement: VOKI http://www.voki.com This fun and easy tool will provide you and your students with various opportunities to show off your personality and share something fun about yourself.


Reducing Social Barriers: Reducing Social Barriers STRATEGY 3: TEAM WORK Assign work that fosters collaboration & sharing. Tech Enhancement: BLOG http://www.blogger.com A class-created blog will provide opportunities for you and your students to collaborate on a collection of resources, tips, and help for the course.


Administrative Barriers: Administrative Barriers Missing directions/clear expectations Lacking timely feedback* * In almost every survey ever done, student-instructor interactions - including timely feedback - are the most significant factor in student satisfaction and learning.


Reducing Admin Barriers: Reducing Admin Barriers GOAL Increase your interactions with students. STRATEGY 1: SHARE CONTACT INFO Be available to answer questions. STRATEGY 2: REPEAT YOURSELF OFTEN State directions and expectations in various ways. STRATEGY 3: PROVIDE FEEDBACK Vary your timing, amount, and manner of feedback


Reducing Admin Barriers: Reducing Admin Barriers STRATEGY 1: SHARE CONTACT INFO Be available to answer questions. STRATEGY 2: REPEAT YOURSELF OFTEN State directions and expectations in various ways. STRATEGY 3: PROVIDE FEEDBACK Vary your timing, amount, and manner of feedback Tech Enhancement: SKYPE http://skype.com An easy to use IM tool that makes your students feel as if you are available and provides opportunities for you to answer question, give feedback, etc.


Motivation Barriers: Motivation Barriers Finding online environment to be boring (lack of varied resources, sameness of assignments, etc.) Procrastination Lacking self-direction abilities (planning, scheduling, organizing, etc.)


Reducing Motivation Barriers: Reducing Motivation Barriers GOALS Provide support for & opportunities to develop self-direction skills. Include multimedia elements. STRATEGY 1: CHUNK LARGE ASSIGNMENTS Create smaller, more frequent assignments STRATEGY 2: USE CALENDAR & REMINDERS Post reminders about upcoming deadlines. STRATEGY 3: USE MULTIMEDIA RESOURCES Create a resource collection from items on web.


Reducing Motivation Barriers: Reducing Motivation Barriers STRATEGY 3: USE MULTIMEDIA RESOURCES Create a resource collection from items on web. Tech Enhancement: BLOG http://www.blogger.com An easy tool to help you create resource collections. Can also be used to promote multimedia resource sharing and collection by your students.


#10: Be Engaged: #10: Be Engaged Share your excitement! What great thing have you learned about your field recently? Podcast your findings Share your resources – wiki, blog, start pages, del.icio.us bookmarks Remember what got you excited about your field and let them know.