Quick & Easy Active Engagement Strategies for Any Class
May 20, 2024
Presenter: Aimee Pascale Many active engagement strategies are evidence-based to support retention, learning, and the
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Resource Spotlight: Building a Classroom Community
Faculty that intentionally build classroom community emphasize the contributions that individual students bring to the table, create comfortable spaces for students to be willing to share their ideas and seek help, and emphasize the significance of human connection within academic spaces. Classroom community is integral for students’ sense of belonging, connection, motivation, and engagement. When students feel they are a part of a community, they feel more comfortable with expressing their ideas, engaging in the work, and making mistakes. Building classroom community is also a powerful tool for demonstrating care for students.
Featured PSU Resources
Canvas
Plymouth State’s learning management system is Canvas. All PSU courses have a Canvas shell automatically created for them. ET&S provides the technical infrastructure and support for Canvas. CoLab staff can consult about instructional design considerations related to Canvas (such as discussion forums, group assignments, announcements, etc.).
Microsoft Teams
Teams is a collaboration tool available to all staff, faculty, and students through the Microsoft Suite. With this tool, users can collaborate on documents, make posts, and chat with each other. ET&S provides technical support for Teams. CoLab staff can consult about classroom community considerations related to Teams.
Related CoLab Resources
Re-engaging Students in the Intro STEM Classes
May 20, 2024
Presenter: Brad Moser During the Spring 2023 semester, I trialed a 7-week student-designed, measurement-based project
Exploring Sense of Belonging Practices
September 20, 2023
Join Hannah in exploring a list of practices created by the Center for Excellence in
Energizing the Lecture
September 4, 2023
Methods for incorporating active engagement activities into your lecture. These methods work for in person,
Cultivating a Culture of Attendance
April 10, 2023
Anecdotally, university professors at PSU are reporting that their students are struggling with class attendance.
Energizing the Lecture: 3 Evidence-Based Strategies to Engage Your Students
November 4, 2022
We will discuss 3 evidence-based methods for incorporating active engagement activities into your lecture to
Community Building in Online Spaces
December 3, 2020
While online learning often gets framed as less social than f2f sessions, the internet actually
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Reading List
Bashovski, M. (2021). Building Classroom Community, Even When We’re All Alone. Hybrid Pedagogy.
Davidson, C. N., Damasceno, C., Daouk, O., Davidson, C. C., Davis, J. E., Morgan, P. T., III, B. P., Pitts, E. A., & Stratton, J. (2013). How a class becomes a community. In Field Notes #21st Century Literacies: A Guide to New Theories, Methods, and Practices for Open Peer Teaching and Learning (1st edition). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Gogia, L. (2017, August 9). Connection & Digital Architecture. Messy Thinking.
Goodenow, C. (1993). Classroom Belonging among Early Adolescent Students: Relationships to Motivation and Achievement. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 13(1), 21–43. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431693013001002
Iowa State University Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching. (n.d.). Foster a Sense of Belonging.
Iowa State University Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching. (n.d.). Reflect on Your Sense of Belonging Practices.
Morris, S. M. (2020, May 28). Fostering Care and Community at a Distance. Sean Michael Morris.
Morris, S. M. (n.d.). Love letters and pen pals: community through correspondence. Sean Michael Morris. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
Rojas, L. M., & Onufer, L. (n.d.). Teaching at Pitt: Faculty self-care as community care. University Times. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
Vaccaro, A., Daly-Cano, M., & Newman, B. M. (2015). A Sense of Belonging Among College Students With Disabilities: An Emergent Theoretical Model. Journal of College Student Development, 56(7), 670–686. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2015.0072
Vidra, R. (2020, February 4). Tools for creating community in online classrooms (opinion) | Inside Higher Ed. Inside Higher Ed.
How to Get Your Students to Engage With One Another. (n.d.). The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
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Hours & Location
Fall 2024
Monday – Thursday: 8:30-4:30, in-person or virtual
Wednesday: Additional in-person hours from 4:30-6:00
Friday: 8:30-4:30, virtual