Involves the demonstration to learners that something is interesting and worth knowing because it is applicable to their own lives and/or to real-world issues, problems, and contexts.
Using small group projects helps students develop skills in the areas of communication, critical thinking, and collaboration, which are transferable socially and professionally. Small group work can also improve students’ understanding of course material and increase their confidence. Unfortunately, many students dread group projects because of past negative experiences with unclear expectations, unequal participation of group members, and/or lack of support and guidance.
Video-based asynchronous discussions are an excellent alternative, or addition to, text-based discussions. Video-based asynchronous discussions utilize an app to create a group discussion or sharing opportunity where students record short videos of themselves and respond to their peers' posts via video. Video discussions are very effective at creating social and teaching presence and increased collaboration.
When students understand the real-life applications of what they are learning (relevance), their participation and academic success increases. Asking students to write or record a sentence or two about the real-life applications (past, present, or future) of what they are learning is a great way to help them make connections.
When it comes to learning, there is no “one size fits all” approach. So for your online, hybrid, or residential course, it is important to incorporate a range of modalities so that students have multiple ways to engage and learn. For example, in addition to lectures, group discussions, and other collaborative activities, leveraging videos to explain complex material is especially effective.
Have you ever heard these words: “Will this be on the test?” or “When am I ever going to use this?” It could be that students are really asking for help in seeking the connection between course content and their perceived value of the course. In other words, though it is usually clear to faculty that certain content and activities are important, students are trying to figure out for themselves if an activity or concept is worth their time and effort. Bundick et al.
Retrieval Practice is the "act of calling information to mind rather than simply rereading, re-listening, or passively studying it. The idea is to produce 'an effort from within' to induce better retention" (Roediger and Butler, 2011).
