Increasing Classroom Engagement

In undergraduate classrooms, instructors encounter a variety of students with diverse backgrounds and different personalities. Since discussion-based learning, both in-person and virtual, remains important, teachers should find ways to encourage student engagement in classroom activities and discussions. Student engagement is also critical to the success of students who are more self-directed and specialized, as it allows them to dive deeper into course material within their specialized areas of interest. 

When more students are engaged, class conversations become richer, enhancing student learning. For instance, introverted students may have strong opinions and much to contribute but may hesitate to share during class. Students, whether introverted or not, might feel uncomfortable or uninterested in joining group discussions for various reasons. It is the instructor’s challenge to create a comfortable class environment. Not only will students benefit, but instructors can feel more at ease in their own classrooms. 

Genuine connections between students are based on trust, which can be encouraged in several ways. Trust-building connections are fostered in an environment with instructor presence and constructive feedback. Students benefit from instructor buy-in, effort, and intention. 

To boost classroom interaction and active participation, instructors can include proven strategies in their “teaching toolkit” to foster empathetic connections among their students. Here are some suggestions for your consideration: 

• Outline course guidelines clearly. Students need to understand what is expected of them in your course. If class participation standards are set from the beginning—with appropriate explanations regarding “why”—student buy-in should increase. After students understand course expectations, instructors should make every effort to give students timely and constructive feedback. Doing so keeps students accountable and reinforces the course guidelines. 

• Model reflective listening. When students participate in a class discussion, instructors should make eye contact, give full attention, and provide visual cues to show understanding. Taking a moment to paraphrase or ask clarifying questions shows engagement and listening on the instructor’s part. 

• Encourage reflective listening. Help reduce distractions when students speak. Invite students to validate each other’s responses. Brief instructor participation when students are having group discussions and modeling behavior you seek to encourage can go a long way. 

• Praise appropriately. Offer brief, genuine praise when students reflectively listen to each other and provide gentle reminders when appropriate. 

• Creatively introduce group discussions. Mix things up. Consider having students draw questions from a hat for discussion or assign a different group member to lead the discussion for each question. You may wish to time discussions or set goals so student groups stay focused and on task. 

• Use a variety of classroom activities, but don’t overdo it. Include a group discussion or short activity during every class period. Recognize that classroom activities are like seasoning on food—a little is great, but too much can be overwhelming. Classroom activities should drive home the purpose of the course material being covered. In-class activities can break up what may be perceived as monotony by students. 

• Encourage students to interact with new classmates. Student groups should rotate frequently to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to interact with different individuals. You may wish to randomly assign groups to mix students up.  

• Invite alternative views. Be sensitive to different perspectives and alternate points of view. Help students recognize that conflicts can be resolved without contention. Students don’t have to agree on a particular topic or point of view, but they do need to show respect to others. To help students and teachers better understand the importance of respecting different perspectives, share a mantra with your students, such as: “Seek to understand before seeking to be understood” to emphasize the value of listening and understanding others’ viewpoints before expressing one’s own views to foster a more respectful and open-minded classroom environment. 

• Use peer feedback grading. Learning to give constructive feedback is a skill students can learn with practice. Prompting from the instructor can go a long way when it comes to feedback. Making suggestions such as having students include pros and cons or commenting only on things that are in the student’s control may be helpful. 

• Share stories. Who doesn’t enjoy an interesting and relevant story? Stories help students remember information in a fun way. Collect stories that illustrate key principles and important points you’re trying to teach. Stories are relatable and can put listeners at ease. 

• Encourage students to share their own stories. Classrooms consist of diverse individuals with a multitude of different stories and perspectives. Sharing stories is an excellent way for students to learn more about the worldviews of others. 

• Use appropriate humor. Laughter creates connection. Including tasteful humor in activities and discussions can improve student buy-in and retention. An easy place to start could be to include a joke or riddle-of-the-week for your class to contemplate. 

• Invite student feedback. Make course consistency and fairness a priority. Students need to feel they are valuable and their opinions matter. After receiving excellent feedback, instructors should seriously consider making appropriate changes. 

Recognize that potential pitfalls can also accompany increased student engagement. Classroom challenges may include: 

• Uneven participation or nonparticipation. Some students may attempt to dominate activities and discussions. In any group, some individuals will always be more talkative while others will be quieter. 

• Inconsistent results. No two student groups are ever the same. What works in one class may fail spectacularly in another. Stay flexible and be ready to move on if something isn’t working. 

• Time management. Activities may take longer than anticipated, so be conscious of the clock. Setting a timer can be helpful to keep everyone on task. 

• Student conflicts. Disagreements can lead to conflict, so it’s important to foster a culture of classroom respect to minimize conflict and prevent personal attacks. 

• Overwhelmed introverts. Some students may feel uncomfortable speaking and participating in group activities, but be patient and gently encourage their involvement. 

• Increased preparation time. Successful activities often need advance planning and materials, so keeping a list of activity and discussion ideas can help avoid last-minute scrambling. 

While practice doesn’t necessarily make perfect, expect to have some less-than-perfect experiences as you adjust your teaching style to incorporate some of these techniques. Keep what works—jettison the rest. With forethought and practice, you can make your classrooms more open and inviting to your students. 

Dr. Allie Hamstead DC is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Sciences at Sherman College of Chiropractic. She specializes in perinatal and pediatric care. She graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2007 and Sherman College in 2012. She is a practicing chiropractor in Simpsonville, South Carolina and mother to four daughters. 

Kenneth L. Alford is a professor of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University and a Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired). He has authored/edited 13 books and over 200 articles.