Learner Participation and Rewards

Recent issues of Faculty Focus have tackled the challenge of learner participation and offering rewards for engagement.

In “Encouraging Student Participation: Why It Pays to Sweat the Small Stuff,” Maryellen Weimer, Ph.D. suggests asking yourself a few questions:

How often do you ask questions and when do you ask them? At the end of class isn’t optimum because students anticipate a break or want to leave a few minutes early. The purpose of the question might encourage participation, especially if it previews how you will test mastery.

How long do you wait for an answer? Most presenters wait 2 to 3 seconds but feel as if they wait 10 to 12 seconds. While waiting may feel uncomfortable, it has advantages, specifically allowing for participants to think about complex topics and encouraging responses.

Other questions Weimer suggests worth consider are: Do you encourage reflection before response? Do you move from behind the podium into student space? Do you invite engagement with body language and eye contact? Do you listen intently? Do you show that you value student contributions, and do you solicit feedback from students about interaction.

In “Participation Points: Making Student Engagement Visible,” Stephanie Almagno, Ph.D., advocates for engagement points as opposed to participation points.

“The goal is to move students from grade seekers (passive regurgitation of information—written or verbal) to knowledge seekers (independent, engaged learners who see, reflect on, and share their thoughts on the complexity of problems/situations),” she suggests.

And she provides a basic engagement rubric that others can adapt.

She also suggests having students score themselves with the rubric, recognizing “quiet learners,” and “re-directing garrulous students.”

Both articles may be read in their entireties by visiting these links.

“Encouraging Student Participation: Why It Pays to Sweat the Small Stuff”

http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/encouraging-student-participation-why-it-pays-to-sweat-the-small-stuff/

“Participation Points: Making Student Engagement Visible”

http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/participation-points-making-student-engagement-visible/?utm_campaign=Faculty%20Focus&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=44819691&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-95RmZcMepSCbxWMCz9zRZqeymj49oKcV-cVXzWrdG1zosmH4grx2_vfy7THpOy4_6cjzY7IitulApEkHtq3ycg0Alm1A&_hsmi=44819691

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *