Various Ways of Engaging Students

In my earlier blog titled ‘Is Blended Learning the Future of Educational Scenario?’ I had mentioned that instruction offered through blended mode enhances learning. It is not enough that technology is utilized for offering instruction. The instruction must be designed in such a manner that enhances recall, application and retention of knowledge that has been imparted.

 

 I am reminded of a famous Chinese Proverb, that says,

 

“Tell me, and I’ll forget

Show me, and I may remember,

Involve me, and I’ll understand.” 

 

It is true one hundred percent. Hence technology should be utilized in such a manner that learners are actively engaged after transfer of knowledge and utilize the knowledge that has been transferred.

 

Therefore, I am suggesting various ways through which one can engage the students interestingly.

 

1.    Activities through social networks so that the learners share, collaborate and arrive at a solution.

2.    Activities through games (suggested link to a simple game to teach English preposition) as they allow the learners to realize the pre-determined objectives through usage of acquired information, deploying various mental methods and physical actions related to specific concepts or areas of learning in enjoyable way quickly.

3.    Interactive and engaging assessments as they improve learning, since immediate feedback is offered in most of the cases.

4.    Mind maps as they work similar to brain, allowing associations and links to be recorded and reinforced.

5.    Videos, since they send the messages to be delivered effectively.

6.    Virtual Reality as it enables you to offer active, realistic and immersive experience to the learner.

7.    Rubrics as they help learners set and realize goals and assume ownership for their performance.

8.    Timeline generators (example) since they enable one to record historical. planned or projected periods and events according to the sequence of their occurrence.

 

I have just suggested few ways through which one can engage the students where transfer of knowledge gained takes place. These activities would reduce ‘‘inert knowledge’, the knowledge learners fail to transfer from one setting to another.

 

 

Please share how you had engaged or would engage your students.

Comments

[Edutek n Social Media Advisor]

Edutopia, thanks for sharing your views with the readers. Do try the new ones and me know the outcome of it.

[Edutopia]

All the ways mentioned here really work in today's world. Thanks for sharing with all. Few are new for me. Will try and let u know.

[Edutek n Social Media Advisor]

Thank you very much for sharing your wonderful suggestion with the readers. Definitely it will enable the teachers to introspect their teaching and will provide an opportunity to improve their performance.

[arumugakannu narayanan]

I am glad to go through your blog on education...as a retired professor i would suggest that the teachers can record their lecture in their cell phone or other recording device and hear that back at home and try to improve over time...it is a simple method for the teachers to improve their teaching ability...
nara

[Dr.Kumuda Gururao]

Dear Suresh Kumar,

Thanks for sharing your opinion. As you said Rubrics are mostly helpful to the teachers. But I included it as one of the engaging activities, because, when the students are involved in deciding about the factors, they would strive to achieve them too!

Please do try the other activities I have suggested and if you try some thing I've not listed, do inform to the audience so that they can also give a try.

[redpond@gmail.com]

Dear Dr. Kummuda I had commented your previous blog also but that was posted in the comment part (social media). Your suggestion about engaging students are very interesting because I experience it. In my class, the students are active end involved only during video teaching and virtual reality, mind maps for exam preparation. Rubrics are helpful to the teachers (mostly). I value the opinion of you in engaging the students in the class room. I surely will try the remaing of your suggestions in future.
by suresh kumar