What Are the Innovative Teaching Strategies That Improve Student Engagement? 

In the field of higher education, the results recently revealed that student engagement is the best way to learn – better than lectures – and is one of the least used teaching strategies. Research of more than 2,000 university science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses found that 55 per cent of the faculty members employed traditional lecture teaching methods – a pedagogical approach that has been shown to be the least effective at teaching and engaging students. Only 18 per cent of them had a student-centred approach to teaching, where the emphasis is on group work and discussion.

Long before any research showed that student engagement strategies could enhance students’ learning and attitudes toward learning, the American National Research Council (2003) identified student engagement as a critical objective of national efforts in school improvement.

So, What Is Student Engagement?

Student engagement is defined and measured as two important aspects of the quality of the collegiate experience as outlined in the National Study of Student Engagement (NSSE): the amount of time and effort spent by students on schoolwork and other activities aimed at learning; and the way the college or university is organised and resourced to enable students to engage in activities that are related to student learning.

Student engagement is also the extent to which students are paying attention, showing curiosity, participation, positive outlook and enthusiasm towards learning and completing tasks.

But if student engagement is the better teaching method, why aren’t teachers using it? A Nebraska study suggested that one possible culprit is that faculty are not trained in some of the skills necessary to make effective use of the different approaches that enhance student engagement – including reducing the use of traditional lecture formats, open classroom design, and smaller class sizes.

Innovative teaching strategies reflecting higher involvement of students 

1. Inquiry-based learning:

Inquiry-based learning is a very strong learning method that can spark student curiosity. This enables students to develop their understanding from research and questions. Opportunities are also provided for students to share what they have learned with the group, and to discuss what went well and what could have been improved. Teachers act as facilitators and answer questions posed by the students as they work towards finding answers through research and independent discovery. 

2. Flipping the classroom:

For this strategy, traditional lectures are flipped into the classroom, and create opportunities for inquiry, application, and assessment to better engage individual learners and their needs. Students read or watch short, pre-recorded video lectures, or conduct online research, outside of class. Time in the classroom is dedicated to assisting students in learning through group (or individual) work, focusing on the application to complex problems and higher-order thinking skills.

Common innovative activities are:

• Working in groups to find solutions
• Working through case studies to learn
• Peer instruction

3. QR codes:

QR (Quick Response) codes enable students to obtain information and/or engage with lectures through the use of their mobile phones or digital devices. 

QR codes are easy to create and have multiple applications, such as:

• Checking answers
• Taking class votes during class.
• Supplementing textbook information 
• Getting survey data
• Accessing video tutorials 
• Sharing their learning with others

4. Personalised learning:

Personalised learning encompasses everything from the institution to the method and mode of learning. Learning is individualised. 

These include:

• Blended learning: The teaching strategy in which the responsibility of the student is increased, and the teaching role of the teacher is reduced by using discovery methods of learning by the student. It lets students choose the pace and location of learning through the material 
• Adaptive learning: Adaptive learning technology captures information about what students are doing when taking the test and provides instant feedback to adjust the learning. 

5. Project-based learning (PBL):

Builds higher-order skills that the student will use throughout their education and career. PBL is a strategy that involves students by providing real-world problems, challenges, and scenarios that inspire students to think critically, solve problems, cooperate, and self-manage. The students then present their solutions to the group and class. PBL is a good teaching method because it excites children, enhances children’s learning, and makes children realize the problems in the real world. 

6. Technology:

Technology in the Classroom is a delicate balance, and teachers should use it judiciously so that students are engaged in learning. The Remind app, Google Docs, and YouTube are examples of websites and apps that can be used to help engage students and foster collaboration. Technology can enable teachers to communicate with students, remind students of upcoming assignments, provide supplementary learning through online videos, and promote collaborative learning among students.

7. Jigsaws:

A tried-and-trusted cooperative learning technique that allows students to create their own learning. Pupils are split into groups, and each group is given information to learn enough to teach to another group. This enables pupils to become an expert in what they have learned by teaching others. Once each group has learned information, they are set up in new groups, each group comprising one member of each of the small groups, as a jigsaw of the different bits of information joining together in each new group. Each member gives a report on what he or she has learned, making the lessons come alive and allowing students to make their own learning.

8. Studying:

Although this might appear an old-fashioned approach to student engagement, learning is also a form of engagement and is correlated to educational attainment and success. Experimental reading and purposeful writing enhance the comprehension of real and imagined ideas, and help students to think clearly. Engaging techniques are not enough for adequate learning; it also depends on students’ willingness to invest sufficient time outside the classroom in learning the academic material.

All the teaching strategies mentioned above allow students to learn through problem-solving, finding solutions, and critical thinking. Student engagement is fostered by methods different from simply lecturing, such as asking questions in class, providing space to allow students to research and present, providing technology support, and allowing for self-study. All of these are known to foster curiosity, interest, motivation, attention, and collaboration among students and have been proven to enhance achievement in education and success in later life.

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