Engaged Learning Module

Replace

Consider the repetitive tasks and replace them with more social activities.

Low-stakes

Provide practice opportunities worth low or zero points to allow room for students to take risks.

Provide Options

Instead of just a paper, how about offering a choice of format?

practical

Visible Learning

Connect the content to activities students will face in the real world.

Engaged Learning

Use polling or annotation tools to see the group’s learning.

Your Turn

Build Up Skills

Break the final project into smaller activities throughout the semester.

Using your syllabus, identify opportunities to replace repetitive activities, build skills, or provide low-stakes activities.

REPLACE, DON'T ADD

When it comes to jazzing up the learning experience with multimodal activities, there’s a golden rule to live by: “replace, don’t add.” Instead of piling on more assignments and making that to-do list even longer for students, we swap out some of the more traditional, yawn-inducing tasks with something a bit more engaging.

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Learn & Share on Social

BUILDING BLOCKS

The next steps in your learning journey.

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Give a snooze fest a jolt

Grading can quickly turn into a mountain of work, but low-stakes activities can allow for students to practice applying their knowledge without adding to the instructor’s workload. Repetitive tasks like weekly quizzes or discussion prompts can turn your course into just another boring online course; and courses with only high-stakes assessments like mid-term and final exams lack opportunities for students to build up their skills before being assessed.

Building Towards the Big Assignment

Diving straight into a complex project without a warm-up is likely to leave students feeling more overwhelmed than inspired. That’s where the beauty of a stepwise approach comes in. Introduce the basic steps of the project at the beginning of the semester and add on more complex steps as you get closer to the assignment.

Reduce Workload

Offering students the option to choose between a paper and a project can also cater to different learning preferences. This flexibility means that students can play to their strengths or challenge themselves with something new, all the while staying aligned with the course’s learning objectives.

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Connecting Learning to Life

One of the most powerful aspects of learning is the ability to make connections between what is taught and the real world. This relevance not only enhances learning but also helps students apply their knowledge in meaningful ways. Encouraging students to draw on their life experiences, or designing projects that relate to real-world issues, can make the experience more impactful and enduring.

Write a great headline

This concept revolves around identifying and highlighting "thin slices" of student learning. These slices represent the subtle, often overlooked fragments of knowledge and understanding that students acquire along the way. By bringing these moments to the forefront, educators can bridge the gap between novice and expert, fostering a deeper connection and understanding of their students' educational journey.

Your Homework

Begin by reviewing all the assessments and learning activities currently included in your syllabus. This includes quizzes, discussions, projects, assignments, and any other forms of assessment. Consider whether any repetitive tasks could be varied or replaced with different types of assessments or activities; and provide low-stakes activities for midterm and final exams. For examples and ideas, check the module in the course site. Identify up to 5 assessments and learning activities that can be varied or replaced with different types of assessments or activities, and provide low-stakes activities for midterm and final exams.

Empowering Student Choice

Whether it’s through a video, podcast, digital storytelling, or an interactive presentation, connecting the project to personal or professional interests can make the learning process more meaningful. This flexibility means that students can play to their strengths or challenge themselves with something new, all the while staying aligned with the course’s learning objectives.

Building blocks

Do you feel a new energy in your course now that you have jazzed up the activities a bit? If not, try meeting with your instructional designer for some really creative ideas. A good brainstorming session can go a long way. Coming up next, you'll will create a plan for making your course content accessible by implementing some basic tips. Providing every student with an even footing in your course will earn you a gold star every time!

Connecting Learning to Life

Low-stakes quizzes can be a pivotal tool, not just for assessment, but as a way to enrich the learning experience. These quizzes serve multiple purposes, from increasing knowledge retention to engaging students more deeply through self-assessment.

At the heart of UDL is the belief that diversity among students is the norm, not the exception. Learning should be customizable and adaptable, providing students with multiple ways of accessing information, engaging with content, and reflecting on the content. This not only caters to their preferences and strengths but also challenges them to develop in areas where they may be less confident.