Student Engagement Through Relevant Discussion: Link Real-World Current Challenges to the Classroom
Student engagement is the product of motivation and active learning. It is a product rather than a sum because it will not occur if either element is missing.
– Dr. Elizabeth F. Barkley
INTRO
Give students the opportunity in classrooms, or a common area, to identify a current challenge (either in or out of school), and have them connect two things they have learned in the last week in their classes to the challenge.
THINK skills and behaviors are often grounded in critical thinking and inquiry. Examples include: ideation, creativity, innovation, and design thinking. Ultimately, THINK is about approaching situations and ideas with versatile and intentional thinking patterns.
OBJECTIVES
- Encourage student engagement by giving them the opportunity to make their own relevant connections between what they are learning in school and real-world challenges.
ACTIVITY
Give students the opportunity in classrooms, or a common area, to identify a current challenge (either in or out of school), and have them connect two things they have learned in the last week in their classes to the challenge.
Two Possible Options:
- Have students list connections on a dedicated space like a bulletin board over the course of a specified time. Students may then reflect individually and/or in groups on the posted connections.
- Teacher facilitates the activity as a class discussion.
TIPS
- Little Things are smaller efforts you can do tomorrow, or within the next week or so.
- While these quick and easy practices can produce big impacts, remember, this is not a quick fix: You’re establishing schoolwide changes that should better serve all students for years to come
- Like this activity? Check out Inflexion’s full-page THINK document for more ideas.
Responses