Tag: building student engagement

Game On: Competitive Gamification in Diverse ESL Classrooms – Faculty Focus

In many diverse English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms, sustaining student motivation can be difficult, especially when it comes to vocabulary learning. Traditional drills often fail to spark excitement, and learners sometimes hesitate to participate because they fear making mistakes or being judged. However, when competition enters the scene, particularly in the form of digital games or classroom missions, everything changes.

As an ESL instructor in Kuwait, I have seen how structured and respectful competition can shift classroom dynamics. Whether learners are battling a “final boss” in a vocabulary game or racing another team to answer grammar questions, their focus sharpens, and their energy rises. Competitive gamification may sound intimidating at first, but when approached with care and purpose, it can help learners take ownership of their progress, laugh a little more in class, and gain the confidence they need to use the language effectively.

This approach is especially helpful in diverse learning environments, where many students experience anxiety from past experiences with English. Classroom games that incorporate competition give students a safe space to try, fail, laugh, and try again. Below are five practical ways teachers can use competitive gamification to increase motivation, engagement, and participation without needing expensive tools or advanced technology.

1. Build Team Identity and Roles

Instead of dividing students into random groups, they can be allowed to form “game squads” with their own team names, mascots, or colors. Encourage them to assign rotating roles, such as speaker, scribe, timer, or cheerleader. This small step transforms teamwork into something more exciting and meaningful for the students.

Tools to try:

• Printed team badges
• Canva-designed team flags
• Whiteboards or Quizizz Team Mode

Why it works:

Many diverse learners place a strong value on group identity and cooperation. Giving students the freedom to name themselves “The Grammar Falcons” or “Team Lightning” adds emotional investment and a sense of fun to the class. I have noticed that when students feel like they belong to something, they participate more enthusiastically, even if they were shy at first. One class even created its own team chant and insisted on saying it before every challenge. This ownership made all the difference in their classroom engagement.

You can also level this up by awarding small points for creativity in team names, collaboration, and encouragement, in addition to correct answers. This shows students that being kind and supportive is as valuable as winning.

2. Introduce Weekly “Boss Battles”

One of my favorite strategies is turning the end of each unit into a “boss battle.” This gamified twist allows students to review the content creatively and energetically. It can be anything from a vocabulary quiz to a speaking relay or even a storytelling competition based on the week’s topics.

In my classroom, students know that Thursday is Boss Battle Day. I would project a countdown timer, play suspenseful music (there are tons of royalty-free tracks on YouTube), and announce the challenge like a game master. Rewards were simple stickers, power cards, or three bonus XP points, but the emotional payoff was huge. Students began asking midweek, “What’s the boss challenge this time?” This anticipation helped them stay focused throughout the week.

Pro tip:

Rotate the type of boss battles you use. For example:
• Week 1: Timed vocabulary puzzles
• Week 2: Grammar challenge maze
• Week 3: “Beat the teacher” quiz
• Week 4: Creative speaking duel between teams

This variety keeps students curious and prevents routines from becoming monotonous.

3. Alternate Between Individual and Team Challenges

Not all learners are identical. Some love the spotlight, whereas others prefer to work quietly. One of the best things you can do as a teacher is to offer a mix of competition formats.

In my classes, I alternate between weeks. One activity might focus on individual competition, such as a speed-based vocabulary game. The next step might focus on team challenges, where groups build sentences together or solve a language mystery. This balance helps every student to find their moment to shine.

This flexible structure especially benefits quieter students. One of my shyest learners once topped a solo Quizizz game and afterward told me, “I finally feel like I’m good at English.” That comment stuck with me because it showed that gamification was not just fun; it gave students a sense of achievement that traditional methods often do not.

Students can also choose their preferred challenge mode. They are given a short form at the beginning of the semester to determine whether they enjoy team play, solo missions, or a mix of both. Then, use this data to design your games in a way that includes everyone is voice.

4. Use Leaderboards Mindfully

Leaderboards can be powerful motivators, but they must be used with care. In my classroom, I publicly display team progress but keep individual rankings private unless a student asks about them. I also avoid using the same leaderboard for the entire semester. Sometimes, I reset the scores halfway through the course to give new teams a chance to rise.

Another trick I use is “rotating rewards.” For example, I celebrate the team with the highest points for one week. Next, I reward the “most consistent,” “most improved,” or even the “kindest player.” This approach relieves pressure on students who may not win the top score but are still deeply engaged and helpful.

Gamified tip:

Instead of grades, an XP system should be used. Students earn points for completing activities, participating in discussions, and helping their teammates. As they reach certain XP levels, they unlock titles like “Word Warrior,” “Grammar Guardian,” or “Team Captain.” These ranks do not carry grades, but they create a game-like progression that students enjoy tracking.

Some of my students even began drawing avatars to represent their progress and decorating their XP sheets with custom designs. These small things can make English class feel like something they get to do instead of something they have to do.

5. Let Students Reflect and Choose

One of the most overlooked yet powerful tools in gamification is student reflection. After each gamified week, I dedicated five minutes to reflection. I ask simple, open-ended questions, such as:
• What did you enjoy the most this week?
• Which challenge helped you learn the most?
• Do you prefer to work alone or in a team?
• Which game would you like to try next time?

Students often provide useful feedback. One learner suggested turning the vocabulary quiz into a timed team relay using flashcards. Another asked if we could create a “mystery box” round where students randomly pull a game task from a box. These ideas helped me expand my toolkit and showed the students that their voices mattered.

Involving learners in the game design process also boosts their motivation. When they help shape their experience, they are more likely to feel invested in their learning.

Final Thoughts

Gamification does not require flashy technology or perfect lesson plans. In many classrooms, where traditional teacher-centered approaches still dominate, the introduction of respectful and playful competition can shift the paradigm. With a bit of structure, some creative energy, and genuine care for your learners, you can transform English lessons into memorable learning experiences.

When competition is used with purpose and flexibility, it becomes more than just a game. It allows students to take risks, build confidence, and feel proud of their progress. Ultimately, it is not about who wins the boss fight. It is about helping learners find their voice and feel that English and their learning belongs to them.

Fahad Ameen is a PhD researcher in Applied Linguistics at the University of Nottingham and an English language instructor at the College of Education, Kuwait University. His research explores competitive gamification, vocabulary retention, and learner motivation in Arab ESL classrooms. He has also designed gamified vocabulary books and classroom materials for A1–B1 learners.

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October 15, 2025
There Are No “Shy Students”, Only Poor Learning Environments – Faculty Focus
As we learn more about how to improve classrooms in higher education, the concept of the “shy student” is a recurring one that serves as a convenient shorthand for describing students who don’t speak up. As a result, some faculty members may be frustrated with students who are less vocal in group activities and conclude that it’s part of a student’s personality.

But what if the problem is not with the student but the classroom itself? Insights in educational sciences suggest that engagement in the classroom isn’t just about a student’s innate disposition. In fact, it’s more likely to be a result of poor instructional practices or a failure to understand differences in context or culture. We can create more equitable spaces that value a broader range of student voices by rethinking how we define engagement and redesigning our learning environments.

The Research on Participation and Personality

Popular writing on the topic of education styles sometimes reinforces the idea of a “shy student”. It’s common when referring to students who are more forthcoming with answers or discussion that we use the words “extroverted” or “introverted”. However, although these traits can sometimes be visible in the actions of students, research suggests that this isn’t in fact an obstacle for all students to participate in meaningful and mutually beneficial interactions. Traditional classroom settings have often rewarded more rapid and spontaneous verbal responses, but this can unintentionally privilege extroverted communication styles.

Susan Cain’s well-known work on introversion explains how, although some students seem reserved, their presence in the classroom can complement more outgoing students. This is particularly true when conversations between the two veer between the lighthearted and the serious. “Extroverts need to know that introverts…may be only too happy to be tugged along to a more lighthearted place,” Cain writes about the variety in classroom conversations, adding that quieter students “should know that they make it safe for others to get serious.”

Analyses in educational psychology suggest that classroom participation is less about innate personality and more about whether students feel psychologically safe and intellectually respected to speak out.

Research by scholars such as Mary-Ann Winkelmes on transparency in learning and teaching (known as the TILT framework) boosts students’ motivation by showing them the purpose behind their work. Students that understand the reason and method of a given task and connect it to their learning are more inclined to invest in it fully and participate more actively.

Similarly, the concept of “academic behavioral confidence” (or ABC), explored by researchers like Paul Sander suggests that confidence in higher education is malleable and responsive to classroom environments. Rather than assuming students are shy, we must ask whether we’ve fostered a learning environment in which students feel secure in sharing their thoughts.

The Role of the Classroom Environment

The design of a classroom plays a crucial role in shaping student participation. Lecture halls at traditional universities, with imposing tiered seating, can sometimes reinforce passivity. We all remember the time when lecturers would insist on the Socratic method and ask us questions point-blank as a means to illustrate knowledge! On the other hand, an active learning environment encourages dynamic learning spaces, smaller group discussions, and alternative forms of communication (through text or anonymous participation, for example).

The use of calling on students in the lecture room can inadvertently silence students who need more time to process. Inclusive teaching practices, such as think-pair-share, anonymous polling, or discussion boards, provide multiple modalities for students to contribute.

To this end, Cognitive Psychologist Stanislas Dehaene’s four pillars of learning—attention, active engagement, error feedback, and consolidation—can help articulate the design of a better higher education classroom. By fostering environments that capture students’ attention, be it through interactive or varied teaching methods, educators can cater to diverse learning styles.

Getting students to actively engage can be encouraged through collaborative activities or real-time responses. This ensures that all students participate and learn at their own pace. Providing immediate and constructive feedback on errors will additionally bolster students in their understanding of a topic.

Lastly, creating opportunities for consolidation, such as through spaced repetition or reflection sessions, allows all learners to reinforce and retain knowledge. This makes learning accessible and effective for everyone. Educators can scaffold this participation by providing low-risk entry points into discussion, validating diverse contributions, and offering constructive feedback that encourages further exploration.

Strategies for More Engaging Classrooms

Fostering participation among students who choose not to speak up requires careful planning and collaboration within higher education departments. As Head of Learning Innovation at Wooclap, here are several strategies that I’ve seen in action to help promote more engagement in the classroom:
1. Redefine Participation: Expand the definition of participation to include active listening, written reflections, online discussion posts, as well as creative endeavors. Make these forms of engagement visible and valued when grading a student.
1. Use Diverse Modalities: Offer students different ways to contribute. This can be done verbally, in writing, through technology, or in small groups. Digital Tools that allow for non-verbal or anonymous engagement can be leveraged to make quieter voices more audible.
1. Set Clear Expectations: Use transparent teaching methods to clarify what participation looks like and why it matters. Share examples and model respectful discourse to encourage more engaging discussions.
1. Create Psychological Safety: Cultivate an environment where students feel comfortable taking risks. This can include normalizing uncertainty, encouraging questions, and quickly intervening against microaggressions or dominance in discussions.
1. Solicit Feedback and Adapt: Regularly check in on students to see how classroom structures are working for them. Use anonymous surveys to gauge comfort levels and adjust practices accordingly.
Designing for All Voices

Higher education instructors shouldn’t be quick to judge students who are less vocal during class. In many cases, choosing not to speak up might be a rational response to a classroom design that is overbearing or limiting in its structure for more thoughtful and reflective judgment.

Designing great learning environments that adhere to the four pillars of education, as articulated by Stanislas Dehaene, can help educators support all students and not just those who are the quickest to speak. By doing so, we can shift the narrative away from having “shy students” to fixing the systems that fail to engage them. We can improve on these systems by reimagining participation, embracing diverse communication styles, and prioritizing inclusion in our pedagogy.

Arlène Botokro has a decade of experience at the crossroads of pedagogy and digital transformation, working internationally. She has played a pivotal role in shaping Wooclap’s impact in higher education since joining the company in 2020. As Senior Manager of Education Partnerships and Innovation Projects Lead, she built strategic collaborations with leading universities, ensuring Wooclap’s solutions align with research-driven best practices. Her international experience spans the U.S., France, and Ghana with projects across multiple countries, including previous roles at Sciences Po and consulting in innovation for the publishing sector. This diverse background has given her a deep understanding of how digital learning practices can be adapted across different educational and corporate environments. Arlène continues to expand her knowledge in neuroeducation through coursework at Harvard University, reinforcing her commitment to integrating cutting-edge research into EdTech solutions.

References

Susan Cain, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, (Penguin Books, 2012).
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October 3, 2025
Supporting the Student Researcher: Effective Teaching, Learning, and Engagement Strategies – Faculty Focus

Higher education provides students with the opportunity to participate in a diverse range of academic programs that facilitate further exploration beyond the classroom. Participating in a guided research project offers valuable exposure to discipline-specific inquiry. Under the mentorship of a faculty research advisor, students gain critical skills such as project management, research methods, and early professional development. While the roles and responsibilities of the research advisor can vary depending on the type of research (e.g., human subjects, qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods), there are commonalities in how to best support student researchers. These strategies highlight best practices along with other important considerations for research advisors.

Traditionally, a research advisor guides and oversees student-led research by providing pivotal insight and direction throughout the project (National Academy of Sciences, 2009). The advisor plays a vital role in ensuring that the student follows ethical standards and guidelines. Beyond its formal role, research advisors also serve as mentors who motivate, encourage, and support students as they develop intellectually and professionally. They also create a protected and affirming space for students to be vulnerable in instances of uncertainty as the research project progresses. This dual function as both advisor and mentor has a lasting impact on students’ academic success and career trajectories. Through intentional mentorship and guidance, research advisors help students cultivate scholarly excellence, professional competence, and life skills that extend beyond the academic environment into daily activities.

There are several considerations that may cause faculty members to feel apprehensive about serving as research advisors, especially since these responsibilities extend beyond classroom instruction. This includes increased teaching loads, required committee responsibilities, professional development, community service, and administrative duties (Springer et al., 2023). Balancing these institutional demands can be overwhelming. These expanding roles and expectations contribute significantly to faculty fatigue, often leading to demoralization and persistent stress. Additionally, a student’s aptitude, skills, level of independence, and overall capacity for college-level research can also add to the complexity of serving as a research advisor.

Teaching, Learning, and Engagement Strategies

The advisor role aligns with several teaching and educational philosophies. Notably, Behaviorism (stimuli, reinforcement, and environment) and Essentialism (back to the basics) are all useful. These conceptual and philosophical frameworks are demonstrated in each of the posited strategies through the intentional use of engaging activities and techniques. Also instructive is Jean Piaget’s philosophy, which emphasizes a hands-on approach that focuses on active learning and interaction, which leads to the student’s self-exploration and discovery (Uzun, 2024). Promoting engagement that fosters problem-solving and critical thinking is especially important in the student-researcher-advisor relationship. Serving as a research advisor also requires employing an eclectic approach in relation to teaching and educational philosophies. Throughout each of the following strategies, it is imperative that the student’s learning and each engagement opportunity are meaningful, productive, and place the student researcher at the center of the collaboration. Each of these strategies presents teachable moments not only for students but also for the research advisor. The implementation of each plan to support the student, specifically how and why it is addressed.

Assess Students’ Readiness for Research

Conducting a low-stakes, informal assessment of the students’ interests, strengths, and areas of opportunity is a good starting point. Prior involvement with the student, due to their having taken a course with the faculty, may have already allowed for a preliminary assessment of the student’s preparedness for college-level research. In the absence of experience working with the student, one quick assessment method is to explore the student’s understanding of the research project more deeply. Engage in active listening, ask insightful and probing questions, and allow the process to unfold naturally. This encourages the student to demonstrate what they know about producing a noteworthy project. Students have a wide range of learning styles, competencies, and abilities. The goal is not to judge but to assess through an objective lens. This strategy enables faculty to make informed decisions about the commitment level, existing competencies, and overall student needs when undertaking scholarly research (Sharp, 2002).

Model Behavior and Coach for Success

Engaging students outside of the classroom also allows faculty to demonstrate other skill sets. The research advisor should conduct themselves in a manner that shows students ways to interact with various research stakeholders and how soft skills can be applied across different contexts. Much of the advisor’s time is spent monitoring and supporting the student. It is also imperative that the student is empowered and given the space to work independently, which is vital to students’ metacognition (Howlett, 2021). Research can be daunting; therefore, a key part of the coaching process involves implementing activities and providing affirming feedback that keeps the student engaged and interested. This strategy is essential because it supports students in gaining the requisite proficiencies as a researcher and collaborating with others.

Introduce and Teach Project Management Skills

Prioritizing tasks and effective time management are valuable skills that can enhance a student’s academic, professional, and personal life. Monitoring and evaluating overall goals and objectives promote the success of the research project. A practical approach to this strategy is to assign the student small tasks with specific timelines and deliverables, then provide incremental feedback. Scheduling project meetings to identify immediate tasks and priorities helps students understand and appreciate how to manage projects effectively. Clearly defined due dates, which may sometimes be inflexible, must be communicated (Sharp, 2002). Students are empowered when given relevant information, as well as a clear understanding of each phase of the research project. Adopting this strategy is a value-added benefit for students, as it reduces the likelihood of missed deadlines and critical deliverables throughout the project cycle.

Create a Safe Space for New Experiences and Growth

Naturally, some students may feel intimidated or unsure about how the student-faculty research collaboration will proceed. Uncertainty is expected since this is a new role and experience. It is notably different from previous instructor-student interactions that existed in the classroom. While the faculty advisor anticipates various outcomes, the student also has expectations related to faculty expertise and creativity, as well as benefiting from their full support and constructive criticism (Abbas, 2020). The research advisor must ensure that a safe environment is created for the student to feel empowered to share alternative or completely different viewpoints on various aspects of the research project. Maintaining a safe environment also encourages collaboration, student growth, and overall development. Using this strategy creates an environment of trust, teamwork, and mutual respect.

Finally, regardless of the size or type of institution, service and student engagement activities are viewed positively in higher education. Serving as a research advisor gives faculty the chance to showcase what they do outside the classroom. A large part of their time is dedicated to meeting teaching and learning responsibilities, for which they are evaluated on annually. Great effort is also made to ensure that faculty adequately support students with academic challenges. Taking on the role of research advisor also allows high-achieving students to be engaged. Additionally, this role supports and addresses the needs of students with aspirations for graduate studies, those seeking more challenging opportunities, or who have a general interest in scholarly research. Ultimately, it is a win-win situation for both the student and the faculty member who takes on this important role.

Curtis L. Todd, PhD, is Professor of Social Work in the School of Arts and Sciences at Atlanta Metropolitan State College, where he also provides instruction in Criminal Justice. Quintero J. Moore, MD, is Assistant Professor of Biology in the School of Arts and Sciences at Atlanta Metropolitan State College.

References

Abbas, A., Arrona-Palacios, A., Haruna H., and Alvarez-Sosa, D. 2020. Elements of students’ expectation towards teacher-student research collaboration in higher education. Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE): IEEE.

Howlett, M.A., McWilliams, M.A., Rademacher, K. et al. 2021. Investigating the Effects of Academic Coaching on College Students’ Metacognition. Innovative Higher Education: Springer Nature.

National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering (US) and Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy. (2009). On Being a Scientist: A Guide to Responsible Conduct in Research – Advising and Mentoring. 3rd Edition. National Academies Press: National Academy of Sciences.

Sharp, J.A., Peters, J., & Howard, K. (2002). The Management of a Student Research Project. 3rd Edition. Routledge: Taylor & Frances Group.

Springer, A., Oleksa-Marewska, K., Basinska-Zych, A., Werner, I., and Bialowas, S. (2023). Occupational burnout and chronic fatigue in the work of academic teachers-moderating role of selected health behaviours. National Library of Medicine: PLoS One.

Uzun, Aylin. 2024. Education Based on Piaget’s Theory. Research In Educational Sciences-I: IKSAD.

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September 17, 2025
Community, Classroom, and Cake – Faculty Focus

When I was handed the class list at the start of term, I sensed it was an opportunity to try something. The list told me that for most of the students taking the Leadership class, this was their only course for the semester. This is in line with the shift to part-time learning we have seen accelerate in the last five years. For this group of students, their only experience of college this semester would be the time we spent together as a class.

Each year at our graduation ceremony, we interview a couple of the graduating students and ask them about their time at college. When asked for a highlight, inevitably, almost without exception, year after year, the answer is the same: the community. It is the friendships they forge with their peers, friendships that often go on for years afterwards. They thrive on studying together. They love sharing life together. And they relish the interaction with the faculty. We all share a common meal area, so at any given lunch time you can find students of each year level sitting at the same table as faculty and staff discussing anything from the content of the morning’s lecture to the health of their family or the agonies of which team they support or some obscure drama they are streaming. Community is a very important value for our college.

Thirty or forty years ago, the experience of learning was summed up in the adage, “one third lecture, one third library, one third lunchroom.” But what happens when a part time student is not around for lunch times? And they don’t hang out in the library but access the journals and e-books remotely? That only leaves the lecture. The classroom becomes the focal point, not just of learning, but of the student’s experience of community and college as a whole. How then do I foster community among a class that will not be around any part of the college week other than this solitary class on a Tuesday afternoon?

Cake.

On Sunday afternoons I would bake a cake and bring it in for class on Tuesday. After the first hour of class, we would stop, make a cup of tea or coffee, and eat cake together. Now let me be very clear, I am no celebrity baker! I was using simple recipes. Across the semester I rotated through four types of cake: cinnamon tea cake, vanilla butter, chocolate, and orange cake. I have a limited repertoire!

The feedback from the students was very positive. A buzz quickly developed around ‘what type of the cake is it this week?’ (cinnamon tea cake proved to be the favourite). It became a ‘social lubricant’ allowing students who had not met before to comfortably chat and move beyond stilted conversations about the next assignment. And their expressions of thankfulness gave me the sense that they felt cared for. The Tuesday afternoon Leadership class developed their own sense of community that reflected the broader fabric of the college.

The success of the ‘cake experiment’ reinforces two important points for me as an educator. First, educational is fundamentally relational. Previous studies have highlighted that student learning is fostered through supportive relationships, both with faculty and student peers (Cranton 2016). As faculty bring authenticity to the classroom, it facilitates trust, openness, and engagement with others and the material (Cranton 2016). Personal authenticity is not just another part of an educator’s skill set, switched on and off when entering and leaving the classroom – authenticity needs to be authentic! I feel privileged in my context that I have the opportunity to get to know students and can genuinely say I enjoy relating to them. They are seeking to be authentic with me, as I with them. This reinforces the finding that “students appreciate feeling cared about and they want to connect with faculty members on a personal level” (Grantham et al 2015).

Of course, cake is only one example of how this can be developed. One of my colleagues teaches a foundation level courses to first years. Each semester, he invites his first-year class to his house for afternoon tea. It’s not compulsory yet most of the students relish taking up the invitation.

Second, the cake experiment fits with discussions about hidden curriculum. This has been a learning point for me as I have reflected on the semester. In our Leadership class we have discussed issues of power and ethics, developing culture, teams, vision and strategy, and patterns and styles of leadership; and the students have brought case studies from their contexts that have prompted excellent discussions. Yet I wonder if the most important thing I taught was through baking cakes. If the hidden curriculum are the behaviors, relationships, and values modelled and emphasized (Shaw, 2022), then perhaps baking cakes aligned with our discussions of how we use power as leaders, how we develop culture as leaders, how we embed vision as leaders and so on. The formal curriculum was reinforced by the hidden curriculum. And the hidden curriculum always overrides the formal curriculum!

It has been a(nother) semester of learning for me: yes, at heart of education is the relationships I enjoy with the students, and who I am is so much of what I bring to the classroom. Speaking of learning, I will need to learn some new cake recipes to expand my range for next semester.

David Wright is Dean of Students and Practical Ministry Lecturer at Bible College SA, Adelaide, Australia. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses for the last thirteen years. His current research interests include gradeless learning and personal formation, and he is writing a book on the training and equipping of people to complement his earlier work on Integration in theological education.

References

Cranton, P. 2016. Understanding and Promoting Transformative Learning: A Guide to Theory and Practice. Sterling: Stylus.

Grantham, A., Robinson, E. E., Chapman, D., 2015. “That Truly Meant a Lot to Me.”: A Qualitative Examination of Meaningful Faculty-Student Interactions. College Teaching 63: 125-132.

Shaw, P. 2022. Transforming Theological Education: A Practical Handbook for Integrative Learning. 2^nd edition. Carlisle: Langham Global.

Source link

August 15, 2025
Community, Classroom, and Cake – Faculty Focus

When I was handed the class list at the start of term, I sensed it was an opportunity to try something. The list told me that for most of the students taking the Leadership class, this was their only course for the semester. This is in line with the shift to part-time learning we have seen accelerate in the last five years. For this group of students, their only experience of college this semester would be the time we spent together as a class.

Each year at our graduation ceremony, we interview a couple of the graduating students and ask them about their time at college. When asked for a highlight, inevitably, almost without exception, year after year, the answer is the same: the community. It is the friendships they forge with their peers, friendships that often go on for years afterwards. They thrive on studying together. They love sharing life together. And they relish the interaction with the faculty. We all share a common meal area, so at any given lunch time you can find students of each year level sitting at the same table as faculty and staff discussing anything from the content of the morning’s lecture to the health of their family or the agonies of which team they support or some obscure drama they are streaming. Community is a very important value for our college.

Thirty or forty years ago, the experience of learning was summed up in the adage, “one third lecture, one third library, one third lunchroom.” But what happens when a part time student is not around for lunch times? And they don’t hang out in the library but access the journals and e-books remotely? That only leaves the lecture. The classroom becomes the focal point, not just of learning, but of the student’s experience of community and college as a whole. How then do I foster community among a class that will not be around any part of the college week other than this solitary class on a Tuesday afternoon?

Cake.

On Sunday afternoons I would bake a cake and bring it in for class on Tuesday. After the first hour of class, we would stop, make a cup of tea or coffee, and eat cake together. Now let me be very clear, I am no celebrity baker! I was using simple recipes. Across the semester I rotated through four types of cake: cinnamon tea cake, vanilla butter, chocolate, and orange cake. I have a limited repertoire!

The feedback from the students was very positive. A buzz quickly developed around ‘what type of the cake is it this week?’ (cinnamon tea cake proved to be the favourite). It became a ‘social lubricant’ allowing students who had not met before to comfortably chat and move beyond stilted conversations about the next assignment. And their expressions of thankfulness gave me the sense that they felt cared for. The Tuesday afternoon Leadership class developed their own sense of community that reflected the broader fabric of the college.

The success of the ‘cake experiment’ reinforces two important points for me as an educator. First, educational is fundamentally relational. Previous studies have highlighted that student learning is fostered through supportive relationships, both with faculty and student peers (Cranton 2016). As faculty bring authenticity to the classroom, it facilitates trust, openness, and engagement with others and the material (Cranton 2016). Personal authenticity is not just another part of an educator’s skill set, switched on and off when entering and leaving the classroom – authenticity needs to be authentic! I feel privileged in my context that I have the opportunity to get to know students and can genuinely say I enjoy relating to them. They are seeking to be authentic with me, as I with them. This reinforces the finding that “students appreciate feeling cared about and they want to connect with faculty members on a personal level” (Grantham et al 2015).

Of course, cake is only one example of how this can be developed. One of my colleagues teaches a foundation level courses to first years. Each semester, he invites his first-year class to his house for afternoon tea. It’s not compulsory yet most of the students relish taking up the invitation.

Second, the cake experiment fits with discussions about hidden curriculum. This has been a learning point for me as I have reflected on the semester. In our Leadership class we have discussed issues of power and ethics, developing culture, teams, vision and strategy, and patterns and styles of leadership; and the students have brought case studies from their contexts that have prompted excellent discussions. Yet I wonder if the most important thing I taught was through baking cakes. If the hidden curriculum are the behaviors, relationships, and values modelled and emphasized (Shaw, 2022), then perhaps baking cakes aligned with our discussions of how we use power as leaders, how we develop culture as leaders, how we embed vision as leaders and so on. The formal curriculum was reinforced by the hidden curriculum. And the hidden curriculum always overrides the formal curriculum!

It has been a(nother) semester of learning for me: yes, at heart of education is the relationships I enjoy with the students, and who I am is so much of what I bring to the classroom. Speaking of learning, I will need to learn some new cake recipes to expand my range for next semester.

David Wright is Dean of Students and Practical Ministry Lecturer at Bible College SA, Adelaide, Australia. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses for the last thirteen years. His current research interests include gradeless learning and personal formation, and he is writing a book on the training and equipping of people to complement his earlier work on Integration in theological education.

References

Cranton, P. 2016. Understanding and Promoting Transformative Learning: A Guide to Theory and Practice. Sterling: Stylus.

Grantham, A., Robinson, E. E., Chapman, D., 2015. “That Truly Meant a Lot to Me.”: A Qualitative Examination of Meaningful Faculty-Student Interactions. College Teaching 63: 125-132.

Shaw, P. 2022. Transforming Theological Education: A Practical Handbook for Integrative Learning. 2^nd edition. Carlisle: Langham Global.

Source link

August 15, 2025
The Art of Collaboration: Designing Assignments That Work – Faculty Focus
Inclusivity and feelings of psychological safety in the classroom should not be reserved solely for K-12 learning environments. Students in higher education also deserve nurturing spaces that focus on utilizing their personalized strengths and needs to foster increased academic and social development. A costly misconception is that pedagogical approaches in higher education must be lecture-based and teacher-led. Instead, it is an educator’s responsibility to design cooperative learning structures that facilitate comfort and collaboration regardless of grade level. These practical techniques will develop critical thinking and problem-solving abilities by creating intentional opportunities to enhance social and communication skills. The fundamental question becomes: How can educators plan for and deliver instructional content that is relatable and meaningful?

According to a recent survey by Salesforce (2022), just 12% of college students felt a strong sense of belonging in their institutions. Feelings of disconnection from their peers and institutions persisted after students returned to campus from remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this dismal response to education, we must promote inclusive and respectful learning environments that foster engagement, motivation, and active discourse.

Purposeful Application to Teamwork

A practical and successful strategy is to design performance tasks using cooperative learning structures deliberately. Aside from promoting positive interdependence and individual accountability, students participate equally through simultaneous interactions. These actionable, collaborative strategies help educators navigate their role as facilitators, guiding and responding rather than lecturing and directing.

In an undergraduate education course, I establish a positive tone by holding morning meetings at the start of every class. The intention is to incorporate short, structured routines that foster community, address social-emotional needs, and transition students to the day’s lesson. Purposefully, I provide opportunities for students to connect and practice the social skills necessary to participate in rigorous critical thinking and problem-solving tasks. The goal is to elicit positive peer interactions and foster a sense of belonging and trust where students consider multiple perspectives and actively engage in an inclusive and receptive learning environment.

To enrich their classroom experience, I align cooperative learning structures with the lesson outcomes, ensuring that 21st-century, real-world content tasks are purposeful and authentic. Motivated by intentional opportunities for collaboration, students actively process information in favorable conditions that are both supportive and stimulating.

Unlike group work, cooperative learning activities are highly structured, with defined roles, steps, and time limits. With transparent directions, every student knows exactly what to do. Another key difference is that these structures promote built-in accountability and equal participation, requiring everyone to contribute through regular interaction and processing.

When considering a teacher’s pedagogical content knowledge, eliciting student feedback is paramount. Responding to end of course surveys, student reflections highlight the importance of the affective domain through several emerging pivotal themes. Students emphasized the significance of engaging, inclusive, and supportive learning environments. This aligns with findings from the literature, which posits that allowing students to apply course content in innovative and engaging ways fosters a deeper understanding and a heightened sense of ownership in learning (Singha & Singha, 2024). Given these findings, creating a classroom community through collaboration increases motivation and encourages students to develop their critical thinking skills and analyze problems more effectively.

Some students conveyed appreciation for interactive, relational, and consistently structured learning experiences. One student communicated, “I felt heard, valued, and important in this class… everyone truly has the opportunity to openly share without judgment.” These emotional and interpersonal experiences support long-term learning and boost goal-directed behaviors.

Another key theme was the acknowledgment of active, collaborative, and applied learning activities. One student articulated the need for relatable, real-world, authentic tasks, stating, “My favorite activity was creating videos to connect with the assignments in class.” This reflection highlights the notion that students in higher education value opportunities that enable them to transition from passive consumers of information to active participants in the learning process (Ribeiro-Silva et al., 2022). Moreover, recent research supports the implementation of faculty professional development programs focused on active learning instruction and engaging students in college classrooms (Park & Xu, 2024).

Implications for Faculty

To design assignments that work and adopt a reflective framework in your own instruction, consider implementing the following practices:
1. Set Clear Learning Objectives: Ensure students understand what they are expected to accomplish during collaboration. Cooperative learning is most effective when aligned with specific outcomes, especially those that require higher-order thinking (analysis, synthesis, and application). Identify what students should know, do, or be able to explain by the end of the activity.
1. Design Purposeful and Flexible Groups: Keep it interesting and diversify student groups. Avoid simple tasks that can be done individually—design work that fosters interdependence and leverages diverse perspectives. Create tasks that are complex enough to require collaboration (e.g., solving a case study, evaluating evidence, or designing a project).
1. Structure Group Roles and Expectations: Assign roles based on instructional content to ensure equal participation and engagement among group members. Structured roles promote engagement and accountability. Rotate roles to ensure individual accountability and contribution.
1. Monitor and Support Groups in Real Time: Circulate during group work, check for understanding, and intervene as needed to guide discussion or clarify misconceptions. Guide communication, active listening, respectful disagreement, and group decision-making. Active monitoring shows students their work matters and allows faculty to model and scaffold skills often.
1. Encourage Metacognition: Provide opportunities for students to reflect on their group work experiences and the processes involved. Reflection reinforces academic content and collaboration skills.
By implementing collaborative techniques, faculty can motivate students to apply content knowledge that will prepare their future success in relatable, real-world contexts and encourage the development and maintenance of the interpersonal skills necessary for lifelong learning. Furthermore, by refining our pedagogical practices, we can foster a more robust society with confident, culturally competent, and self-aware leaders of tomorrow.

Final Reflections

Former U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona quoted the African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” University settings often overlook effective pedagogical approaches that incorporate collaboration, limiting opportunities for meaningful learning experiences that enhance understanding, sustain motivation, and spark intellectual curiosity. By designing, facilitating, monitoring, and evaluating inclusive learning spaces, we can contribute to a sense of belonging and bring joy back into the classroom.

Dr. Ana Figueroa is an assistant professor of education at the University of Tampa and the Lead Instructor of the Education Foundations and Human Exceptionalities courses in the undergraduate program. Her research interests include differentiated instruction, progress monitoring, teacher mindset, and highly effective instructional strategies. She champions equitable instruction for all learners.

References

Kagan, Spencer, and Miguel Kagan. Kagan Cooperative Learning. San Clemente, CA: Kagan Publishing, 2021.

Namahoe, K. (2022, April 15). Secretary Cardona’s 6 Pathways Forward in Education. ascd.org. December 29, 2024, https://ascd.org/blogs/secretary-cardonas-6-pathways-forward-in-education

Park, Elizabeth S., and Di Xu. “The Effect of Active Learning Professional Development Training on College Students’ Academic Outcomes.” Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness 17, no. 1 (December 20, 2024): 43–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2022.2151954.

Ribeiro-Silva, Elsa, Catarina Amorim, José Luis Aparicio-Herguedas, and Paula Batista. “Trends of Active Learning in Higher Education and Students’ Well-Being: A Literature Review.” Frontiers in Psychology 13 (April 18, 2022). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.844236.

“Salesforce,” October 6, 2022. https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/higher-education-statistics-trends-2022/.

Singha, Ranjit, and Surjit Singha. “Educational Innovation Transforming Higher Education for Workforce Readiness.” Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development, January 29, 2024, 37–55. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-0517-1.ch003.
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July 16, 2025
The Art of Collaboration: Designing Assignments That Work – Faculty Focus
Inclusivity and feelings of psychological safety in the classroom should not be reserved solely for K-12 learning environments. Students in higher education also deserve nurturing spaces that focus on utilizing their personalized strengths and needs to foster increased academic and social development. A costly misconception is that pedagogical approaches in higher education must be lecture-based and teacher-led. Instead, it is an educator’s responsibility to design cooperative learning structures that facilitate comfort and collaboration regardless of grade level. These practical techniques will develop critical thinking and problem-solving abilities by creating intentional opportunities to enhance social and communication skills. The fundamental question becomes: How can educators plan for and deliver instructional content that is relatable and meaningful?

According to a recent survey by Salesforce (2022), just 12% of college students felt a strong sense of belonging in their institutions. Feelings of disconnection from their peers and institutions persisted after students returned to campus from remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this dismal response to education, we must promote inclusive and respectful learning environments that foster engagement, motivation, and active discourse.

Purposeful Application to Teamwork

A practical and successful strategy is to design performance tasks using cooperative learning structures deliberately. Aside from promoting positive interdependence and individual accountability, students participate equally through simultaneous interactions. These actionable, collaborative strategies help educators navigate their role as facilitators, guiding and responding rather than lecturing and directing.

In an undergraduate education course, I establish a positive tone by holding morning meetings at the start of every class. The intention is to incorporate short, structured routines that foster community, address social-emotional needs, and transition students to the day’s lesson. Purposefully, I provide opportunities for students to connect and practice the social skills necessary to participate in rigorous critical thinking and problem-solving tasks. The goal is to elicit positive peer interactions and foster a sense of belonging and trust where students consider multiple perspectives and actively engage in an inclusive and receptive learning environment.

To enrich their classroom experience, I align cooperative learning structures with the lesson outcomes, ensuring that 21st-century, real-world content tasks are purposeful and authentic. Motivated by intentional opportunities for collaboration, students actively process information in favorable conditions that are both supportive and stimulating.

Unlike group work, cooperative learning activities are highly structured, with defined roles, steps, and time limits. With transparent directions, every student knows exactly what to do. Another key difference is that these structures promote built-in accountability and equal participation, requiring everyone to contribute through regular interaction and processing.

When considering a teacher’s pedagogical content knowledge, eliciting student feedback is paramount. Responding to end of course surveys, student reflections highlight the importance of the affective domain through several emerging pivotal themes. Students emphasized the significance of engaging, inclusive, and supportive learning environments. This aligns with findings from the literature, which posits that allowing students to apply course content in innovative and engaging ways fosters a deeper understanding and a heightened sense of ownership in learning (Singha & Singha, 2024). Given these findings, creating a classroom community through collaboration increases motivation and encourages students to develop their critical thinking skills and analyze problems more effectively.

Some students conveyed appreciation for interactive, relational, and consistently structured learning experiences. One student communicated, “I felt heard, valued, and important in this class… everyone truly has the opportunity to openly share without judgment.” These emotional and interpersonal experiences support long-term learning and boost goal-directed behaviors.

Another key theme was the acknowledgment of active, collaborative, and applied learning activities. One student articulated the need for relatable, real-world, authentic tasks, stating, “My favorite activity was creating videos to connect with the assignments in class.” This reflection highlights the notion that students in higher education value opportunities that enable them to transition from passive consumers of information to active participants in the learning process (Ribeiro-Silva et al., 2022). Moreover, recent research supports the implementation of faculty professional development programs focused on active learning instruction and engaging students in college classrooms (Park & Xu, 2024).

Implications for Faculty

To design assignments that work and adopt a reflective framework in your own instruction, consider implementing the following practices:
1. Set Clear Learning Objectives: Ensure students understand what they are expected to accomplish during collaboration. Cooperative learning is most effective when aligned with specific outcomes, especially those that require higher-order thinking (analysis, synthesis, and application). Identify what students should know, do, or be able to explain by the end of the activity.
1. Design Purposeful and Flexible Groups: Keep it interesting and diversify student groups. Avoid simple tasks that can be done individually—design work that fosters interdependence and leverages diverse perspectives. Create tasks that are complex enough to require collaboration (e.g., solving a case study, evaluating evidence, or designing a project).
1. Structure Group Roles and Expectations: Assign roles based on instructional content to ensure equal participation and engagement among group members. Structured roles promote engagement and accountability. Rotate roles to ensure individual accountability and contribution.
1. Monitor and Support Groups in Real Time: Circulate during group work, check for understanding, and intervene as needed to guide discussion or clarify misconceptions. Guide communication, active listening, respectful disagreement, and group decision-making. Active monitoring shows students their work matters and allows faculty to model and scaffold skills often.
1. Encourage Metacognition: Provide opportunities for students to reflect on their group work experiences and the processes involved. Reflection reinforces academic content and collaboration skills.
By implementing collaborative techniques, faculty can motivate students to apply content knowledge that will prepare their future success in relatable, real-world contexts and encourage the development and maintenance of the interpersonal skills necessary for lifelong learning. Furthermore, by refining our pedagogical practices, we can foster a more robust society with confident, culturally competent, and self-aware leaders of tomorrow.

Final Reflections

Former U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona quoted the African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” University settings often overlook effective pedagogical approaches that incorporate collaboration, limiting opportunities for meaningful learning experiences that enhance understanding, sustain motivation, and spark intellectual curiosity. By designing, facilitating, monitoring, and evaluating inclusive learning spaces, we can contribute to a sense of belonging and bring joy back into the classroom.

Dr. Ana Figueroa is an assistant professor of education at the University of Tampa and the Lead Instructor of the Education Foundations and Human Exceptionalities courses in the undergraduate program. Her research interests include differentiated instruction, progress monitoring, teacher mindset, and highly effective instructional strategies. She champions equitable instruction for all learners.

References

Kagan, Spencer, and Miguel Kagan. Kagan Cooperative Learning. San Clemente, CA: Kagan Publishing, 2021.

Namahoe, K. (2022, April 15). Secretary Cardona’s 6 Pathways Forward in Education. ascd.org. December 29, 2024, https://ascd.org/blogs/secretary-cardonas-6-pathways-forward-in-education

Park, Elizabeth S., and Di Xu. “The Effect of Active Learning Professional Development Training on College Students’ Academic Outcomes.” Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness 17, no. 1 (December 20, 2024): 43–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2022.2151954.

Ribeiro-Silva, Elsa, Catarina Amorim, José Luis Aparicio-Herguedas, and Paula Batista. “Trends of Active Learning in Higher Education and Students’ Well-Being: A Literature Review.” Frontiers in Psychology 13 (April 18, 2022). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.844236.

“Salesforce,” October 6, 2022. https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/higher-education-statistics-trends-2022/.

Singha, Ranjit, and Surjit Singha. “Educational Innovation Transforming Higher Education for Workforce Readiness.” Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development, January 29, 2024, 37–55. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-0517-1.ch003.
Source link
July 16, 2025
Reimagining the Flipped Classroom: Integrating AI, Microlearning, and Learning Analytics to Elevate Student Engagement and Critical Thinking – Faculty Focus

The traditional flipped classroom model, which reverses the conventional lecture-homework structure, has evolved significantly since its inception. In the digital era, especially post-pandemic, this strategy has gained renewed importance for fostering active learning, critical thinking, and academic resilience. Today, the flipped classroom is no longer just about moving lectures online but about curating immersive, personalized learning environments. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), microlearning, and learning analytics provides new dimensions to this pedagogical approach, enhancing both student preparation and in-class engagement. This article explores how these three components can reshape flipped learning and address persistent challenges such as student unpreparedness, fear of participation, and lack of motivation.

Flipped Classroom 2.0: Enriching the Core Strategy

The original flipped classroom model aimed to reverse the traditional structure of education by shifting the transmission of basic content, often done through lectures, outside the classroom, while using face-to-face class time for active engagement and problem-solving. While this model offered significant benefits, the ever-changing dynamics of education in the digital era demand a more adaptive and responsive framework. This has led to the evolution of Flipped Classroom 2.0, a pedagogy that not only retains the foundational principles of the original model but enhances them with modern technologies and learner-centered practices.

AI Tools

In the Flipped Classroom 2.0 model, the learning process is amplified by integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, which help personalize student learning pathways. AI-enabled systems such as adaptive learning platforms, chatbots, and generative tools like ChatGPT can provide students with on-demand explanations, simulate peer discussions, offer low-stakes quizzes, and give instant feedback. This technological support allows students to learn at their own pace and revisit complex material without feeling anxious or dependent solely on the instructor. From the educator’s side, AI tools help identify patterns in learner behavior and performance, allowing for more targeted interventions during class time.

Microlearning

Microlearning plays a central role in supporting pre-class preparation under the Flipped Classroom 2.0 framework. Instead of overwhelming students with lengthy video lectures or dense readings, microlearning delivers short, focused modules that concentrate on single learning objectives. These modules are ideal for students who are accustomed to fast-paced digital environments and may have limited attention spans. Microlearning enhances retention by segmenting information and reinforcing key concepts through repetition and brief assessments. It also empowers students to learn efficiently on mobile devices and during flexible hours, which is particularly valuable in hybrid and online learning contexts.

Learning Analytics

Learning analytics represents another foundational component of the Flipped Classroom 2.0 design. By utilizing Learning Management Systems (LMS) and built-in analytics dashboards, instructors can gain valuable insights into which students have completed pre-class activities, how they have performed, and where they may need additional support. Analytics tools also promote student accountability, as learners are able to track their own progress and receive early alerts when they are falling behind. These data-driven approaches make it possible to transition from reactive teaching to proactive guidance.

Collectively, these innovations: AI, microlearning, and learning analytics, enhance the effectiveness of the flipped classroom by aligning content delivery, student support, and real-time feedback. Flipped Classroom 2.0 is not merely a technological upgrade; it is a reimagined learning experience that promotes self-directed learning, critical thinking, and inclusivity. It encourages students to become active participants rather than passive recipients, and it positions educators as facilitators and data-informed decision-makers in the learning process.

Understanding Student Resistance in the Digital Era

Unpreparedness often stems not from laziness or disinterest, but from deeper psychological or contextual barriers that influence a student’s ability to engage. In many cases, students may feel overwhelmed by the unfamiliarity of new instructional models or lack the confidence needed to navigate them successfully. This resistance is especially prominent in environments where flipped classroom strategies are introduced abruptly or without adequate scaffolding. In digitally enhanced learning spaces, Artificial Intelligence tools can serve as diagnostic aids to help educators understand the roots of student resistance.

By monitoring metrics such as time spent on tasks, levels of participation, and types of interactions within pre-class activities, AI systems can identify patterns of disengagement or confusion. For example, if students frequently abandon certain video modules or quiz sections, this may signal content complexity, misalignment with learning styles, or underlying cognitive fatigue. Moreover, many students, especially those transitioning from traditional learning environments, may carry negative assumptions about active learning approaches. They may perceive them as chaotic, unpredictable, or more demanding than passive learning formats. Educators must dig deeper to explore these sentiments and confront the emotional undercurrents that influence classroom behavior. Addressing resistance with empathy, transparency, and gradual acclimatization is crucial for long-term student buy-in.

Addressing Fear Through Technology-Supported Safety

Fear is one of the most formidable barriers to classroom participation. Whether it’s the fear of giving incorrect answers, speaking publicly, or being judged by peers, these emotions can significantly hinder student engagement. In the flipped classroom, where much of the responsibility for learning shifts to students, this fear may become even more pronounced if not properly addressed. Technology, particularly AI-driven tools, can be strategically used to create psychologically safe learning environments. For example, private practice environments powered by chatbots or simulations can offer students a space to make mistakes, ask questions, and rehearse ideas without fear of embarrassment. These tools are particularly beneficial for introverted students or those who lack confidence in their subject knowledge.

Microlearning also plays a vital role in reducing anxiety. By breaking down complex content into manageable chunks, students can focus on mastering one concept at a time. This incremental mastery builds confidence and reduces cognitive overload. When paired with formative assessments and feedback loops, microlearning helps normalize error-making as part of the learning process. Analytics further enhance psychological safety by providing both educators and students with objective data on progress. When students see that others are also struggling with the same concepts or that their performance is gradually improving, they are more likely to perceive learning as a collective and iterative journey.

Making Learning Visible with Analytics and Scaffolds

Visibility of learning progress is essential in maintaining student accountability and fostering meaningful classroom interactions. In traditional flipped classrooms, instructors often face the challenge of determining whether students have genuinely completed pre-class tasks or engaged with the material in a substantive way.

Flipped Classroom 2.0 addresses this issue by leveraging data and scaffolding techniques that make learning both measurable and visible. Learning analytics tools embedded in LMS platforms can track completion rates, quiz scores, engagement time, and areas of difficulty. This data is accessible to both teachers and students through visual dashboards, which serve as powerful motivators and intervention tools. Educators can use this information to adjust instruction, form differentiated groups and provide individualized support. Scaffolding further supports this visibility. Templates, guided note-taking structures, interactive mind maps, and learning journals help students organize their thoughts and reflect on their understanding. When integrated with AI, these scaffolds can be customized based on student performance and learning preferences. This transparency not only improves learning outcomes but also enhances communication between instructors and students.

Designing Pre-Class Work That Drives In-Class Success

A key feature of the flipped classroom model is the dependency on students completing pre-class work so they can actively participate in class discussions and activities. However, the perceived value of pre-class tasks directly influences student compliance and effort. To elevate this value, educators must clearly connect pre-class preparation with in-class success. AI can support this connection by generating customized content summaries, quizzes, and diagnostic questions based on each student’s pre-class performance. For instance, if a student demonstrates mastery of foundational concepts, they can be prompted with higher-order questions to challenge their thinking. Conversely, students who struggle can be provided with remedial resources and practice modules. In-class activities should build directly on pre-class efforts. Group discussions, simulations, debates, and problem-solving exercises should reference or utilize outputs from the pre-class assignments. This integration reinforces the message that preparation is essential for success and ensures that students recognize the practical benefits of investing time in asynchronous learning.

Gamification techniques, such as digital badges, progress milestones, and peer recognition can further motivate students to complete pre-class tasks. When these activities contribute to course grades or unlock exclusive learning opportunities, their relevance is amplified.

Establishing Routine and Engagement with Focusing Activities

The transition from asynchronous pre-class learning to synchronous in-class application can be challenging if not facilitated through structured routines. Focusing activities, particularly those conducted at the beginning of class, serve as critical bridges that help students activate prior knowledge and reorient their attention. These activities may include short reflective prompts, polls, problem-solving warmups, or collaborative brainstorming sessions. When enhanced with technology, focusing activities become even more impactful. For example, AI-driven polling platforms can pose adaptive questions tailored to the students’ recent performance.

Visualization tools can help students construct or revise concept maps based on their understanding of the pre-class content. Establishing predictable routines around these activities builds habits of participation. Over time, students internalize the rhythm of flipped learning: prepare independently, apply collaboratively, reflect continuously. Such engagement patterns increase cognitive readiness and reduce classroom management challenges.

Avoiding Pitfalls in Tech-Enhanced Flipped Classrooms

While Flipped Classroom 2.0 offers numerous benefits, its success is contingent upon thoughtful implementation. Several common pitfalls can undermine the model’s effectiveness. One of the most prevalent mistakes is treating technology as a substitute for pedagogy. Simply replacing lectures with videos or adding quizzes does not constitute a true flip. Without alignment to learning objectives and instructional goals, these tools can confuse rather than support learners.

Another challenge is content overload. Students may feel overwhelmed if asked to review long readings, videos, and quizzes without clear guidance or purpose. Microlearning and scaffolding should be used to break down materials and provide learning pathways that are manageable and coherent. Educator readiness is another often-overlooked factor. Successful adoption of AI tools and data dashboards requires faculty training and support. Instructors must be equipped not only with technical skills but also with an understanding of how to interpret analytics and adjust pedagogy accordingly.

Lastly, student feedback should be incorporated into the design and refinement of flipped classroom practices. Continuous evaluation, surveys, and informal check-ins can reveal usability issues and highlight opportunities for improvement.

Toward a Future-Ready Learning Model

Reimagining the flipped classroom requires more than adopting trendy tools, it demands a philosophical shift. By combining AI, microlearning, and learning analytics, educators can create classrooms that are not only flipped but also fluid, feedback-driven, and future-ready. These strategies support student autonomy, foster critical thinking, and build academic resilience in an unpredictable world. The next frontier of flipped learning is not about technology for its own sake, but about purposeful integration that places learners at the center.

N. P. K. Ekanayake

Ms. Neranjana Priyangani Kumari Ekanayake, a senior lecturer at the University of Kelaniya, teaches Investment and Portfolio Management, Enterprise Resource Planning, Behavioural Finance, and Advanced Management Accounting. She holds a BBA in Accounting (Special) and an MSc in MMs. Neranjana Priyangani Kumari Ekanayake, a senior lecturer at the University of Kelaniya, teaches Investment and Portfolio Management, Enterprise Resource Planning, Behavioural Finance, and Advanced Management Accounting. She holds a BBA in Accounting (Special) first-class and an MSc in Management (Specialized in Finance) and is a CIMA passed finalist. Further she has completed a Diploma in Enterprise Resource Planning in University of Kelaniya.

N.K.L. Silva

Ms. Nilanthige Kaushalya Lakmali Silva is a Lecturer at the Department of Accountancy, University of Kelaniya. She teaches Management, Economics, Human Resource Management, Marketing Management, Strategic Management and Information Management. Ms. Silva holds a B.B.Mgt. (Special) Degree in Accountancy with a First-Class Honours and an M.Sc. in Management with a Merit. Her research interests include major areas of Accounting and Finance, with a particular focus on Sri Lanka’s Capital Markets, Micro and Macro Economic Environment, Corporate Governance, and Corporate Fraud. She has published several research papers in academic journals and conference proceedings. She is a CMA Sri Lanka Passed Finalist and has completed the Diploma in Banking and Finance at the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka.

References

Berrett, D. (2012, February 19). How “flipping” the classroom can improve the traditional lecture. Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/article/how-flipping-the-classroom-can-improve-the-traditional-lecture/130857

Gerstein, J. (2012, May 15). Flipped classroom: The full picture for higher education. User Generated Education. https://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/flipped-classroom-the-full-picture-for-higher-education/

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July 2, 2025
Integrating Systems Thinking to Enhance Liberal Arts Curriculum through Learner-Centered Teaching – Faculty Focus
Liberal arts education empowers individuals to become well-rounded to handle complexity, diversity, and change by providing broad knowledge of the world and in-depth study in a specific area. It fosters social responsibility, strong intellectual and practical skills, and the ability to think critically to apply knowledge in real-world settings, combining general education with specialized study (Barker, 2000). Today’s modern liberal education typically encompasses a general education curriculum that offers extensive learning across various multiple disciplines and perspectives, paired with focused study in a chosen major.

Liberal arts education has long been valued for its broad-based approach to learning, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and a well-rounded knowledge base. However, in an increasingly complex and interconnected world, there is a growing need to enhance this traditional model with innovative teaching methods (Barker, 2000). Systems thinking and learning-centered teaching are two such approaches that, when integrated, can significantly enrich the liberal arts educational experience (Forrester, 2016). Key learning outcomes from a Liberal Arts Curriculum include:
- A liberal arts curriculum fosters a comprehensive understanding of human cultures and the physical and natural world through diverse fields such as sciences, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, histories, languages, and the arts. This knowledge is deepened by engaging with significant, both contemporary and enduring, real-world problems.
- Additionally, it cultivates intellectual and practical skills, including inquiry and analysis, critical and creative thinking, written and oral communication, quantitative literacy, information literacy, teamwork, and problem-solving. These skills are honed extensively across the curriculum, within the context of increasingly challenging problems, projects, and performance standards.
Systems Thinking Principles and Framework for Liberal Arts Curriculum and Interdisciplinary Learning

Systems thinking is a powerful tool for promoting students’ holistic thinking, interdisciplinary learning, critical and creative thinking skills for problem solving (Meadows, 2008; Richmond, 1994, 2000). Systems thinking complements interdisciplinary learning. For example, environmental science applies systems thinking to study ecosystems and environmental sustainability, integrating ecological, economic, and social dimensions to address environmental challenges holistically. Economics utilizes systemic relationships and feedback loops in its models to analyse market dynamics, resource allocation, and the impact of economic policies on various sectors. Sociology examines social systems through their structures, functions, and interactions, using systems thinking to understand societal issues like inequality, social change, and community dynamics. This synergy between systems thinking and liberal arts curriculum enhances students’ learning and ability to:
1. Identify Patterns and Relationships: Systems thinking helps students recognize patterns and relationships across disciplines, fostering a deeper understanding of how various factors interact within a system.
1. Develop Holistic Solutions: By considering the broader context, students can develop more holistic and sustainable solutions to complex problems.
1. Enhance Critical Thinking: Systems thinking encourages critical analysis and the ability to see beyond surface-level issues, promoting a more nuanced and informed approach to problem-solving.
For this it is essential to introduce the concepts and principles of systems thinking (Figure 1). It is essential for students to learn a variety of systems thinking concepts and tools such as plotting dynamic behaviour patterns (behaviour over-time graphs, BOTGs), causal loops diagrams (CLDs) with reinforcing (R) and balancing (B) feedback loops, system archetypes for constructing models (see for example, Meadows, 2008; Richmond, 1994, 2000; Sterman, 2000).

Figure 1. Tools of systems thinking

Applying these systems thinking tools and concepts students will be able to make connections between disciplines to achieve the intended learning outcomes through integrated learning and problem-solving skills.

Purpose and System/Problem Boundary Identification
- Purpose: In liberal arts, the purpose is to develop well-rounded individuals with critical thinking, problem-solving, and ethical reasoning skills. Systems thinking helps students understand the broader purpose of their education and how different disciplines interconnect.
- System or Problem Boundary Identification: This involves defining what is included within the system and what is excluded. In liberal arts, this helps students delineate the scope of their studies and understand the limits of their knowledge.
Causation and Feedback Loops
- Causation: Understanding cause-and-effect relationships is crucial in liberal arts. Systems thinking helps students analyze how different factors influence each other within a system.
- Feedback loops: This involves recognizing how outputs of a system can loop back as inputs, influencing future behavior. In liberal arts, this principle helps students understand dynamic interactions and long-term consequences of actions.
Validity Criteria and Experiment Design for Validity
- Validity Criteria: Establishing criteria to assess the validity of information and arguments is essential in liberal arts. Systems thinking provides tools to evaluate the reliability and relevance of data.
- Experiment Design for Validity: Designing experiments or studies to test hypotheses and validate theories is a key skill. Systems thinking helps students create robust experimental designs to identify the policy levers that account for complex variables.
Policy Space and Experiment Design for Policy
- Policy Space: This involves exploring different policy options and their potential impacts. In liberal arts, students learn to consider various perspectives and the broader implications of policies.
- Experiment Design for Policy: Designing experiments to test policy interventions helps students understand the practical applications of their studies. Systems thinking aids in creating comprehensive policy experiments that consider multiple factors.
Integration of Systems Approach and Learner-Centered Teaching

Learner-centered teaching, as outlined by Weimer (Weimer 2010, 2013), fundamentally transforms the traditional classroom into dynamic, placing students at the heart of their educational journey. This approach not only involves students in the intricate process of learning but also empowers them to take charge of their educational experiences. By fostering reflection, collaboration, and explicit skill development, learner-centered teaching equips students with critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for lifelong learning and success. When this approach is harmoniously integrated with essential pedagogical actions for engaging in activities that require independent work or collaboration, students have the chance to discover their preferred learning methods, solve problems, and explore concepts on their own or with peers. Thus, this holistic approach empowers learners to become active, self-directed participants in their educational journey, preparing them for the challenges of the modern world (Blumberg, 2019).

Liberal arts education faces several challenges, including the need to stay relevant in a rapidly changing world and to equip students with skills that are applicable across various fields. Integrating systems thinking and learning-centered teaching can address these challenges by making education more dynamic, interactive, and applicable to real-life situations (Forrester, 2016). For example, a history course might use systems thinking to analyze historical events within broader social, economic, and political contexts, while employing learning-centered techniques to encourage students to draw parallels with contemporary issues. Integrating systems thinking into liberal arts education can be achieved through various learner-centered strategies:
1. Interdisciplinary Courses: Designing courses that explicitly incorporate systems thinking and draw on multiple disciplines can help students see the connections between different fields of study.
1. Project-Based Learning: Encouraging students to work on projects that require interdisciplinary collaboration and systems thinking can enhance their problem-solving skills and real-world application of knowledge.
1. Collaborative Learning Environments: Creating learning environments that promote collaboration and dialogue among students from diverse academic backgrounds can foster a culture of interdisciplinary learning.
In conclusion, teaching in a liberal arts classroom, learner-centered environments empower students to build their own understanding by drawing on their prior knowledge, beliefs, and cultural practices. By incorporating systems thinking into the design and implementation of liberal arts curriculum and interdisciplinary course content, institutions can further enhance students’ holistic thinking and creative problem-solving skills.

Dr. Bellam Sreenivasulu earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the National University of Singapore. He has taught at NUS, SUTD, and MDIS, and co-taught with MIT faculty at SUTD in Singapore. Currently, he is a Senior Lecturer at Residential College 4, NUS. He specializes in Systems Thinking and System Dynamics (ST&SD) education, focusing on energy systems, sustainable energy production, energy supply and demand, energy security, and carbon emissions. He also teaches a course on sleep health using systems approach. Passionate about interdisciplinary and learner-centered teaching and research.

References

Blumberg, P. (2019). Making learning-centered teaching work: Practical strategies for implementation (2nd ed.) Stylus.

Barker, C.M. (2000). Liberal Arts Education for a Global Society. New York: Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Forrester, J. W. (2016). Learning through System Dynamics as Preparation for the 21st Century. System Dynamics Review, 32, 187−203

Meadows, D. (2008). Thinking in Systems: A Primer (Chelsea Green Publishing, Hartford, VT).

Richmond, B. (2000). The “Thinking” in Systems Thinking: Seven Essential Skills (Pegasus Communications, Waltham, MA).

Weimer, M. (2010). Inspired college teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-centered teaching: Five key changes to practice (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
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June 23, 2025

Why I Stopped Starting Class with Content—and What Happened Instead – Faculty Focus

Let me tell you something no one wants to admit: content is boring.

There. I said it.

It’s not that the ideas themselves aren’t important—it’s that we’ve turned teaching into a conveyor belt of information. Slide decks. Learning objectives. Case summaries. I did it for years, starting every session with the clean, structured logic of “what we’re going to cover today.” And every time, I could feel it: the emotional temperature of the room dropping by a degree with each bullet point.

Then one day, I threw it all out. I walked into my classroom and started with a question I didn’t know the answer to.

“Why do organizations love change, but hate their changemakers?”

The room blinked back at me. One student tilted their head. Another smiled. Someone raised an eyebrow. Then: silence.

And in that silence?

Engagement.

The Paradox Effect

That one question—unresolved, unanswerable, alive—did more to wake up my students than any HBR case ever had.

It turns out, paradoxes are rocket fuel for learning. They don’t just activate the intellect—they ignite curiosity. They create a space where both students and teachers can explore, not just explain. In The Art of Change, I call this the Paradoxical Mindset Cycle—an approach that doesn’t resolve contradiction, but uses it as an engine for insight.

Since then, I’ve started every class not with content, but with creative tension.

What I Do Now (and What I Don’t)

Let me make it clear—I still teach frameworks. I still assign readings. But I don’t start there anymore. I start here:

Step 1: Open with a real-word paradox

Something messy. Something provocative. Something I’m still trying to figure out myself. Examples I’ve used:

“Why do purpose-driven companies become bureaucracy-driven over time?”

“Why does the most insightful person in the room often go unheard?”

“Why do so many change initiatives begin with restructuring, even though we know it rarely works?”

The key? I never position the question as rhetorical. I treat it as alive.

Because it is.

Step 2: Set a timer and go dark

I put students in pairs and give them five minutes. No note-taking. No Googling. Just dialogue. It feels more like a café than a classroom. And something remarkable happens: they stop performing and start reflecting.

Step 3: We build a paradox map

Each group shares both sides of the paradox: Why we crave change. Why we kill it. I scribble the responses on the board—no sorting, no filtering. It looks chaotic. It’s supposed to.

Then I ask: “Where does this show up in your own experience?”

And that’s when it gets real. One student shares how their great idea for a campus project got stuck in endless approvals. Another talks about how their student club started strong but lost its energy as it grew.

Suddenly the paradox isn’t academic—it’s personal.

Step 4: Now we bring in the tools

Only after we’ve felt the tension do I introduce the day’s reading, model, or theory. It’s not the main event—it’s a flashlight. A way to examine the paradox from a new angle.

Frameworks become lenses, not gospels.

Step 5: End unresolved

I used to close class with “key takeaways.” Now, I end with a twist. I return to the paradox and ask: “What questions are you leaving with?”

This shift—from resolution to reflection—keeps the learning alive after the session ends.

Here’s What Happened

1. Students leaned in, not back

When we start with answers, students tune out. When we start with paradoxes, they lean in. They stop thinking, What does the professor want? and start wondering, What do I think?

2. The quiet voices spoke first

Here’s the weird part: when I started with content, only the confident students talked. But when I started with tension, the quieter students jumped in—maybe because no one had the answer yet, so there was no hierarchy of certainty.

3. I stopped pretending to know everything

This was harder than I expected. I’m a professor—I like having answers. But paradoxes humbled me. They reminded me that real learning is co-created. I had to model curiosity, not certainty. Vulnerability became my pedagogy.

What Surprised Me

Here’s the counterintuitive part: less structure created more rigor.

We didn’t just cover content—we interrogated it. Students asked sharper questions. They challenged assumptions. They made the frameworks work for them, not the other way around.

One of my BBAs said it best: “You didn’t just teach me models. You taught me how to think about things that don’t have easy answers.”

Isn’t that the point?

What Didn’t Work (and Why)

Let’s be real—this approach has a learning curve. Here’s what I learned the hard way:

Bad paradox = bad discussion

If the question is too vague or too clever, students freeze. The best paradoxes are rooted in lived tension, not philosophical abstraction.

You still need scaffolding

Don’t confuse openness with chaos. I learned to provide anchor points—definitions, boundaries, reflection prompts—so students don’t drift.

Sometimes they want the damn answer

And that’s okay. After exploring the paradox, I now say, “Here’s one way to look at it.” That shift—one way—keeps the door open.

Try This in Your Class Tomorrow

If you want to test this out without overhauling your syllabus, here’s a quick plug-and-play format:

Choose a paradox related to your next topic. Make it messy.

Write it on the board as the only thing visible when students walk in.

Have students pair up and discuss both sides for five minutes.

Map responses publicly—no editing.

Introduce the content as a way to explore the tension, not solve it.

End with a return question: “What’s still unresolved?”

Some of My Favorite Classroom Paradoxes

Themes	Paradoxes
Innovation	Why do we ask for disruption—but build systems to resist it?
Leadership	Why does empowering people sometimes make them feel abandoned?
Teams	Why do diverse teams perform better—and struggle more?
Ethics	Why do people follow rules that conflict with their values?
Strategy	Why does clear direction often limit flexibility?

Why This Matters (Now More Than Ever)

We live in an era defined by contradiction. Our students don’t need tidy formulas—they need tools to think through tension. That’s what the paradox-first approach cultivates. It’s not just pedagogy—it’s preparation for a world that’s never either/or.

I’ve found that the classroom is the perfect place to start. Not by offering answers—but by daring to ask the better questions.

It’s Not a Trick Question

When I walk into class now, I don’t open with a takeaway—I open with a paradox. I don’t know how it’ll go. That’s the point.

Because the moment we stop starting with certainty is the moment students start showing up with possibility.

Jeff DeGraff is Clinical Professor of Management and Organizations at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and co-author of The Art of Change: Transforming Paradoxes into Breakthroughs.

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June 16, 2025

Tag: building student engagement

1. Build Team Identity and Roles

Tools to try:

Why it works:

2. Introduce Weekly “Boss Battles”

Pro tip:

3. Alternate Between Individual and Team Challenges

4. Use Leaderboards Mindfully

Gamified tip:

5. Let Students Reflect and Choose

Final Thoughts

The Research on Participation and Personality

The Role of the Classroom Environment

Strategies for More Engaging Classrooms

Designing for All Voices

Teaching, Learning, and Engagement Strategies

Assess Students’ Readiness for Research

Model Behavior and Coach for Success

Introduce and Teach Project Management Skills

Create a Safe Space for New Experiences and Growth

Purposeful Application to Teamwork

Implications for Faculty

Final Reflections

Purposeful Application to Teamwork

Implications for Faculty

Final Reflections

Flipped Classroom 2.0: Enriching the Core Strategy

AI Tools

Microlearning

Learning Analytics

Understanding Student Resistance in the Digital Era

Addressing Fear Through Technology-Supported Safety

Making Learning Visible with Analytics and Scaffolds

Designing Pre-Class Work That Drives In-Class Success

Establishing Routine and Engagement with Focusing Activities

Avoiding Pitfalls in Tech-Enhanced Flipped Classrooms

Toward a Future-Ready Learning Model

Systems Thinking Principles and Framework for Liberal Arts Curriculum and Interdisciplinary Learning

Purpose and System/Problem Boundary Identification

Causation and Feedback Loops

Validity Criteria and Experiment Design for Validity

Policy Space and Experiment Design for Policy

Integration of Systems Approach and Learner-Centered Teaching