Tag: meaningful

A Professor’s Framework for Meaningful, Joyful, and Sustainable Work – Faculty Focus

One of the unexpected gifts of the pandemic was the clarity it brought. We need to care for ourselves in more substantial and intentional ways if we want to show up fully in the world. For me, that realization sometimes came uncomfortably, as I reflected on just how often I was drained and exhausted.  While I supported students through a first-year seminar course called Becoming More Resilient, designed to help students navigate the challenges of the pandemic with a little more ease, I realized I hadn’t yet found a similar framework that resonated with me.

After moving through some challenging seasons of blurred boundaries and little time to focus on my priorities, I found myself drawn to the idea of some kind of daily rhythm that could support my well-being in a more intentional way. Over time, a simple framework began to take shape. It doesn’t solve everything, but it gently reminds me of what helps me feel more whole, more present, and more grounded in my life and work.

When I integrate this structure into my life, I’m not just more productive, I show up more fully for my students, my colleagues, and myself. What follows is the framework I’ve come to rely on: five key pillars of care and support that help me stay grounded and energized.

Emotional Resilience: Boundaries, Self-Compassion, and Self-Awareness

Emotional resilience isn’t about pushing through and bouncing back. For me, it’s about learning how to pause and listen to what I need. I’ve started using a simple journaling practice to reflect on my emotional highs and lows each week, which helps me notice patterns I might otherwise miss. I’ve also learned to be more deliberate with boundaries. I keep email and letter templates for common situations that tend to drain me, and I am generous with my office/student hours, which then allows me to close my door at other times during the week without guilt. When things feel especially hard, I’ve come to rely on a few quiet moments of self-compassion, reminding myself that doing enough is different from doing everything. I have sticky notes of mantras that I shared with students during the pandemic that I appreciate now, like “progress over perfection” and “I am enough.” While I don’t practice these as consistently as I would like, when I do, they’ve helped me show up with less stress and more grace.

How to Get Started:

Practice simple, kind ways to say no like: “It sounds like a wonderful opportunity but I’m at full capacity.”

Physical Well-being: Movement, Nutrition, Sleep

Physical wellbeing was the first thing I let slide when work became overwhelming, but I’ve slowly started to shift that pattern. I’ve learned that even small amounts of movement, like a walk on campus–bonus points for connecting with a colleague while walking–or even standing for online meetings, can reset my energy. I’ve also begun paying more attention to how I nourish myself during the day. I embraced intermittent fasting and rarely ate until 2 pm. This regular practice has many benefits, but it likely spiked my cortisol levels. Now I keep fruit, nuts, and simple salads on hand and a thermos of hot water for tea. And I’m finally protecting my sleep with a bit more intention: shutting down my screens earlier, winding down with a book, and starting my day in the early morning sun to reset my circadian rhythm. I don’t do it perfectly, but when I take care of my body, everything else feels more manageable.

How to Get Started:

Plan and pack some healthy foods to keep you fueled throughout your day. Limit the vending machine to emergencies.

Stress-Relief: Meditation, Rejuvenation, Relaxation

Finding ways to truly relieve stress—rather than just powering through it—has become one of the most important parts of my routine. My partner and I start our day with a morning meditation. This sacred time seems to create more space in my brain for the day ahead. I’ve also started building in short moments of stillness throughout the day, even if it’s just a few deep breaths. These tiny pauses help me reset, especially when the day starts to feel like a blur. I add some rejuvenating activities on my calendar: walking with my son, working in the garden, rolling out my Yoga mat. All are free and simple. Relaxation doesn’t always mean doing nothing; sometimes it’s music, journaling, or simply giving myself permission to stop working before I’m completely depleted. These small choices remind me that I’m allowed to move through my day with more ease.

How to Get Started:

Add a three-minute reset to your morning. Set the timer for three minutes, close your eyes and simply breath, allowing all thoughts to float by like clouds.

Meaningful Living: Joy, Connection, Creativity

I’ve come to realize that for me, meaningful living means making space for the things that fuel me—joy, creativity, and connection. It’s easy to let these fall to the bottom of the list when deadlines pile up, but when I protect them, everything else feels more doable. I carve out small pockets of time to do something creative and joyful like cooking something new, writing for myself, going to a farmers’ market or exploring a new bookstore or town. I try to stay connected to the people who matter, even if it’s just a quick check-in or a shared laugh. I also notice that I enjoy the time that I spend with my students when I am not overwhelmed with other aspects of my job. The classroom can be a joyful, connected space filled with creativity when we allow ourselves to be fully present and engaged. These moments remind me that life is about way more than productivity. These experiences bring me back to what I value.

How to Get Started:

Chart your best moment of the day in a journal. Soon you will have 365 best moments! I love this practice because even the worst days have a best moment.

Time and Energy Protection: Prioritize, Say No with Kindness, Focus

Saying no with kindness has been a practice, one that allows me to be more intentional about where my energy goes. I have many passions so saying no sometimes feels like a missed opportunity. The more I am aligned with my priorities and core values, the more I can empower myself to decline offers. I started a new practice in which I named one focus for the day. For example, I may be teaching a class on Wednesday, but my main focus is to revise an article, grade papers, or attend a complex committee meeting on that day. I give myself a high five for completing the focus and give myself grace if some loose ends remain from the day. One area where I need work is guarding space for creative work, the kind that needs unhurried thinking and a little room to breathe. It’s not always easy, but I recently had an epiphany about how focusing on what matters and saying no to all the rest allows me to bring my best self to my work.

How to Get Started:

Name your focus of the day. Prepare to tackle just that one thing well. Give yourself grace for whatever remains unfinished.

These practices didn’t come to me all at once; they’ve taken shape slowly, over time, through trial and error, losses and wins. What I’ve found is that caring for myself in these intentional ways isn’t separate from my work as a professor, it’s what makes the work sustainable, meaningful, and even joyful. By tending to the five pillars of the framework, I’ve created a rhythm that helps me show up more fully, celebrating small wins along the way.  It’s not a perfect system, but the structure that it provides makes my life better. And in this season of my life and career, that feels like enough.

Julie Sochacki is a clinical associate professor who has worn several hats at her university over the past few years including interim director of the university’s teaching center, associate dean of student academic services, and most recently, writing director. Check out her Substack with colleague, Patrick Allen: The Inspired Teaching Podcast.

Source link

December 15, 2025
A Professor’s Framework for Meaningful, Joyful, and Sustainable Work – Faculty Focus

One of the unexpected gifts of the pandemic was the clarity it brought. We need to care for ourselves in more substantial and intentional ways if we want to show up fully in the world. For me, that realization sometimes came uncomfortably, as I reflected on just how often I was drained and exhausted.  While I supported students through a first-year seminar course called Becoming More Resilient, designed to help students navigate the challenges of the pandemic with a little more ease, I realized I hadn’t yet found a similar framework that resonated with me.

After moving through some challenging seasons of blurred boundaries and little time to focus on my priorities, I found myself drawn to the idea of some kind of daily rhythm that could support my well-being in a more intentional way. Over time, a simple framework began to take shape. It doesn’t solve everything, but it gently reminds me of what helps me feel more whole, more present, and more grounded in my life and work.

When I integrate this structure into my life, I’m not just more productive, I show up more fully for my students, my colleagues, and myself. What follows is the framework I’ve come to rely on: five key pillars of care and support that help me stay grounded and energized.

Emotional Resilience: Boundaries, Self-Compassion, and Self-Awareness

Emotional resilience isn’t about pushing through and bouncing back. For me, it’s about learning how to pause and listen to what I need. I’ve started using a simple journaling practice to reflect on my emotional highs and lows each week, which helps me notice patterns I might otherwise miss. I’ve also learned to be more deliberate with boundaries. I keep email and letter templates for common situations that tend to drain me, and I am generous with my office/student hours, which then allows me to close my door at other times during the week without guilt. When things feel especially hard, I’ve come to rely on a few quiet moments of self-compassion, reminding myself that doing enough is different from doing everything. I have sticky notes of mantras that I shared with students during the pandemic that I appreciate now, like “progress over perfection” and “I am enough.” While I don’t practice these as consistently as I would like, when I do, they’ve helped me show up with less stress and more grace.

How to Get Started:

Practice simple, kind ways to say no like: “It sounds like a wonderful opportunity but I’m at full capacity.”

Physical Well-being: Movement, Nutrition, Sleep

Physical wellbeing was the first thing I let slide when work became overwhelming, but I’ve slowly started to shift that pattern. I’ve learned that even small amounts of movement, like a walk on campus–bonus points for connecting with a colleague while walking–or even standing for online meetings, can reset my energy. I’ve also begun paying more attention to how I nourish myself during the day. I embraced intermittent fasting and rarely ate until 2 pm. This regular practice has many benefits, but it likely spiked my cortisol levels. Now I keep fruit, nuts, and simple salads on hand and a thermos of hot water for tea. And I’m finally protecting my sleep with a bit more intention: shutting down my screens earlier, winding down with a book, and starting my day in the early morning sun to reset my circadian rhythm. I don’t do it perfectly, but when I take care of my body, everything else feels more manageable.

How to Get Started:

Plan and pack some healthy foods to keep you fueled throughout your day. Limit the vending machine to emergencies.

Stress-Relief: Meditation, Rejuvenation, Relaxation

Finding ways to truly relieve stress—rather than just powering through it—has become one of the most important parts of my routine. My partner and I start our day with a morning meditation. This sacred time seems to create more space in my brain for the day ahead. I’ve also started building in short moments of stillness throughout the day, even if it’s just a few deep breaths. These tiny pauses help me reset, especially when the day starts to feel like a blur. I add some rejuvenating activities on my calendar: walking with my son, working in the garden, rolling out my Yoga mat. All are free and simple. Relaxation doesn’t always mean doing nothing; sometimes it’s music, journaling, or simply giving myself permission to stop working before I’m completely depleted. These small choices remind me that I’m allowed to move through my day with more ease.

How to Get Started:

Add a three-minute reset to your morning. Set the timer for three minutes, close your eyes and simply breath, allowing all thoughts to float by like clouds.

Meaningful Living: Joy, Connection, Creativity

I’ve come to realize that for me, meaningful living means making space for the things that fuel me—joy, creativity, and connection. It’s easy to let these fall to the bottom of the list when deadlines pile up, but when I protect them, everything else feels more doable. I carve out small pockets of time to do something creative and joyful like cooking something new, writing for myself, going to a farmers’ market or exploring a new bookstore or town. I try to stay connected to the people who matter, even if it’s just a quick check-in or a shared laugh. I also notice that I enjoy the time that I spend with my students when I am not overwhelmed with other aspects of my job. The classroom can be a joyful, connected space filled with creativity when we allow ourselves to be fully present and engaged. These moments remind me that life is about way more than productivity. These experiences bring me back to what I value.

How to Get Started:

Chart your best moment of the day in a journal. Soon you will have 365 best moments! I love this practice because even the worst days have a best moment.

Time and Energy Protection: Prioritize, Say No with Kindness, Focus

Saying no with kindness has been a practice, one that allows me to be more intentional about where my energy goes. I have many passions so saying no sometimes feels like a missed opportunity. The more I am aligned with my priorities and core values, the more I can empower myself to decline offers. I started a new practice in which I named one focus for the day. For example, I may be teaching a class on Wednesday, but my main focus is to revise an article, grade papers, or attend a complex committee meeting on that day. I give myself a high five for completing the focus and give myself grace if some loose ends remain from the day. One area where I need work is guarding space for creative work, the kind that needs unhurried thinking and a little room to breathe. It’s not always easy, but I recently had an epiphany about how focusing on what matters and saying no to all the rest allows me to bring my best self to my work.

How to Get Started:

Name your focus of the day. Prepare to tackle just that one thing well. Give yourself grace for whatever remains unfinished.

These practices didn’t come to me all at once; they’ve taken shape slowly, over time, through trial and error, losses and wins. What I’ve found is that caring for myself in these intentional ways isn’t separate from my work as a professor, it’s what makes the work sustainable, meaningful, and even joyful. By tending to the five pillars of the framework, I’ve created a rhythm that helps me show up more fully, celebrating small wins along the way.  It’s not a perfect system, but the structure that it provides makes my life better. And in this season of my life and career, that feels like enough.

Julie Sochacki is a clinical associate professor who has worn several hats at her university over the past few years including interim director of the university’s teaching center, associate dean of student academic services, and most recently, writing director. Check out her Substack with colleague, Patrick Allen: The Inspired Teaching Podcast.

Source link

December 15, 2025
The Final Stretch: Designing a Meaningful Course Ending – Faculty Focus

As the term draws to a close, students are not the only ones counting the weeks left. Instructors, too, often feel a mix of relief and fatigue. However, while the finish line may be in sight, what happens in those final weeks can be some of the most impactful moments of the entire course. Far too often, the end of a course is treated as an administrative period, marked by the collection of assignments, preparation for tests, and course evaluations. However, research and teaching practice suggest that this stretch can—and should—be much more. The final weeks are an opportunity to consolidate learning, deepen reflection, and help students leave the course with a sense of accomplishment and continuity.

Ending a course well helps students understand what they have learned, use it in other situations, and feel a sense of closure. It also gives instructors a chance to reflect on and improve the course for the next time (Stone, Powell, and McGuire 2020).

Revisit Learning Outcomes to Reinforce Understanding

One of the best ways to structure this final phase is by revisiting the learning outcomes. At this point in the course, students have encountered significant themes and concepts, but they may not yet see how they all fit together. You can facilitate this by asking students to engage in a learning outcome reflection activity—matching each course objective with a specific assignment, concept, or experience. This encourages students to internalize the course structure and reflect on their growth. Annotating earlier assignments or revisiting early reflections with newly acquired knowledge can reinforce their sense of progress. These metacognitive strategies have been shown to improve both retention and student satisfaction (Bangert-Drowns, Kulik, and Kulik 1991).

Help Students Reach Cognitive Closure

As the end approaches, it can be tempting to try to “cover more” or introduce one last complex theory. However, research shows that introducing too much new material late in the term can lead to cognitive overload (Schwartz & Bransford, 1998). Instead, focus on helping students reach cognitive closure. This involves creating space for them to synthesize what they have learned. One approach is to host a “big ideas” class discussion where students collectively identify and explore the three or four most critical takeaways. This could be done in groups, using concept maps or visual timelines, or through creative synthesis activities—such as summarizing the course in 280 characters, designing a graphic, or teaching a core idea to someone outside the field. These methods encourage active processing of material and can support different learning styles.

Another effective way to create momentum in the final stretch is to engage students in peer teaching and joint review. This taps into the benefits of social learning, supporting students’ learning while promoting a sense of community. Peer-led review sessions can involve students taking turns explaining key topics, preparing review materials, or facilitating study groups. In online settings, students might create narrated slides or post video explanations. (Topping 2005) emphasizes that peer teaching promotes engagement, motivation, and a deeper understanding of concepts. A collaborative study guide, built as a shared document or Padlet board, enables students to crowdsource notes, identify knowledge gaps, and co-construct meaning from the course content.

Flexible and Creative Assessments

Final assessments naturally dominate the end of the term, but they do not have to be high-stress hurdles. In fact, they can be designed as culminating experiences that invite students to integrate and apply their knowledge and skills. Whether your final assignment is a paper, presentation, portfolio, or exam, distinctly expressing your anticipations and helping students throughout the process is essential. Offering rubrics, example answers, and chances to ask questions can ease student stress and boost their confidence (Olson and Krysiak 2021). A rubric allows for reliability, validity, and transparency in grading student work (Schwartz and Bransford 1998).

In some courses, alternative or flexible assessment options can be meaningful, allowing students to select how they demonstrate their learning. This might include multimedia projects, reflective essays, or real-world application tasks. Offering a “project lab” class where students can brainstorm ideas, seek feedback, or work in groups can also reduce isolation and improve the quality of final submissions.

Gather Reflection and Feedback for Continuous Improvement

Reflection is one of the most overlooked yet most powerful tools available to instructors. The last few weeks offer a prime opportunity to gather feedback, not just for your improvement, but to help students reflect on their learning. Creating a simple “course wrap-up survey” with questions like “What helped you learn the most?” or “What would you do differently if you retook the course?” promotes self-awareness. Some instructors even include short reflection elements in their final assignments, encouraging students to describe their process, challenges, and learning outcomes. Reflection also helps foster a sense of closure, which is essential for learning and emotional processing.

In addition to reflection, feedforward focuses on providing students with prior exposure to and practice with assessment, enabling them to develop a clear sense of expectations and standards that they can apply to future work (Carless, 2007; Boud & Molloy, 2013). Feedforward involves helping students connect course content to future learning or real-world applications. You might conclude your course with a brief discussion of the next steps, including which electives complement the course, what career paths align with the content, or what reading and media resources can support continued growth. A simple handout or post in your learning management system featuring recommended resources, articles, and tools can go a long way. This also reinforces the idea that the course is not a self-contained experience but part of a broader learning journey.

Create Emotional and Social Closure

Another critical but often neglected aspect of course endings is the emotional and social closure. The last day of class should not feel like a transaction—it should feel like a moment of celebration. This does not require balloons or big productions. It might be a unique reflection from the instructor on what made this cohort special, a slide deck of class highlights, or a casual roundtable where each student shares a takeaway. Even small rituals can have a significant impact. In online classes, you might broadcast a farewell video, host a “virtual hallway chat,” or invite students to contribute thank-you notes or final reflections in a shared document. These moments help build relationships and strengthen students’ sense of belonging, which research shows is essential for keeping students engaged and satisfied with their learning experience.

Extend Learning Beyond the Final Grade

To maintain learning beyond the final grade, instructors can help students see how their new knowledge relates to continued growth. For instance, creating a “course toolbox” that students can download, complete with templates, key readings, and glossaries, is a small gesture that adds long-term value. You could also offer to stay connected on LinkedIn, particularly for senior students or those enrolled in capstone courses. For students primarily interested in the topic, consider recommending follow-up courses, podcasts, or co-curricular opportunities such as research projects or student groups. This type of support represents trust in their continued growth and allows bridge the often-short end of the term.

In conclusion, the final stretch of a course is more than just a wrap-up period. It is a time to reinforce learning, acknowledge growth, reduce anxiety, and build lasting takeaways.

By thoughtfully planning the last few weeks, instructors can ensure that students not only complete the course but also leave it with a sense of clarity, confidence, and closure. Reconnecting with learning outcomes, avoiding last-minute content overload, encouraging peer collaboration, designing culminating assessments, and incorporating reflection and celebration can all contribute to a stronger course ending. Rather than coasting to the finish line, walk beside your students and make the end of your course as meaningful as the beginning.

Dr. Amena Shahid is a dedicated educator with over 15 years of university-level teaching experience in Human Resources and Management. She has designed and delivered a wide range of courses including leadership, strategic management, organizational behavior, marketing, and cross-cultural communication. Her teaching philosophy centers on student engagement, inclusive practices, and real-world application, with a strong emphasis on experiential and reflective learning.

In addition to her teaching, Amena has held academic leadership roles supporting faculty development, program planning, and student success initiatives. She holds a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Management-Leadership, an MBA, and a BA. Amena is committed to fostering meaningful learning experiences that empower students to think critically, lead ethically, and succeed in diverse professional environments.

References

Bangert-Drowns, Robert L., James A. Kulik, and Chen-Lin C. Kulik. 1991. “Effects of Frequent Classroom Testing.” The Journal of Educational Research 85 (2): 89–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.1991.10702818.

Boud, David, and Elizabeth Molloy. 2013. “Rethinking Models of Feedback for Learning: The Challenge of Design.” Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 38: 698–712.

Carless, David. 2007. “Learning-Oriented Assessment: Conceptual Bases and Practical Implications.” Innovations in Education and Teaching International 44: 57–66.

Olson, Jacqueline, and Rebecca Krysiak. 2021. “Rubrics as Tools for Effective Assessment of Student Learning and Program Quality.” In Curriculum Development and Online Instruction for the 21st Century, edited by Jacqueline Olson, 158–175. Hershey, PA: IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-7653-3.ch010.

Schwartz, Daniel L., and John D. Bransford. 1998. “A Time for Telling.” Cognition and Instruction 16 (4): 475–522.

Stone, Garrett A., Gwynn M. Powell, and Francis A. McGuire. 2020. “‘Beginners Are Many But Enders Are Few’: How to End a Course Well and Why It Matters.” SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education 37 (3): 194–200. https://doi.org/10.1080/1937156X.2020.1760745.

Topping, Keith J. 2005. “Trends in Peer Learning.” Educational Psychology 25 (6): 631–645. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410500345172.

Source link

December 1, 2025
The Final Stretch: Designing a Meaningful Course Ending – Faculty Focus

As the term draws to a close, students are not the only ones counting the weeks left. Instructors, too, often feel a mix of relief and fatigue. However, while the finish line may be in sight, what happens in those final weeks can be some of the most impactful moments of the entire course. Far too often, the end of a course is treated as an administrative period, marked by the collection of assignments, preparation for tests, and course evaluations. However, research and teaching practice suggest that this stretch can—and should—be much more. The final weeks are an opportunity to consolidate learning, deepen reflection, and help students leave the course with a sense of accomplishment and continuity.

Ending a course well helps students understand what they have learned, use it in other situations, and feel a sense of closure. It also gives instructors a chance to reflect on and improve the course for the next time (Stone, Powell, and McGuire 2020).

Revisit Learning Outcomes to Reinforce Understanding

One of the best ways to structure this final phase is by revisiting the learning outcomes. At this point in the course, students have encountered significant themes and concepts, but they may not yet see how they all fit together. You can facilitate this by asking students to engage in a learning outcome reflection activity—matching each course objective with a specific assignment, concept, or experience. This encourages students to internalize the course structure and reflect on their growth. Annotating earlier assignments or revisiting early reflections with newly acquired knowledge can reinforce their sense of progress. These metacognitive strategies have been shown to improve both retention and student satisfaction (Bangert-Drowns, Kulik, and Kulik 1991).

Help Students Reach Cognitive Closure

As the end approaches, it can be tempting to try to “cover more” or introduce one last complex theory. However, research shows that introducing too much new material late in the term can lead to cognitive overload (Schwartz & Bransford, 1998). Instead, focus on helping students reach cognitive closure. This involves creating space for them to synthesize what they have learned. One approach is to host a “big ideas” class discussion where students collectively identify and explore the three or four most critical takeaways. This could be done in groups, using concept maps or visual timelines, or through creative synthesis activities—such as summarizing the course in 280 characters, designing a graphic, or teaching a core idea to someone outside the field. These methods encourage active processing of material and can support different learning styles.

Another effective way to create momentum in the final stretch is to engage students in peer teaching and joint review. This taps into the benefits of social learning, supporting students’ learning while promoting a sense of community. Peer-led review sessions can involve students taking turns explaining key topics, preparing review materials, or facilitating study groups. In online settings, students might create narrated slides or post video explanations. (Topping 2005) emphasizes that peer teaching promotes engagement, motivation, and a deeper understanding of concepts. A collaborative study guide, built as a shared document or Padlet board, enables students to crowdsource notes, identify knowledge gaps, and co-construct meaning from the course content.

Flexible and Creative Assessments

Final assessments naturally dominate the end of the term, but they do not have to be high-stress hurdles. In fact, they can be designed as culminating experiences that invite students to integrate and apply their knowledge and skills. Whether your final assignment is a paper, presentation, portfolio, or exam, distinctly expressing your anticipations and helping students throughout the process is essential. Offering rubrics, example answers, and chances to ask questions can ease student stress and boost their confidence (Olson and Krysiak 2021). A rubric allows for reliability, validity, and transparency in grading student work (Schwartz and Bransford 1998).

In some courses, alternative or flexible assessment options can be meaningful, allowing students to select how they demonstrate their learning. This might include multimedia projects, reflective essays, or real-world application tasks. Offering a “project lab” class where students can brainstorm ideas, seek feedback, or work in groups can also reduce isolation and improve the quality of final submissions.

Gather Reflection and Feedback for Continuous Improvement

Reflection is one of the most overlooked yet most powerful tools available to instructors. The last few weeks offer a prime opportunity to gather feedback, not just for your improvement, but to help students reflect on their learning. Creating a simple “course wrap-up survey” with questions like “What helped you learn the most?” or “What would you do differently if you retook the course?” promotes self-awareness. Some instructors even include short reflection elements in their final assignments, encouraging students to describe their process, challenges, and learning outcomes. Reflection also helps foster a sense of closure, which is essential for learning and emotional processing.

In addition to reflection, feedforward focuses on providing students with prior exposure to and practice with assessment, enabling them to develop a clear sense of expectations and standards that they can apply to future work (Carless, 2007; Boud & Molloy, 2013). Feedforward involves helping students connect course content to future learning or real-world applications. You might conclude your course with a brief discussion of the next steps, including which electives complement the course, what career paths align with the content, or what reading and media resources can support continued growth. A simple handout or post in your learning management system featuring recommended resources, articles, and tools can go a long way. This also reinforces the idea that the course is not a self-contained experience but part of a broader learning journey.

Create Emotional and Social Closure

Another critical but often neglected aspect of course endings is the emotional and social closure. The last day of class should not feel like a transaction—it should feel like a moment of celebration. This does not require balloons or big productions. It might be a unique reflection from the instructor on what made this cohort special, a slide deck of class highlights, or a casual roundtable where each student shares a takeaway. Even small rituals can have a significant impact. In online classes, you might broadcast a farewell video, host a “virtual hallway chat,” or invite students to contribute thank-you notes or final reflections in a shared document. These moments help build relationships and strengthen students’ sense of belonging, which research shows is essential for keeping students engaged and satisfied with their learning experience.

Extend Learning Beyond the Final Grade

To maintain learning beyond the final grade, instructors can help students see how their new knowledge relates to continued growth. For instance, creating a “course toolbox” that students can download, complete with templates, key readings, and glossaries, is a small gesture that adds long-term value. You could also offer to stay connected on LinkedIn, particularly for senior students or those enrolled in capstone courses. For students primarily interested in the topic, consider recommending follow-up courses, podcasts, or co-curricular opportunities such as research projects or student groups. This type of support represents trust in their continued growth and allows bridge the often-short end of the term.

In conclusion, the final stretch of a course is more than just a wrap-up period. It is a time to reinforce learning, acknowledge growth, reduce anxiety, and build lasting takeaways.

By thoughtfully planning the last few weeks, instructors can ensure that students not only complete the course but also leave it with a sense of clarity, confidence, and closure. Reconnecting with learning outcomes, avoiding last-minute content overload, encouraging peer collaboration, designing culminating assessments, and incorporating reflection and celebration can all contribute to a stronger course ending. Rather than coasting to the finish line, walk beside your students and make the end of your course as meaningful as the beginning.

Dr. Amena Shahid is a dedicated educator with over 15 years of university-level teaching experience in Human Resources and Management. She has designed and delivered a wide range of courses including leadership, strategic management, organizational behavior, marketing, and cross-cultural communication. Her teaching philosophy centers on student engagement, inclusive practices, and real-world application, with a strong emphasis on experiential and reflective learning.

In addition to her teaching, Amena has held academic leadership roles supporting faculty development, program planning, and student success initiatives. She holds a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Management-Leadership, an MBA, and a BA. Amena is committed to fostering meaningful learning experiences that empower students to think critically, lead ethically, and succeed in diverse professional environments.

References

Bangert-Drowns, Robert L., James A. Kulik, and Chen-Lin C. Kulik. 1991. “Effects of Frequent Classroom Testing.” The Journal of Educational Research 85 (2): 89–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.1991.10702818.

Boud, David, and Elizabeth Molloy. 2013. “Rethinking Models of Feedback for Learning: The Challenge of Design.” Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 38: 698–712.

Carless, David. 2007. “Learning-Oriented Assessment: Conceptual Bases and Practical Implications.” Innovations in Education and Teaching International 44: 57–66.

Olson, Jacqueline, and Rebecca Krysiak. 2021. “Rubrics as Tools for Effective Assessment of Student Learning and Program Quality.” In Curriculum Development and Online Instruction for the 21st Century, edited by Jacqueline Olson, 158–175. Hershey, PA: IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-7653-3.ch010.

Schwartz, Daniel L., and John D. Bransford. 1998. “A Time for Telling.” Cognition and Instruction 16 (4): 475–522.

Stone, Garrett A., Gwynn M. Powell, and Francis A. McGuire. 2020. “‘Beginners Are Many But Enders Are Few’: How to End a Course Well and Why It Matters.” SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education 37 (3): 194–200. https://doi.org/10.1080/1937156X.2020.1760745.

Topping, Keith J. 2005. “Trends in Peer Learning.” Educational Psychology 25 (6): 631–645. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410500345172.

Source link

December 1, 2025
Higher education must include valuable workforce experience and training that helps students secure meaningful jobs

by Bruno V. Manno, The Hechinger Report
November 10, 2025

This fall, some 19 million undergraduates returned to U.S. campuses with a long-held expectation: Graduate, land an entry-level job, climb the career ladder. That formula is breaking down.

Once reliable gateway jobs for college graduates in industries like finance, consulting and journalism have tightened requirements. Many entry-level job postings that previously provided initial working experience for college graduates now require two to three years of prior experience, while AI, a recent analysis concluded, “snaps up good entry-level tasks,” especially routine work like drafting memos, preparing spreadsheets and summarizing research.

Without these proving grounds, new hires lose chances to build skills by doing. And the demand for work experience that potential workers don’t have creates an experience gap for new job seekers. Once stepping-stones, entry-level positions increasingly resemble mid-career jobs.

No doubt AI is and will continue to reshape work in general and entry-level jobs in particular in expected and unexpected ways. But we are not doomed to what some call an “AI job apocalypse” or a “white-collar bloodbath” that leads to mass unemployment. There are practical solutions to the experience gap problem when it comes to education and training programs. These include earn-and-learn models and other innovative public and private employer partnerships that build into their approaches opportunities for young people to gain valuable work experience.

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Before I describe these potential solutions, here is more information on how I see the problem.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that in March 2025, the unemployment rate for college graduates ages 22 to 27 was 5.7 percent, compared to an overall unemployment rate of 4.0 percent. Other than the temporary pandemic-related spike in 2021, that was the highest unemployment rate for new grads since 2014. More recently, the Fed’s August 2025 unemployment rate for recent college graduates was 1 percentage point higher than its overall unemployment rate of 4.3 percent.

The experience gap phenomenon is not limited to the tech sector. In 2019, 61 percent of AI-related job postings were in the information technology and computer science sector, with 39 percent in non-tech sectors, labor analytics from Lightcast show. By 2024, the majority (51 percent versus 49 percent) of AI-related job postings were outside the tech sector.

The cumulative effect of all this is apparent. The hollowing out of entry-level work stalls mobility across the labor market, leaving many college graduates stranded before their careers can even begin. Moreover, these changes cut to the core of higher education’s promise.

If graduates can’t secure meaningful jobs, confidence in higher ed falters — one reason why it should come as no surprise that 56 percent of Americans think earning a four-year degree is not worth the cost, a March 2023 Wall Street Journal-NORC poll found, compared with 42 percent who think it is, a new low in a poll first administered in 2013. Skepticism was predominant among those ages 18 to 34, and college degree holders were among those most skeptical.

Related: As more question the value of a degree, colleges fight to prove their return on investment

The collapse of entry-level jobs isn’t just a cyclical downturn. It’s a structural shift. Left unchecked, this dynamic will deepen inequality, slow social mobility and further undermine faith in higher education.

As I’ve said, solutions exist. Here are five that I believe in:

Apprenticeships and other earn-and-learn models: Earn-and-learn apprenticeships are a promising, direct solution to the experience gap. They combine paid work with structured training and provide years of experience to college students in those jobs. Sectors from tech to health care are experimenting with this model, examples of which include registered apprenticeships, youth apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeship degrees that allow individuals to pursue a degree while they work in an apprenticeship.

Skills-based hiring and alternative credentials: Initiatives such as skills-first hiring by major employers like IBM, Google and Apple aim to evaluate candidates based on their competencies rather than their degrees. Microcredentials, industry certificates and portfolios can serve as verifiable signals of skills gained through alternative training routes.

Stronger college and employer partnerships: Colleges can (and should) embed work-based learning into curricula through co-op programs, project-based courses and partnerships with local industries. Northeastern University and Drexel have long pioneered this model. And others, such as Western Governors University and Southern New Hampshire University, are using online learning to advance this approach. Scaling this solution could help close the experience gap.

Policy innovations: Governments can play a role by giving incentives to companies to create early career opportunities. Workforce Pell, recently enacted in President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, expands financial aid to use for short-term training programs, opening new pathways for students who may not be pursuing traditional degrees. Tax credits for apprenticeship sponsors and funding for regional workforce hubs could further expand opportunities.

Reimagining internships: Expanding access to paid internships — especially for first-generation and low-income students — could democratize the attainment of experience. Philanthropies and local governments could underwrite stipends to ensure that opportunity isn’t reserved for the affluent who can afford unpaid internships or have social networks that connect them to these opportunities.

The challenge presented by this troubling experience gap is urgent. Today’s students deserve a college experience and a labor market in which education and effort still translate into opportunity.

Bruno V. Manno is a senior advisor at the Progressive Policy Institute, leading its What Works Lab, and is a former U.S. assistant secretary of education for policy.

Contact the opinion editor at [email protected].

This story about workforce experience was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for Hechinger’s weekly newsletter.

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November 10, 2025
Making career readiness meaningful in today’s classrooms

Key points:

As a high school STEM teacher at Baldwin Preparatory Academy, I often ask myself: How can we make classroom learning more meaningful for our students? In today’s rapidly evolving world, preparing learners for the future isn’t about gathering academic knowledge. It is also about helping all learners explore potential careers and develop the future-ready skills that will support success in the “real world” beyond graduation.

One way to bring those two goals together is by drawing a clear connection between what is learned in the classroom and future careers. In fact, research from the Education Insights Report shows that a whopping 87 percent of high school students believe that career connections make school engaging–and as we all know, deeper student engagement leads to improved academic growth.

I’ve tried a lot of different tactics to get kids engaged in careers over my 9 years of teaching. Here are my current top recommendations:

Internship opportunities
As many educators know, hands-on learning is effective for students. The same goes for learning about careers. Internship opportunities give students a way to practice a career by doing the job.

I advise students to contact local businesses about internships during the school year and summer. Looking local is a wonderful way to make connections, learn an industry, and practice career skills–all while gaining professional experience.

Tallo is another good internship resource because it’s a digital network of internships across a range of industries and internship types. With everything managed in Tallo, it’s easy for high school students to find and get real-world work experience relevant to school learning and career goals. For educators, this resource is helpful because it provides pathways for students to gain employable skills and transition into the workforce or higher education.

Career events
In-person career events where students get to meet individuals in industries they are interested in are a great way for students to explore future careers. One initiative that stands out is the upcoming Futures Fair by Discovery Education. Futures Fair is a free virtual event on November 5, 2025, to inspire and equip students for career success.

Held over a series of 30-minute virtual sessions, students meet with professionals from various industries sharing an overview of their job, industry, and the path they took to achieve it. Organizations participating in the Futures Fair are 3M, ASME, Clayco, CVS Health, Drug Enforcement Administration, Genentech, Hartford, Honda, Honeywell, Illumina, LIV Golf, Meta, Norton, Nucor, Polar Bears International, Prologis, The Home Depot, Verizon, and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Students will see how the future-ready skills they are learning today are used in a range of careers. These virtual sessions will be accompanied by standards-aligned, hands-on student learning tasks designed to reinforce the skills outlined by industry presenters.

CTE Connections
All students at Baldwin Preparatory Academy participate in a career and technical education pathway of their choosing, taking 6-9 career specific credits, and obtaining an industry-recognized credential over the course of their secondary education. As a STEM teacher, I like to connect with my CTE and core subject colleagues to learn about the latest innovations in their space. Then I connect those innovations to my classroom instruction so that all students get the benefit of learning about new career paths.

For example, my industry partners advise me about the trending career clusters that are experiencing significant growth in job demand. These are industries like cybersecurity, energy, and data science. With this insight, I looked for relevant reads or classroom activities related to one of those clusters. Then, I shared the resources back with my CTE and core team so there’s an easy through line for the students.

As educators, our role extends beyond teaching content–we’re shaping futures. Events like Futures Fair and other career readiness programs help students see the relevance of their learning and give them the confidence to pursue their goals. With resources like these, we can help make career readiness meaningful, engaging, and empowering for every student.

Jessica Stanford, RN, Baldwin Preparatory Academy

Jessica Stanford, RN, is a Health Science Instructor at Baldwin Preparatory Academy. Jessica has been a Registered Nurse for 20 years, and a health science instructor in career and technical education since 2017. She is passionate about using secondary education to harness natural curiosity and cultivating that into interest and effort toward an educational pathway that young people can pursue before high school graduation. Jessica believes that students can make great strides in planning, networking, and experiences that will catapult them into a career and lifelong success.

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October 29, 2025
Rising to the political moment means universities putting down deep and meaningful roots in their places

For the past twelve months, the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement has been leading a project to reimagine the future of the engaged university: Engaged Futures. It’s been a rollercoaster ride, taking in everything from the baked-in prejudices of our sector, to debating the very purpose of higher education.

And it feels that this is the right time to ask that question, as universities seek to change, diversify, remodel and restructure. What is the purpose at the heart of our universities? Is it the same regardless of type, or size, or age of institution? Is it something set in stone at inception, or can it be remoulded by leadership teams?

And crucially, is it fit for purpose?

As a sector we have always talked a good game about being integral to the success of our region, whether we call this place-based, civic or “locally-rooted”, or are badged as an “anchor institution”. Show me a university that hasn’t made this claim.

I would argue that this is the very purpose of the university. Universities should be rooted in their region; responsive and reactive, open and honest; curators of conversations and collaborations; compassionate nurturers; apolitical agents of change.

Cohesion with place

But there is evidence that this work is taking a back seat as the sector grapples with financial challenge and looks for new ways to operate. The National Civic Impact Accelerator report on the “fragile foundations of civic” shone a light on the quiet diminishing of the civic commitment, with work moving under the umbrella of public affairs, or innovation, or marketing. And civic university agreements left on the shelf for later.

It remains to be seen if transformative measures such as mergers, the creations of super universities, takeovers by private providers and (hopefully not) provider closures, take universities further away from this work.

At the Labour party conference, the phrase of the moment was “social cohesion”. Politicians are talking about how to rebuild civic pride – in fact, they are actively directing funds to this. But there is no mention of the role of universities in delivering this type of social impact, despite all the fanfare of the civic movement.

So in this space, let’s consider an alternative transformational model: the local university. Local isn’t a word you hear very often in universities, with “globally-connected”, “world-leading” and “internationally-recognised” being preferred terms.

A local, social purpose university, would build on the university centre model we have seen operate effectively in cold spots such as Scarborough.

But I would take this one step further, envisaging an institution so deeply knitted into its place, that the campus and community interact seamlessly.

Another kind of merger

As our university campuses have expanded, filled with multimillion-pound pioneering buildings, our high streets have decayed, public spaces have closed and communities have fractured. Local offerings, such as libraries, community centres and even banks have shut up shop.

Rather than developing shared services with another university, perhaps instead a university could merge with its place? There are assets, facilities and buildings that could work for both students and residents. Activities that could leave campus and take place in spaces that would otherwise be closed, to an augmented audience. And costs could be shared with other public sector organisations, providing the much needed savings to the public purse.

Beyond the physical assets, consider business operations – the social purpose university would make intentional decisions about partnerships, procurement, campus developments and ensure that purpose stands alongside profitability. Spending locally, lobbying for improvements in infrastructure, listening and being open to change. There might even be a residents’ panel, feeding into decision-making… or is that a dream too far?

Willingness to change

What would we need for this to be successful? Well, a shift in the success criteria for a start. Like it or not, the metrics that the sector is judged by would need to change, as outcomes for the local university are unlikely to be the same as the super-university. We would need a broader way of speaking about our sector, of acknowledging the ecosystem of higher education that doesn’t slip into hierarchy. And we’d need to be willing to change, evolve and work in genuine co-creation.

Throughout Engaged Futures – a conversation there is still the opportunity to contribute to – we have looked at the art of the possible and are now sketching a blueprint for a different higher education experience.

One which is genuinely inclusive, not simply ticking boxes and publishing policies. One which is accessible to all, without the deep-rooted hierarchies that make it harder for everyone to find their space. One which values all forms of knowledge, wherever and however it is created. One that makes space for compassion, is self-reflective, accepts criticism and challenge.

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October 3, 2025
Making PD meaningful in today’s classrooms
Key points:

As a classroom teacher and district leader with over 26 years of experience, I’ve attended countless professional development (PD) sessions. Some were transformative, others forgettable. But one thing has remained constant: the need for PD that inspires, equips, and connects educators. Research shows that effective PD focuses on instructional practice and connects to both classroom materials and real- world contexts.

I began my teaching career in 1999 through an alternative certification program, eager to learn and grow. That enthusiasm hasn’t waned–I still consider myself a lifelong learner. But over time, I realized that not all PD is created equal. Too often, sessions felt like a checkbox exercise, with educators asking, “Why do I have to be here?” instead of “How can I grow from this?”

Here are some of my favorite PD resources and experiences:

edWeb

edWeb is free to join, and once you’re in, you can dive into as many sessions as you want. The service offers a live calendar of events or on-demand webinars covering a range of topics. Plus, the webinars come with CE certificates, which are approved for teacher re-licensure in states like New York, Massachusetts, Texas, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Utah, and Nevada.

You can go deeper into the state-specific options with an interactive map. I also love the community aspect of the platform, as you can connect with peers and learn from experts on so many topics for all preK-12 educators.

Career Connect
This summer, I attended the Discovery Education Summer of Learning Series at the BMW facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina, for a day-long professional learning event focused on workforce readiness and preparing students for evolving career landscapes. It was an energizing day being surrounded by passionate educators. One standout resource we dove into more deeply is Career Connect by Discovery Education. Career Connect is within Discovery Education Experience and is available to all educators in South Carolina by the Department of Education.

This is quickly becoming a priority tool in our district. With early access in the spring, we’ve integrated it across grade levels–from elementary STEM classrooms to our Career Center. The platform offers students live interactions with professionals in various fields, making career exploration both engaging and real. I witnessed this firsthand during a virtual visit with an engineer from Charlotte, N.C., whose insights captivated our students and sparked meaningful conversations about future possibilities.

Professional Development Hub
The ASCD + ISTE professional learning hub offers sessions on innovative approaches and tools to design and implement standards-aligned curriculum. Each session is led by educators, authors, researchers, and practitioners who are experts in professional learning. Schools and districts receive a needs assessment, so you know the learning is tailored to what educators really need and want.

Tips for Meaningful PD
With over 26 years of experience as a classroom teacher and district leader, I have participated in my fair share of professional learning opportunities. I like to joke that my career began in the late 1900s, but professional development sessions from those first few years of teaching now do feel like they were from a century ago compared to the possibilities presented to teachers and leaders today.

Over these decades I’ve seen a lot of good, and bad, sessions. Here are my top tips to make PD actually engaging:
- Choose PD that aligns with your goals. Seek out sessions that connect directly to your teaching practice or leadership role.
- Engage with a community. Learning alongside passionate educators makes a huge difference. The Summer of Learning event reminded me how energizing it is to be surrounded by people who lift you up.
- Explore tech tools that extend learning. Platforms like Career Connect and others aren’t just add-ons–they’re gateways to deeper engagement and real-world relevance.
Professional development should be a “want to,” not a “have to.” To get there, though, the PD needs to be thoughtfully designed and purpose-driven. These resources above reignited my passion for learning and reminded me of the power of connection–between educators, students, and the world beyond the classroom.

Bucky Ware, School District of Newberry County

Bucky Ware is a Technology Integration Specialist and Public Information Officer for the School District of Newberry County with over 26 years of experience in education. A former English and Journalism teacher, he specializes in integrating instructional technology, leading professional learning, and fostering community engagement. Beyond his district role, Bucky serves on statewide advisory groups and professional associations, including the South Carolina Association for Educational Technology Board of Directors, SCASA Instructional Technology Roundtables, and the National School Public Relations Association.

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August 29, 2025
Making a Meaningful Environment for Belonging – Faculty Focus

Belonging and mattering are crucial for creating educational environments where learners feel connected to their department and classmates (Hale et al., 2019). Student success has become a major outcome measure for many academic units(Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, 2005 and Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, 2025). Researchers have found that learners’ sense of belonging enhances psychological flexibility, learner satisfaction, motivation, and professional identity, thereby increasing student success (Carter et al., 2023 and Tejero-Vidal et al., 2025). Measuring a learner’s perception of belonging can be challenging for educators. To support this effort, a social-ecological model has been developed to conceptualize the different layers that contribute to a learner’s sense of belonging(Johnson, 2022). The Departmental Sense of Belonging (DeSBI) tool specifically measures this sense within the context of department and peer relationships(Knekta et al., 2020).

I explored how an increased involvement in the belonging social-ecological model was associated with learners’ sense of belonging within their department. The goal was to help departments refine their model to enhance learners’ connection to faculty and peers, thereby increasing learners’ success. The hypothesis was that higher interactions in the social-ecological model would correlate with a higher sense of belonging. Sixty-eight learners from three allied health programs completed the survey, which found the results a statistically significant association between the learner’s involvement in the belonging social ecological model and a learner’s sense of belonging to a department.

Practical Application of the Belonging Social-Ecological Model

The study underscores the pivotal role of departmental culture and environment in shaping a learner’s sense of belonging. This is an essential consideration for departments when evaluating the factors provided to learners at each level of the belonging social ecological model.

Intrapersonal Level

Activities within the interpersonal level are journaling, professional development, and mental health practices. It is crucial for faculty to consider encouraging learners to journal at the end of a class session or to include journaling as a graded activity within their course. Supporting learners in building these habits helps foster psychological flexibility and self-awareness. This approach can also provide an opportunity strengthen the therapeutic alliance between individual faculty.

Interpersonal Level

Activities within this level include meals with classmates and faculty, physical activities, and social gatherings. Faculty should strongly consider whether their academic space provides the area for learners to study and have meals together. If your department lacks such space, advocating for one in or near your department should be a priority. If your academic unit has the gathering space, it will be important for faculty to evaluate if it will attract learners to use it effectively, or if learners will avoid the areas because of its set-up and location. Ensuring a dedicated space is not only available but actively used is a critical step for faculty when evaluating their effectiveness in fostering a sense of belonging within the department.

Additionally, faculty should encourage learners to spearhead the organization of social events outside the department so to strengthen connections between one another. With mentorship and engagement from faculty, learners will be empowered to create inclusive events that help all feel welcome.

Institutional Level

The institutional level considers what activities are offered by the university to the learners. Every university, regardless of its size, hosts various events each week for its learners. It is crucial for faculty to consider how their learners are engaging with university announcements about these events. Faculty should consider how the department reinforces these activities on its own announcement board. Should faculty hang signs near the department, or employ other creative strategies to ensure learners are fully informed about campus activities?

Community and Societal Level

The social ecological model is the community and society encompasses activities that extend beyond campus and occur within the community and at the society level. Each university is an integral part of the community in which it is located. Therefore, it is important for faculty to consider how learners are kept informed about the events occurring within the community they live. Ensuring the department highlights events, beyond the favorite coffee shop, restaurant, or activity spot, is crucial for fostering a sense of belonging. Considering each community offers unique experiences, making sure learners are aware of these activities is important. By combining the dissemination of institution activities with community events, faculty can address two domains with one strategic plan.

Physical and Virtual Space

Physical and virtual spaces are in the outer most layer in this social-ecological model and include the structure of class breaks, classroom setup, and online activities. Faculty should consider how physical and virtual learning environments impact social connections. For example, it is important for faculty to thoughtfully consider how breaks are structured – not just when they are given. Encouraging learners to leave the room for a short walk outside with peers, play a quick game of four-square, or throw a frisbee is beneficial, as it promotes learners to be active shift their mindset, and foster conversations beyond classroom content.

A final consideration involves the layout of the classroom. Is the classroom arranged traditionally with everyone facing forward, or can it be reorganized into pods or small groups, which will facilitate discussion during group projects? If the goal is to engage the entire room, can the seating be arranged into a large circle to allow learners to see each other’s body language while speaking? These small yet significant environmental factors can impact the learning environment and the sense of belonging for each learner in the room.

Conclusion

Increased engagement across all layers of the belonging social-ecological model significantly enhances the learners’ sense of connection and inclusion. This sense of belonging is not a peripheral benefit – it is foundational to learner motivation, participation, and overall success. Faculty play a key role in implementing thoughtful strategies that promote belonging at every level of the belonging social ecological model. In doing so, they help create a dynamic and inclusive learning community where every learner can thrive – leading to greater success and personal fulfillment in their learners’ academic journey.

Dustin Cox, PT, DPT, PhD, is an Associate Professor at Augusta University and a licensed physical therapist with advanced certifications in therapeutic treatment for Parkinson’s and lymphedema. He received his Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2011 and his Ph.D. in Health Sciences in 2023 from Northern Illinois University. Since 2016, Dustin has been dedicated to helping learners achieve their goals in becoming effective healthcare practitioners. Currently, Dustin teaches in a DPT program and clinically works with clients that are in the pediatric stage of life and clients with bleeding disorders.

References

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education. (2025, March 15). 2018 and 2023 ACOTE Standards. Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Eudcation. https://acoteonline.org/accreditation-explained/standards/

Carter, B. M., Sumpter, D. F., and Thruston, W. (2023). Overcoming Marginalization by Creating a Sense of Belonging. Creative nursing, 29(4), 320–327. https://doi.org/10.1177/10784535231216464

Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. (2025, March 15). Accreditation Handbook. Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy. https://www.capteonline.org/faculty-and-program-resources/resource_documents/accreditation-handbook

Hale, A. J., Ricotta, D. N., Freed, J., Smith, C. C., and Huang, G. C. (2019). Adapting Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a Framework for Resident Wellness. Teaching and learning in medicine, 31(1), 109–118. https://doi.org/10.1080/10401334.2018.1456928

Johnson, Royel. (2022). A socio-ecological perspective on sense of belonging among racially/ethnically minoritized college students: Implications for equity-minded practice and policy. New Directions for Higher Education, Spring 2022, pages 59 – 68. https://doi.org/10.1002/he.20427

Knekta, E., Chatzikyriakidou, K., and McCartney, M. (2020). Evaluation of a Questionnaire Measuring University Students’ Sense of Belonging to and Involvement in a Biology Department. CBE life sciences education, 19(3), ar27. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.19-09-0166

Tejero-Vidal, L. L., Pedregosa-Fauste, S., Majó-Rossell, A., García-Díaz, F., and Martínez-Rodríguez, L. (2025). Building nursing students’ professional identity through the ‘Design process’ methodology: A qualitative study. Nurse education in practice, 83, 104256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2025.104256

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June 9, 2025
Engaging Students in Meaningful Learning Experiences – Faculty Focus
Two years ago, I was invited to deliver a course at a prestigious management school abroad. Though hesitant at first, I accepted the opportunity to do what turned out to be one of my most rewarding teaching experiences. I taught a group of students unlike any I had taught over the span of my long teaching experience in diverse settings and institutions.

The students portrayed an exceptional level of behavioral engagement. This surprised me since I had never seen them before, and I was new to them. I had not had the chance to establish any social or emotional bonds with them. I could see them taking their own notes during the lessons, never asking me for my slides, a common practice among other students I have taught. They would work on the assigned tasks in class and use their time efficiently. Assigned homework was always completed without me having to send them reminders. When I gave a break during a session, many would open books and read until the class resumed.

It happened that my class was interrupted by the New Year’s one-day holiday. I asked the class after the holiday to think of a new year’s resolution, and to my surprise, a handful of students said that they intended to increase the number of books they would read in the coming year.

At the end of my visit, I left those students and went back home to my regular educational setting. I found myself reflecting on my own recent experience. In my setting, most teachers I work with grapple with the challenge of engaging their students in their learning; thus, they work hard on providing students with incentives and support to stay on tasks, contribute to their groups, and complete their assigned work. I know that many of those teachers designed very good learning experiences and tried to accommodate their students’ needs, yet they did not observe the engagement they hoped for.

This contrast raised several questions:
- What are we missing as educators when it comes to student engagement?
- Are the challenges related to the curriculum, the school, or the larger context extending beyond the school to the home and society?
- Is it the collective perception toward education a factor in fostering student engagement? Have educators and parents been able to help students understand the bigger meaning behind their school experiences and tasks?
- Have we been able to help them make the connection between these tasks and their reality?
- Has the system taken these into considerations when designing the educational curricula?
Talking about relating learning experiences to real life brings to my attention how this group of young management students integrated their academic knowledge with their online profiles. Many connected with me on LinkedIn, where I have been seeing them share deep reflections and insights from their studies. Although they are still in their early years of their university studies, they express their opinions and stand as though they are experts in their field. They report on activities they engage in related to what they study and reflect on what they encounter and experience. They provide bulleted lists of advice and practice. Reading their posts, I see these students already can foretell their placement in life after they graduate and are acting accordingly. This could be a reason why they embrace schoolwork and engage with it willingly.

I end with two incidents from my visit that resonate with me. For one of the assessments, I conducted an online, objective-type quiz, consisting mainly of multiple-choice questions. The class speed in which the students submitted their responses led me to think they had worked collectively on a WhatsApp group. When I raised this concern, one student who seemed offended assured me that they would not do such a thing. This claim was validated when I graded the final exam, a rigorous three-hour subjective type of exam. The class average was an impressive A.

The second incident was when I asked the class for feedback on my teaching, as I usually do towards the end of a semester. One student advised me: “Next time you teach here, be tougher on students. We are used to working hard, and we can handle it.” I had never heard of anything similar from a student; on the contrary I have students who often request reduced workload and extended deadlines.

Reflecting on this experience, I believe the following can be considered as main takeaways for educators:
- Design meaningful learning experiences: The type of learning experiences we design for our students should relate to their realities and be meaningful and to where the students see themselves later in life
- Recognize the multifaceted nature of engagement: Student engagement is not necessarily the product of the teacher’s efforts but a myriad of aspects including the curriculum, perceptions, school and culture.
- Allow students’ voices: Listening to the students’ voices provides us with a lot of tips on how we can improve the learning experiences for them and attend to what they think they need help with.
- Foster student accountability: There are ways to help students be accountable to their own actions and to behave responsibly towards their learning
- Cultivate academic integrity: academic integrity can be achieved effortlessly when students are interested in what they do and understand the positive impact of their learning on their lives.
Amal Farhat has experience in teaching and instructional coaching at K-12 schools and higher education. She has worked in the private and public sectors. Her interests mainly pertain to the development of professional learning communities through positive, constructive interactions among stakeholders of an institution. In higher education, she taught in the Faculty of Letters and Humanities and Faculty of Education. Additionally, she works as a teaching and learning specialist supporting faculty members with their teaching practices. Amal holds a PhD in education from the Doctoral Institute at Lebanese University, a counseling in pedagogy diploma from St. Joseph University, and is CAEL (Certificate in Advanced Education Leadership) certified from Harvard Graduate School of Education.
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May 2, 2025