Faculty Tips for Keeping Students Motivated
Angela Lyrette
Nadia Rahavaya makes students feel welcome:
- Make it personal, try to memorize most students’ names by class #2
- Begin every class with a check in: “How is your week going?”
- Post weekly reminders through learning management system announcement
- Kick off complex projects in class, allow some time to get started and ask for a deliverable before they leave
Angela Lyrette designs lessons like a museum exhibit curator*:
- Know your audience, listen in to conversations outside and inside class, and especially during breaks. If they love talking about their favourite pop star, create a pop star case study.
- Have a sitemap or lesson plan, and plan for interesting stops along the way. Break content into chunks, and integrate hands-on experiences.
- Tell stories within stories, connect the big picture to the learning outcomes. Use your industry experience in context of your course learning outcomes.
- Use digital media, game-based learning, and real-life adventures to illustrate your content. For example, create an H5p crossword puzzle done in pairs or threes to review an upcoming test.
Asfrah Syed-Emond Holds Court, literally
- Use workplace tools in your teaching. Asfrah’s paralegal students attend half of their classes in Zoom to simulate the Ontario court experience. Students practice taking witness statements and oaths online.
- Simulate the work place in the classroom. Bring props, documents, even furniture! Asfrah’s classroom has a built in judge’s desk, witness box, and boardroom table for tribunals. Students use the teacher podium when acting as paralegals.
*Adapted from ColorCraft3D “10 Tips for Museum Design Success” https://colorcraft3d.com/blog-post/10-tips-for-museum-exhibit-design-success/
About the author
Angela Lyrette is a full time Professor and Educational Developer at Algonquin College. Angela holds a Master’s Degree in Education, specializing in workplace and adult learning from the University of Calgary, a Teaching Adult Lifelong Learners Certificate (with Honours) from Algonquin College, and a variety of financial services designations from the Canadian Securities Institute. A self-professed life-long learner, her curiosity and enthusiasm for teaching, learning, and serving the community is evident in her body of work.
