Student engagement

Academics and university staff address what student engagement means to them and offer advice on boosting attendance, class participation and building a campus community.

A mountain climber hangs off the side of a cliff

Harness the power of the cliffhanger to hook Gen Z’s scrolling minds

Learn from Gen Z’s social media use to engage their attention. Keep it bite-sized and high-impact – and leave them wanting more

Tasnim Mustafa, Mariam Shadan

Dubai Medical University

A robot hologram appears above a smartphone

Where to start with generative AI chatbot customisation

AI chatbots could transform teaching and learning, yet generic versions lack the detail needed for education. Here’s how to get started with building your own customised chatbot

Simon Wang

Hong Kong Baptist University

A young woman referring to her notes while stufying at home on her laptop

Effective ways to keep online language students motivated

A learning designer discusses tried and tested strategies to keep students engaged in online language courses

Nigel Gearing

The University of Auckland

AcademiaTok: how to inspire Generation Z with academic research

Explaining research in a short social media video is a major green flag for the Covid-19 generation. Here’s how to use existing resources to hit TikTok and Instagram

Lina Filippidi

The London School of Economics and Political Science

A hand carves out a heart from South Korean delicacy dalgona candy

Green light student engagement: Squid Game tactics in the classroom

Gamifying your classroom can help foster learning, offers a cheat-free method of assessment and creates a memorable experience

Clare Keonha Shin

IÉSEG School of Management

Colourful paper explodes from one wooden head, black paper from the other

Let’s kindle the fire for discovery in our students

In his new book ‘Mindset Matters: The Power of College to Activate Lifelong Growth’, Daniel R Porterfield explores how to spark a heat-seeking search for knowledge among undergraduates

Daniel R. Porterfield

Aspen Institute

Three ways AI and immersive technology will revolutionise personalised learning

Emerging technologies, including AI and augmented reality, can transform personalised learning and tutoring and enhance the student experience. Here’s how it might happen

Nader Jalili

SMU Lyle School of Engineering

Can AI offer everyone a personal tutor 24/7?

Generative artificial intelligence can trigger a certain amount of angst, but AI’s potential to support student learning should be explored, write Steve Hill and Quintus Stierstorfer

Steve Hill, Quintus Stierstorfer

Walbrook Institute London

A woman shakes hand with a unseen person in an office setting

Innovative career services for a well-prepared workforce

How can universities enhance their student career support in response to the rapidly evolving employment landscape? Kelvin Cheng recommends three approaches to prepare students for better careers

Kelvin Cheng

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Develop and nurture teaching presence in a learning community

Strong teaching presence helps students facilitate their own learning. Here, Hannah Shaw and Mike Hackman offer quick wins for educators with advice on how to provide clear instruction and a safe learning space, and recognise topics as interconnected

Hannah Shaw, Mike Hackman

Cardiff University

How environmental issues can unite and inspire diverse student groups

Looking for ideas for next semester’s projects? Climate change could be the answer, whatever your students’ field of study, writes Jim Entwistle

Jim Entwistle

Teesside University

A young woman shakes an interviewer's hand over a table

Sharpen your students’ interview skills

The employees of the future will need to showcase their skills in job interviews. Make sure they’re prepared for each setting, writes Lewis Humphreys

Lewis Humphreys

The London School of Economics and Political Science

Harness pedagogy and technology to engage students in auditing

Creating interactive auditing videos helped students contextualise a complex topic and provided feedback on their progress. Chu Mui Kim outlines how to do it

Chu Mui Kim

Singapore Institute of Technology

Students in a classroom on their laptops

Let’s play! Using games to teach statistics and economics

Incorporating games into economics classes can enrich the learning experience. Here are some of the factors to consider when designing them

Joshua Fullard

The University of Warwick

Tried and tested ways to teach your students soft skills

The introduction of ChatGPT reignited the debate surrounding employability skills. Add two decades of intensifying international competition and a pandemic, and it is no wonder we’re fundamentally rethinking the modern workplace

Kate Pettifer

The University of Exeter

Students chatting outside a campus building

It’s all in the presentation: how to engage international students during lectures

The visual dimension of lectures and seminars can create additional challenges for international students, but simple strategies can help in creating useful presentations that support learning

Mark Whalley

University of Chester

Multiracial group of students taking a selfie in the park

Where’s Hector? How a scavenger hunt helps first-year students explore the university campus

A collaborative discovery activity has benefits that go beyond simply helping new students get to know the university grounds. It fosters belonging and fun – and even promotes physical well-being, writes Hector Viveros Tapia

Hector Viveros Tapia

Macquarie University

Mind your language: inclusive teaching for international students

Learning about your international students and being mindful about how you use language in classes can have a profound impact on students’ experience and attainment

Mark Whalley

University of Chester

Four ways to engage students in blogging

Enrich the conversational scholarship of blogging by including student voices. Anna D’Alton offers her tips

Anna D’Alton

The London School of Economics and Political Science

Fulfilling a mission and serving Indigenous students

Universities can do much to support Indigenous students, strengthening the institution’s community, increasing visibility and highlighting the needs of Native Nations students and faculty through deliberate action, writes Melissa Faircloth

Melissa Faircloth

Virginia Tech

Woman choosing between chocolate and apple

What does it take to encourage students to use their voice?

The National Student Survey tells us students want their voices heard, but what if they don’t take up opportunities for feedback? Sam Perry looks at challenges of integrating student input (and wonders if chocolate is the answer)

Sam Perry

University of Southampton

Change in higher education is hard, but not impossible

Transformational change requires something closer to the culture of a start-up, which pilots and tests new ideas, takes risks and prizes creative disruption, writes Brian Rosenberg

Brian Rosenberg

Macalester College

Yes, and… Using improv to build students’ confidence in the classroom

Through exercises borrowed from improvisational theatre, students can use imaginative thinking and creative problem-solving, learn to think outside the box and embrace ambiguity, writes Joe Conto. Here, he offers ways to help the post-Covid generation reconnect

Joe Conto

Paul Smith’s College

Student sitting on a sofa with her laptop with a thumbs up

Non-verbal cues: learn how to use them effectively in teacher-student communication

If the end goal is to get students interested in the learning process, these non-verbal cues used in teacher-student communication can enable you to build trust and enhance your impact as a teacher and a communicator, writes Shruthi V. Shetty

Shruthi V Shetty

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

A hand holds a smartphone, generating illustrated speech bubbles

Four ways to cultivate an engaged social media community

When it comes to social media, don’t forget the power of connection. Paul Shannon and Andrew Murray outline four ways to engage with your audience

Paul Shannon, Andrew Murray

University of the West of Scotland

Partner with your students to build belonging on campus

By actively fostering belonging through the strategies outlined in this resource, universities can cultivate a more holistic and supportive environment where all students can thrive, both academically and personally

Tom Ritchie, Adam Alcock

The University of Warwick

Talking to students about AI

Socio-economic, cultural, geographic and other factors mean that some students know more about AI than others, and we can’t have an effective discussion about AI and academic integrity until we all know what we’re talking about, writes John Weldon

John Weldon

Victoria University

Students sitting on the steps of a campus building each holding a paper with a letter of the word "change" on it

Combat social injustice burnout in social sciences and humanities courses

Teaching our students about modern-day challenges is imperative if we want a fairer world. However, it can be frustrating and disheartening when we focus on the issues rather than the solutions, writes Paulina Millán Aguilar

Paulina Millán Aguilar

Tecnológico de Monterrey

A screen showing several windows open on different news sites

Spark social justice awareness in the classroom

Exposing your students to a wide range of perspectives on one topic can help develop their social justice awareness. Stone Meredith shows how

Stone Meredith

Colorado State University Global

Moving from individual contributions to team achievements in group projects

Putting the emphasis on a deliberate, reflective approach that emphasises clear goals and active engagement is a better way to prepare students for teamwork in their future careers, write William Owen and Leah Chambers

William J. Owen , Leah Chambers

University of Northern British Columbia

An illustration of a group of people working together

Eight tips for hosting an enterprise hackathon

Want your students to learn outside the lecture block and tackle problems in innovative ways? Kat Mack and Shelini Surendran offer advice on hosting an enterprise hackathon

Shelini Surendran, Kat Mack

University of Surrey

Detail of Michelangelo's Creation of Adam

Why I invite a creationist to my evolutionary biology class

The encounter gives students a chance to apply newly gained knowledge to a real-world situation and, perhaps more importantly, it models productive discussion among people who disagree with one another, writes Curt Stager

Curt Stager

Paul Smith’s College

The pandemic taught me the benefits of flipped homework

In this extract from ‘Online Education During Covid-19 and Beyond’, Olga Amarie shares what she learned about flipped homework while teaching pandemic-era French lessons

Olga Amarie

Georgia Southern University

VR tour of the music centre at the Univrsity of Manchester

How to use 3D scanning technology to create virtual tours for your students

Here is how the University of Manchester is using 3D scanning technology to create virtual reality platforms that can be used in educational settings

Alexandra McGaughrin Cross

The University of Manchester

Encourage civic participation by championing free speech

Instead of shying away from the challenges it presents, let’s embrace free speech as an opportunity for learning, growth and the continuous evolution of our academic spaces, writes Shubha HS

Shubha HS

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

International students holding up flags of their home countries

Eleven ways to support international students who use English as a second language

We must all work to foster a compassionate and encouraging experience for our international student community

Peter O'Rourke

The University of Exeter

Campus talks: the future of XR and immersive learning

Immersive technology expert Monica Arés explains how the combination of artificial intelligence and extended reality in education has the potential to unlock curiosity and learning, the costs that come with these tools and what she thinks teaching technology will look like in 2034

Monica Arés

Imperial College London

Head in the clouds. Student engagement is used almost universally in HE, but no one seems to agree on what it actually means.

What is student engagement?

The move online compounded matters, but even before that, nobody could agree on what student engagement was – and that needs to change, says Chris Headleand

Chris Headleand

University of Lincoln

Engaged female student in lecture raising hand

How to develop cognitive presence in your learning community

In an effective learning community, students feel safe to challenge their own preconceptions and reflect on their progress. Here, Hannah Shaw and Mike Hackman offer quick, effective wins to develop cognitive presence in and beyond the classroom

Hannah Shaw, Mike Hackman

Cardiff University

A group of students chatting in a study area

Using the Snowflake Method to build belonging on campus

To build a sense of belonging, institutions must create a tailored programme to match the needs of their unique demographic and local environment

Sarah Bishop

Teesside University

Student sitting at a desk at the library on his laptop

Student communication: a compassionate approach

Compassionate student communication that ensures engagement is personal and unique to each student could enhance the university experience

James Gray

Kortext

laptop open with headphones and coffee cup

Three approaches to improve your online teaching

When designing online courses and teaching remotely, teachers need to select the framework that supports learning goals. Here, three academics break online learning techniques into their key parts

Antoni Badia , Consuelo García, Julio Meneses

Open University of Catalonia (UOC), Valencian International University

A robot hand dangles a businessman above a wastepaper bin

How your graduates can beat AI in the job market of tomorrow

Your students are facing a competition against a faster, better and cheaper opponent in 2025’s job market – AI. Ioannis Glinavos offers his advice on prepping them for the fight

Ioannis Glinavos

University of Westminster

Real-world experiences can help your creative arts students create real-world change

Integrating real-world experiences into creative industries programmes can create truly meaningful results – for both the students and the wider community. Clare Duffin outlines how

Clare Duffin

University of the West of Scotland

Going for gold: how to craft a winning TEF submission

Teaching excellence rests on clear principles and agile strategy, collaboration with students and a frank approach to educational gain, write Emily Pollinger and Julian Chaudhuri. Here, they share tips for maintaining and evidencing success

Emily Pollinger , Julian Chaudhuri

University of Bath

Campus talks: human connection and the student experience

Two Australian academics take on the role of person-to-person contact in student success and well-being in higher education – whether that’s the benefits of in-person teaching or the effects of using AI for academic work

Jan Slapeta, Joseph Crawford

University of Sydney, University of Tasmania

How to create extracurricular activities students will want to attend

Participation and enthusiasm are the goals of those hard-working volunteers, staff and faculty who organise campus activities and events. Here are 12 tips to boost university student engagement

Martyna Iwanicka

University of Warsaw

Welcome aboard! Tips for building an online community of learners

Building an online learning community can help students form social bonds and boost their motivation, but requires specific efforts to be successful. Karin Avnit and Prasad Iyer show us how

Karin Avnit , Prasad Iyer

Singapore Institute of Technology

The three stages of developing a framework to support students of open and distance learning

Open and distance learning may offer a way for graduates to separate themselves from the herd, but some struggle with online learning practices. Cheng Yee Ng details how she developed the framework to address these challenges

Cheng Yee Ng

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

Fostering critical thinking with reflective journals

Timely, frequent and constructive feedback has a powerful influence on student achievement. However, its impact on higher education students is hotly debated and often highly variable

Lesley Gardner, Udayangi Muthupoltotage

The University of Auckland

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