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.

What are students really paying attention to?

If we want to engage students, we must reuse and regenerate their attention rather than take, make and waste it, writes Christine Rivers, who shares advice on how to do this

Christine Rivers

University of Surrey

A hand holds a phone, on which an influencer is live streaming

Click like: how to use influencers in authentic assessment

Bridge the gap between students’ education and their online lives by deploying social media content creators in assessment. Here’s how

Melissa Y. L. Yeung , Ryan S. W. Lo, Hansel H. Y. Chan , Derek C. T. Au

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Student raising their hand to speak in a lecture

The Democracy Lab: how 20 minutes of debate can revive the lecture

By introducing short debate about a current issue or trend tied to that day’s lecture, Theo Koutmeridis discovered a simple way to boost student interest and engagement for the whole two-hour class

Theodore Koutmeridis

University of Glasgow

Students using card and paper to create models in class

Software engineers with people skills grow from cardboard cities

Sometimes the best way to teach software engineering is to step away from the computer. Learn how to deliver a cardboard building activity that replicates a software development lifecycle

Nanlin Jin

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Students in class watching a teacher, among them one raises her hand to answer a question

Impactful lessons begin and end with clarity

Common in primary and secondary teaching, starter and plenary activities can get students interested and build knowledge. Paul Demetriou explains how to use them in university teaching

Paul Demetriou

New City College

A group of students at a desk working on a project

A ‘smart’ way to get students working together

Reduce the tendency to ‘divide and write’ with a five-step process that draws on individual strengths, promotes constructive communication and ensures equal participation

Ya Zhang, Shuhao Zhang, Yu Liu

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

A biology teacher standing next to a demo human body with its organs exposed

Banning AI won’t make students care about learning

When students don’t see the point of an activity, they often turn to AI for a shortcut. Here’s how to make learning meaningful and relevant

Mariana Elizondo, Nelly Ramirez Vásquez

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Let’s frame preparation as an academic skill

When students struggle to get started, the problem is rarely motivation. Teach them how to build the conditions for thinking by making preparation visible in the classroom

Meeyoung Kim

University of Sharjah

Couscous, among other ingredients, in a marketplace

Less beer, more couscous: gamifying supply chain education

Using the Beer Game to teach business students about supply chains may have had its last orders. Switching to couscous changed how one educator’s class thought

Jawad Abrache

Al Akhawayn University

When it comes to AI, faculty are from Mars and students are from Venus

Students and academics are on different planets in terms of AI use, creating a culture of distrust and secrecy. Dina Kamel offers three ways to close the gap

Dina Kamel

The University of Portsmouth

A student uses a laptop in a lecture hall

How do we teach AI literacy when students already think they’re experts?

Students don’t need help from their educators to keep up with AI. But what we can do is encourage them to question it more. Here’s how

Abderrahim Agnaou

Al Akhawayn University

AI literacy is the bridge between fear and the graduates we need

We need to meet the digital revolution with curiosity, rather than fear, and AI literacy is the way forward. Here’s how

Phil Laufenberg

La Trobe University

A student sits an exam hall as her peers leave around her

The key to reducing exam anxiety? Better communication

Anxiety about assessment is leaving more students feeling overwhelmed. Ease the pressure with clarity, consistency and care

Apurav Krishna Koyande, Bhajan Lal Rahanu

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

Library outreach with high school students

Using university library outreach to demystify the transition from high school to higher education

Outreach initiatives can introduce potential students to the support that will be available on campus, develop their research skills and instil a sense of belonging before they arrive. Kealin McCabe outlines different approaches

Kealin McCabe

University of Northern British Columbia

Three ways to make your classroom a multilingual environment

How to develop intercultural communication in students of different ethnic backgrounds, from the perspective of a translation educator

Chuan Yu

Hong Kong Baptist University

Bored students sit slumped in a lecture hall

Dear educators, Gen Z here. Could you please teach us like it’s 2026?

Learning has changed drastically in the past five years, but teaching practices haven’t caught up. From your students’ perspective, here’s how to adapt

Sara Brownell

Arizona State University

The long game: gamifying sustainability education

To integrate sustainability into the business school curriculum, why not try an interactive game? Here’s how to immerse students in real-world challenges

Cecilia Primogerio , Maria Fernanda Figueroa Herrera

Universidad Austral

Close-up of hands flicking through flashcards

Flash cards work, but only when we teach students how to use them

Based on research comparing paper-based and digital tools, William J. Owen and Leah Chambers explain how flash cards can support learning and study skills development

William J. Owen , Leah Chambers

University of Northern British Columbia

GenAI has destroyed grading – and it’s made me a better instructor

Instead of a six-page research paper turned in at the end of a course, here’s how to focus on the real-time learning that happens between leaps of understanding and moments of doubt

Dan Sarofian-Butin

Merrimack College

A pair of scales showing a balance between a pile of books and an AI bot

GenAI has not broken assessment. It has exposed it

An assessment system that rewards polished work above judgement can’t function in a GenAI-enabled world. Here’s how to build one that can

Lucy Gill-Simmen

Royal Holloway, University of London

Being a beginner is hard. Let’s make it easier for our students

Tips and strategies for helping students move beyond the fear of making a mistake – and feel more willing to try

Kate Sansome

Adelaide University

When pedagogy meets extended reality: a quick guide

How to design extended reality experiences with clear pedagogical intent, immersing students in worlds that develop decision-making skills, deepen learning and prepare them for the workplace

Graciela González Valdepeña, Lorena Quilantán García

Tecnológico de Monterrey

A struggling student works late at her desk

Are your students disengaging – or is it their personality type?

Students who seem lazy or like late starters may simply be wired differently. Find out how to meet them where they are

Chathura Sooriya-Arachchi

University of Westminster

One mountain climber helps another over a ridge

Find the courage to teach collaboratively

Teaching has never been a solitary endeavour, but it can be lonely. Here’s how to nurture collaborations with your fellow educators that will help everyone grow

Mark Young, Melissa Jane Megan

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The questions publishing students need to be asking about GenAI

As creative industries grapple with the prospect of AI-generated content, how can educators hone critical thinking skills in the book publishers of the future? Find advice here

Miriam Johnson

Oxford Brookes University

Two Chinese students working together on a latop

‘Chinese students have plenty to say – when the conditions are right’

Silence in the classroom does not always signal disengagement. Learn about cultural and linguistic reasons behind low participation and strategies to better support multilingual learners

Rui He, Alex Baratta

The University of Manchester

Young female student wearing safety glasses in an organic chemistry lab

Questions that support reflection and sense-making in STEM education

Focusing on the thinking that a lab-class prompt invites – rather than the answer it elicits – allows instructors to create learning experiences that are both rigorous and inclusive

Karen Ho, Douglas B. Clark

Mount Royal University, University of Calgary

Assessment isn’t a finish line, it’s a learning process

Many assessments only measure what students already know. Here’s how to structure feedback-rich, iterative tasks to help students develop the skills to improve

Philip Y. Lam

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Man falling into laptop screen with numbers in cords in background

‘If you like, I can….?’ Why GenAI needs to come with a health warning

Warnings about the dependency-forming tricks of GenAI are unlikely to change student behaviour, even as they fear its effects on learning. Educators need to help students recognise engagement loops for themselves, writes Adrian Wallbank

Adrian J. Wallbank

Oxford Brookes University

‘Our agency over our words is central to our agency over ourselves’

Learning to use an LLM is easy but developing human intellect is hard – and that’s what the university classroom should be for. Here’s how to help students work on their mental muscles

Carla Arnell

Lake Forest College

Students sitting in a circle on the floor with laptops

When plans meet people: navigating the friction of group assessment

Not all group work runs smoothly but educators can deal with disruptions more effectively if they have time- and situation-sensitive moves in their teaching repertoire. Here, Sarah Sholl and Stephen Yorkstone offer advice to stop group assessment falling apart

Sarah Sholl, Stephen Yorkstone

Edinburgh Napier University, Independent consultant

How working with deaf students changed my teaching

Adjusting your teaching when you have a deaf student in your class can help everyone learn better – and help you find new ways to communicate effectively. Find out how

Anny Maria Rodriguez

Universidad del Caribe (UNICARIBE)

How the artist game opens every classroom door

An effective icebreaker can set students up for confident participation throughout the semester. Here, Natalie Cummins shares a structured low-risk activity that draws in all participants

Natalie Cummins

University of Technology Sydney

A student stands up to talk in the classroom

Multilingual learners don’t need extended time – they need intentional design

Language barriers in the classroom can present complex challenges. Instead of placing the burden on multilingual learners, let’s commit to an institution-wide approach to support them

Walaa Awad

Colorado State University Global

Illustration of faces in blues and greens

Lecture room as tapestry: weaving culture, curiosity and learning together

Culturally inclusive pedagogy asks educators to redesign learning environments that work with, rather than ignore, the diversity in university classrooms. Here, Chipo Simbi offers advice around student engagement, assessment and safe spaces

Chipo Simbi

University of Southampton

Three ways to build an engaged student community from the ground up

Here’s how to bring students together to create a community on campus and encourage their active participation in university life from governance to volunteering

Denisa-Georgiana Nistor

Valahia University of Târgoviște

An illustration of AI helping a student work

GenAI as a teaching colleague in assessment: a case study

GenAI can be a useful tool in assessment – if used intentionally. Find out what an intelligent dashboard can do for your students’ relationship to GenAI

Belén Pagone

Universidad Austral

How to get students talking in seminar courses

From setting expectations before the course begins to structuring discussion and preparation, these strategies help educators turn hesitant students into confident, collaborative seminar course participants

Daniella Sieukaran

Dalhousie University

Hands type at a laptop, as seen from above

Build the ‘why’ into your online learning instructions

You could be losing your online students earlier than you think. Here’s how to engage them from the moment they encounter a task

Norman B. Mendoza

The Education University of Hong Kong

Details of hands playing different games

A game-making workshop to bring complex systems to life

Board games offer a powerful teaching tool to deepen understanding of complex dynamics such as climate. This analogue group task fosters the skills of systems thinking: setting boundaries, seeing multiple perspectives and holistic analysis

Adam Procter, Matteo Menapace

University of Southampton, Manchester Metropolitan University

A student sits in front of a laptop, covered in Post-It notes

Ten tips for embedding retrieval practice in university teaching

Despite the benefits of retrieval practice, students still tend to opt for more passive strategies. Here’s how to embed retrieval in your classroom to show them its power

Katy Burgess

Cardiff University

Black female student looking thoughtful writing

The benefits of positive affect journaling for university students and staff

This low-effort, high-impact practice can enhance the start of a class, and helps both students and staff develop emotional resilience

Lesley Black, Glenn Fosbraey

University of Winchester

A teacher stands in front of a projector screen

Show students what thoughtful engagement with GenAI looks like

Face it: students are going to use GenAI whether we ban it or not. Let’s support them to use it purposefully and curiously

Walaa Awad

Colorado State University Global

Book, scales, gavel, fuzzy globe, environmental justice concept

Teaching ethics and sustainability through fiction

A novel offers practical ways for students to consider how theory and practice can come together in addressing climate challenges. Here, Denise Baden offers exercises across humanities and social sciences disciplines

Denise Baden

University of Southampton

Learning by doing in a GenAI-enabled world

The best way for students to learn is by doing. But now GenAI is a non-negotiable in university teaching, what does that mean? Renia Lopez-Ozieblo explores

Renia Lopez-Ozieblo

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

The five levels of learning designer support

Learning designers and academics may have different expectations when it comes to collaborating on course design. Here’s how a five-point scale can help

Daniel Searson

Adelaide University

Students working at their laptops in a university classroom

‘Flow’ – not activities – makes experiential learning stick

What happens when we stop stacking activities and start designing experiences? Here are three ways to make experiential learning more intuitive and impactful

Irina Gokh

De Montfort University

Teach students to think like researchers

Expanding undergraduate research benefits not only the institution, but the students too. Here’s how to embed a research mindset in your undergraduate cohort

Salah Al-Majeed

Al Akhawayn University

Why GenAI helps some students but not others (and what to do about it)

GenAI can boost learning on average, according to research – but individual outcomes vary widely. Here’s how to help every student benefit

Oguz A. Acar

King’s College London

A pedagogy of grief: dealing with loss in higher education

What happens when a university educator is grieving a loved one? Here’s how collective loss can shape an institution

Rachelle McKay

Dalhousie University

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