Classroom Engagement Strategies

PBL and PrBL should be engaging enough, but how does a day to day class run? What should it look like? More importantly, what should it sound like? These kinds of classrooms are filled with active learning, and active learning is exactly what it sounds like: a very active process.  This process is messy, fun, collaborative, and most importantly, effective. I was recently at a #MACUL conference and participated in a few active learning sessions. From one session, lead by +Dave Goodrich we did a 4 corners activity (you know... an active learning activity) and from there, we pulled some great words to describe what Active Learning is for those of you who don't already know....

And some of the amazing tech tools that are available to help support active learning that we talked about at that session are pictured here. Now this list is by NO MEANS exhaustive, there is an entire web filled with amazing tools that have yet to be discovered by those fine people who were at #MACUL15, including many of you! 

Now personally, I've had experience with about half of these listed here, whether that is extensive experience or just tinkering around. MACUL reinspired me to check out some of these tools and give them each a write-up based on my experience. As per usual. 

Now active learning doesn't just start and stop with technology. Technology may be a medium we can use, but what is it that we are actually doing with our students? Are we flipping the classroom? Are we working collaboratively? What activities are we doing? Are our students participating in a Chalk Talk or Gallery Walk? Are we rapid prototyping? We'll explore these ideas too. Here we go!