Innovative Teaching Strategies that Improve

Student Engagement
Five teaching strategies designed to challenge and engage students
By: James Davis

"In education, student engagement refers to the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and passion
that students show when they are learning or being taught, which extends to the level of motivation they have
to learn and progress in their education" (edglossary.org). When students are engaged with the lesson being
taught, they learn more and retain more. Students who are engaged in the work tend to persist more and nd
joy in completing the work.

You may ask the question, "What types of work are engaging?" We know from speaking to students that they
prefer work where they can have hands-on activities and get to collaborate with their peers. They tend to be
less engaged when listening to teacher lectures or doing repetitive tasks and "busy work."

In this article, we will discuss ve innovative teaching strategies that engage students: (1) inquiry-based
learning, (2) QR codes, (3) problem-based learning, (4) wisely managed classroom technology, and (5) jigsaws.
These teaching strategies encourage students to use their imagination to dig deep when engaging with the
content of the lesson. The students are actively involved with the learning and can work with their peers in
collaborative groups to showcase their learning.

Many of these strategies take students to levels of learning they never thought possible. The students actively
seek knowledge and don’t just sit and receive the knowledge from a lecture or worksheet.

Inquiry-Based Learning
Inquiry-based learning is one of the most powerful teaching strategies in the classroom because research tells
us that students learn best when they construct their own meaning. Inquiry-based learning triggers student
curiosity. Teachers act as facilitators during the inquiry-based learning process.
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According to Heather Wolpert-Gawron in the Edutopia article, "What the Heck is Inquiry-Based Learning?",
there are four steps in the process:

1. Students develop questions that they are hungry to answer

2. Students research the topic using time in class
3. Students present what they’ve learned
4. Students re ect on what worked about the process and what didn’t

In a classroom where students research a topic then present their ndings, inquiry-based learning allows
students to "learn deeper and wider than ever before" (Wolpert-Gawron, 2016). In traditional teaching, students
are less likely to ask questions and are expected to listen and answer questions posed by the teacher. Inquiry-
based learning allows students to pose the questions and research and convert the information into useful
knowledge, thus ramping up the level of student engagement.

QR Codes
QR (Quick Response) codes are easy to create and have multiple uses in classrooms at all grade levels. QR codes
can lead students to information just by scanning the code on a student’s digital device. In the classroom,
students can use QR codes to

Check their answers

Vote on answers during class discussions
Extend information found in textbooks
Get survey information for math units on data
Participate in scavenger hunts
Access video tutorials on the material being taugh
Link students directly to Google maps

QR codes allow students to access information without leaving their seat. Students can even generate QR codes
to showcase their learning with peers and parents.

Project-Based Learning
Research con rms that project-based learning (PBL) is an e ective and enjoyable way to learn. PBL also
develops deeper learning competencies required for success in college, career, and civic life (bie.org).

Project-based learning uses real-world scenarios, challenges, and problems to engage students in critical
thinking, problem solving, teamwork, and self-management. Once students solve the problem or challenge, they
present their solutions. The problems students solve can be presented to community leaders to solve problems in
their own community.

PBL uses collaboration, digital tools, and problem solving skills to come up with a solution to the problem
presented. Why are so many educators interested in this teaching method?

PBL makes school more engaging for students

PBL improves learning
PBL provides opportunities for students to use technology
PBL makes teaching more enjoyable and rewarding
PBL connects students and schools with communities and the real world (bie.org).

Wisely Managed Classroom Technology

Many schools have become one-to-one schools, i.e., each student has his or her own technology item (typically a
tablet or computer) to work with each day. In some districts, students can take the technology home to complete
their homework.

There is a delicate balance with technology use in the classroom. Teachers must use technology in a wisely
managed way and with a variety of activities. Several activities that lead to student engagement are Google
Docs, YouTube videos, Quizlet, Kahoot!, and the Remind app. These innovative apps and websites can help

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teachers engage their students, remind them about upcoming assignments and homework, provide visual
learning through videos, organize student learning, provide group collaboration, and provide check-ups on
learning through games and online quizzes.

Jigsaws
The jigsaw technique is a "tried and true" cooperative learning strategy that helps students create their own
learning. Students are arranged in groups and assigned a di erent piece of information. In their groups, students
learn the piece of information well enough to be able to teach it to another group of students.

When using this technique, students become experts on the learning as they teach their peers. Once all groups
have learned their information, they are placed into new groups with members from each of the small groups.
Each group member shares the knowledge they gained in their informational group. This technique brings
lessons to life and challenges students to create their own learning. This challenge engages students and
encourages them to share their learning with others.

Each of the techniques in this article use strategies in which students question, research, use technology, and
create meaning from provided materials and research. These techniques also allow students to solve problems,
challenge themselves, and present their ndings to others. Student engagement builds on curiosity, interest,
passion, and attention. All of the techniques showcased incorporate several of these needed items for student
engagement.

James Davis, Ph.D., is an associate professor and program coordinator at Coastal Carolina University, in Conway,
South Carolina, where he works within the educational leadership department. He has been named both teacher
of the year and principal of the year.
Jdavis9@coastal.edu

Published November 2017.

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