Encourage student engagement in learning 1. Many of us remember the days when going to class meant listening to an instructor’s lecture, frantically trying to take notes of the important points—and wondering what the important points were! Today we know that if students are engaged in the topic under consideration, thinking critically about the subject matter and under- standing ways in which the material can be applied in a context (like a clinical situation), they are more likely to apply what they have learned in another situation. When the instructor sets up such an environment, student engagement with the learning is more likely to occur. Understanding what student engagement means is the first step in this process. The box below provides a definition of student engagement. In contrast, when an instructor
spends most of the time in class talking, rather than
listening, student engagement is less likely to be present. Why? Research on the brain finds that one’s attention span tends to be about 10-20 minutes at a
Definition of Student Engagement Students pay attention, demonstrate curiosity, interest, and passion about the learning process. These emotions increase the student’s motivation to remain on task and learn. Student Engagement is “a psychological investment in learning.”
time. During that period, the brain makes a quick determination of what is import- ant. If the content being provided in a class does not feel important to the student, their thoughts will move on to something they do consider important—maybe even what they will have for lunch. So HOW can instructors engage students in class, lab, and clinical experiences? Euler (2018) reviewed litera- ture in psychology, biology, and neuroscience to determine the most current evidence regarding how humans learn. He identified five conditions within the student which, if present, will improve their engagement: 1. CURIOSITY —the student is interested in knowing more about the content being discussed. 2. SOCIAL BELONGING —connection to the teacher and other students by sharing ideas and experi- ences provides the feeling of belonging to a group. 3. EMOTION —dry facts won’t spark a student’s engagement; emotions must be tapped. Considering how abnormal lab values affect a client’s condition is much more likely to stimulate an emotion than being required to learn normal and abnormal lab values without a client context. 4. FAILURE —if humans fail and they are provided with an opportunity to reflect on the failure, they may learn different approaches when faced with a similar circumstance in the future. Helping stu-
dents recognize that failure is a part of learning is an effective teaching strategy. 5. AUTHENTICITY —the recognition that a situation being discussed is “real.”
Certainly, it is much easier for students to be engaged in a well-designed lab or actual clinical experience because these activities, by their very nature, require students to be engaged. However, what can we do to encourage student engagement in the classroom? Health careers students learn by and in activities that involve real-world situations. Bringing clinical or other realistic scenarios into the classroom, as described by Benner, et. al, (2010) requires the use of case studies, clinical stories, and discussion about client care. This approach requires instructors to shift the focus in class from content about facts to the application of that knowledge in situations they are likely to encounter on the job. For example, in the past, instructors may have lectured in depth about the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus. Today, the focus in the classroom should be caring for a patient with symptoms of diabe- tes based on an understanding of the pathophysiology.
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