According to an article written by Mark Bauerlein, A study by Public Agenda found that 45 percent of recent college dropouts listed boredom as a “major” or “minor” reason that they left, while 43 percent cited “I had to take too many classes that I didn’t think were useful.”
Dr. Nainby, Chair of Communication studies, has studied pedagogy, which is the study of the method and practice of teaching.
“Studying Pedagogy helps me consider each discussion, each activity, each assignment from the point of view of students.” Studies have shown that there are various ways to make students feel good when they go to class, but some strategies work better than others. Students tend to feel more engaged in a class when they feel like they have a good relationship with their teacher. “Getting to know students as people and treating each student as a unique person deserving of respect,” says Dr. Nainby.
Dr. Markov of Communication studies has expressed some of the same strategies he feels that he can use to make students more engaged.
“I make an effort to get to know my students, starting with learning their names on the first day, I think that shows I’m engaged with them, which helps them want to be more engaged with me, each other, and the course.” There are, as to be expected, some differences between departments and teachers, but the differences are significant and adequate.
Dr. Carroll of History, “Methods I tend to rely on are telling stories, humorous or otherwise attention-getting that exemplify historical people and the use of visual images such as photographs, lithographs, and political cartoons, that shift their attention away from me and prompt thinking about the topic.”
Teachers also tend to notice when most of the classroom might be disengaged, but does it affect the way a teacher might present their material?
“Feedback from the classroom, in the form of students looking bored, helps me reflect on the way I present course material. If something seems to capture students’ attention, I try to spend more time on it in the future. If something feels like it’s dragging a bit, I try to find different ways to present it going forward.” Says Dr. Markov.
“I’m best what I do when I feel comfortable in my skin, and I haven’t experienced disengagement at a level that has made me feel pressured to change how I teach. I’ve always made class participating an integral component of the course grade.” Says Dr. Carroll.
The common theme here is that most teachers feel that student engagement throughout the course and its material is vital to making sure that students get the information that they need to pass a class.
