2. Engage

The purpose of this part of 'Content' is to engage students in the topic and awaken their prior knowledge. Here are some examples of how to do this. 

Description What happens? Purpose and benefit Example
Icebreaker

A planned set of activities to build connections in the cohort

Options:

  1. Student-led forum activity – students introduce themselves and share a personal insight 

  1. Tutor-led webinar – groups meet in real time with their tutor and cohort. Study skills and icebreaker activities feature. 

  1. Student-led forum – students share study tips and questions 

There is a strong relationship between a student’s social presence online, and their participation, interaction and persistence in the programme.  

 

These activities aim to strengthen the student’s identity and sense of connection with the programme by building connections with other students, tutors and the university. 

 Leadership insights showcase
Gain student attention by highlighting a misconception

  1. Class is polled on a common misconception or interesting fact 

  1. Students then see the results from the rest of the class 

 Students are surprised and their interest in the topic is piqued, they want to find out more = ideal conditions to start learning.  The Linda problem
Setting up expectations from a module by answering some questions  Study journal activity – students are asked about their personal reasons for studying the subject and the module, and how they expect it to benefit their future career. Students connect their previous experiences and career plans with what will be learned on a module.  Study journal reflection – expectations
Recall of prior learning through quiz  Students take a quiz before they launch into the learning content This can be used to remind students of related content (i.e. from a prior topic or module) so they can make start making connections between the topics    Check your understanding: Review of PMM010 Introduction to project management