Student Engagement and Active Learning in Class Discussion

Bill and Stuart are in your in-person discussion class; yesterday, they refused to participate in the day’s discussion. Due to their stifled laughter and side glances, despite never uttering a word, you quickly realize that they are having their own conversation via text message on their cell phones. How do you engage such students without alienating them?

For this Discussion, review and study this week’s Learning Resources, including the video discussion media piece. Reflect on the strategies presented in the video discussion to engage the students, and consider which of the strategies most appealed to you. Then select an introductory psychology topic from the Griggs Psychology: A Concise Introduction textbook and think about two specific activities you would use to actively engage students in discussion. Finally, reflect on how your activities might encourage non-participating students to engage in the discussion.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post a brief description of the strategies presented in the video discussion that most appealed to you, and explain why. Then describe the introductory psychology topic you selected, and explain two activities you could use to actively engage students in the discussion. Finally, explain how your activities might encourage non-participating students, as described in the Bill and Stuart scenario, to engage in the discussion.

Part B
offer another activity your colleague might use to engage students in that topic. Then explain how the activity you suggested might facilitate active learning.