Engaging the Disengaged Learner

Learning is a lot like bike riding. Once you have the knack, you never really forget the skill. Nor do you forget the thrill of learning a new ability or understanding a complex idea. You are a lifelong learner and you love it.
Why have so many students never discovered this thrill? Why are they coasting when they could be racing along in the educational Tour de France with their peers? What can teachers do to engage the disengaged student?
This course will help teachers keep students highly engaged throughout an entire lesson and encourage students to contribute their ideas and insights as a way of enhancing their own and other students’ learning.
Learning Outcomes
At the completion of this course students will be able to:
1. Expect students to help define topics and determine how they can be studied
2. Link content to students’ prior knowledge and experience.
3. Ensure that students are mentally engaged in all activities and assignments
4. Allow students to initiate and adapt learning activities and projects.
5. Form instructional groups that work to achieve learning goals.
6. Choose suitable instructional materials for lessons and encourage students to select resources that will help them learn
7. Teach highly coherent, well-planned, and well-paced lessons that include time for student reflection

ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) In-service credit only