Instructional Practices: Enhancing Student Engagement

Instructional practices are the choices instructors make as they teach: how they explain ideas, structure participation, respond to students, give feedback, and help students work with course content. Those choices will look different across disciplines, class sizes, and teaching contexts.

Student engagement is more than participation. Students are more likely to engage when they have clear expectations, opportunities to work with ideas, and ways to test and extend their understanding. The classroom climate also matters: students need to know how to take part, ask questions, and seek support when needed.

The resources below offer practical approaches for active and experiential learning, class participation, community building, reflection, accessibility, and other aspects of day-to-day teaching that can support student learning.