Exploring Instructors’ Practices in Student Engagement: A Collective Case Study

Abstract

Professors use various strategies to improve learning. To explore what professors perceived as critical aspects of engaging instruction, we conducted a qualitative case study with seven professors in the United States. Data was collected through individual face-to-face interviews. The conversations were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. The analyses of the transcriptions were conducted using the constant comparative method. Findings from the study varied. Yet, participants agreed that an engaging instructor must focus on learning; consider various aspects of students' personal development including their cognitive, social, and emotional development; and take care of different student learning styles, for example, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Participants stressed the importance of student engagement. Body language, verbal and non-verbal cues, and eye contact were the main parameters used by the participants to evaluate student engagement. Participants also emphasized the importance of asking questions and assessing instructional effectiveness by evaluating the questions asked by students.

Using a Student-Developed Case Study Activity for Online Discussion Guided by a Three-Tier Case Method Model

“…One student reported, “I was appreciative of the professor jumping into the conversations to add to the tips being offered by students.” Another student shared that she valued the instructor taking time to respond to the case studies and providing suggestions. The instructor’s participation in the discussion board could also motivate students’ engagement because the instructor was passionate, enthusiastic, and interested in engaging students would stimulate student engagement (Arghode et al, 2017). As one participant explained, “I like that the instructor comments on our discussion posts.…”

Consensos de professores especialistas de subáreas de conhecimento de Enfermagem: objetivos, conteúdos e métodos

“…Observa-se também que as subáreas que listaram maior número de objetivos (EF, ESMu, ESMe), ainda que não pactuados, entraram em consenso sobre o maior número de métodos, o que pode sugerir maior diversidade didática na prática dos professores, benéfica à aprendizagem dos estudantes, pois contribui para um maior alcance de estudantes, com diferentes estilos de aprendizagem. 24,25 Assim, se tomado o encadeamento entre objetivos, conteúdos e métodos, deve-se atentar para a presença de um distanciamento entre a intenção e a ação, pois a redação dos objetivos enfoca o professor e o método e estes requerem a participação ativa do estudante. Novamente, os distanciamentos na relação entre objetivos e métodos podem ser observados entre e nas subáreas, no uso de verbos e substantivos.…”