My students do not seem interested in going beyond/deepening the knowledge they get during the class
Have you considered that students may not be used to questioning their learning process?
QUICK WINS
→ QW1. Ask Open-Ended Questions. Pose questions that don’t have a single correct answer. This encourages students to think critically and explore different perspectives.
→ QW2. Normalise Mistakes by Sharing. Share stories of famous people that failed and how they learned from it. Or provide a personal anecdote where you failed and how it helped you grow. Show that failing is one of the key modes of learning.
→ QW3. Model Lifelong Learning. Share your own learning experiences and challenges with students. Show them that learning is a continuous process and that even teachers are always learning.
Students may not yet have the skills and knowledge to assess their own learning strategies, and to reflect on improving themselves in that regard. In high school, students are often exposed to teacher-centred classrooms where the teacher is the authority and may be interpreted as always knowing the ‘definite answer’. This changes towards learner-centred classrooms in university, culminating in projects where it may be the student that is the expert on the topic. This is a transition in both the classroom context and the expectations placed on students. Supporting the transition towards self-reliant learners is therefore important.
Stimulate an Open Atmosphere of Curiosity and Questioning
Daring to ask questions can be challenging for students, and dependent on their cultural background. You can stimulate the voicing of curiosity by incorporating question time and activities with different stakes, and by giving non-judgemental feedback to students. For example, allow for time to ask questions to peers. Asking a question to a peer presents a different threshold than asking a question to the teacher.
In course activities, ask open-ended questions to which is there is not one correct answer (Quick Win 1). Learning activities where the students are active are more stimulating and engaging than passive ones, like students listening to a lecture.
Emphasise the Importance of Making Mistakes
Students may not be used to failing. For example, some students may find that they struggle more in university than in high school, where they could pass with little effort. Therefore, emphasise that in making a mistake, learning is happening (Quick Win 2). Failing is an opportunity to learn what went wrong and how to adapt to tackle the situation differently in the future.
Foster a Mindset of Growth and Lifelong Learning
Students may not yet be aware that learning is a very individual process and that they can steer that process. Share your own learning journey to make this explicit to the students (Quick Win 3).
Teach Strategies for Becoming a Better Learner
Share strategies that you use to organise. For example on how to take notes and plan your working day, and how to reflect on the learning process. Point out that becoming overwhelmed leads to reactive behaviour instead of proactive behaviour, and that taking the time to plan and reflect can help maintain a sense of control.
Further information
- Biggs, J., Tang, C., & Kennedy, G. (2022). Teaching for quality learning at university (Fifth edition). McGraw-hill education (UK).
→ This book provides a comprehensive guide on how to create an environment that is good for learning and that encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning.
