My students don’t reply/respond to my questions
Have you considered that what is expected from students might not be clear?
QUICK WINS
→ QW1. Create a Glossary. Provide the students with a glossary of key terms used in your university such as ‘modules’/ ‘term’ etc. See an example in the Toolkit. At the start of term, you might also provide students with a list of widely used acronyms in your field.
→ QW2. Breakdown Instructions. In class, many things can get lost on students, especially if we are not aware of the curse of knowledge. Ensure that information and instructions are shared in clear language that is straight to the point. It can help to break longer instructions into chunks, and/or to make a video for students to refer to later if anything is unclear.
→ QW3. Give students a rubric, a deadline and go through the assessment orally, either in class or by recording a short video. You might also explain to the students where and how to submit the assessment. This is an example of a rubric.
Instructional clarity can be defined as a teacher’s ability to explain or otherwise assist students in thoroughly understanding the material (Metcalf and Kim, 1992), and as a teacher’s capacity to deliver classroom instruction clearly and concisely (Maulana et al., 2016). Clarity of instruction is key with students to avoid any miscommunication or misconceptions. When instructions are clear, students tend to have a better idea of what is expected of them and therefore tend to be more engaged and active in their learning.
Jargon Buster
The use of jargon and acronyms can often impede students’ understanding and their understanding of what is expected of them. Providing students with a list of acronyms used in the respective fields as well as a list of key terms of reference can help the students get a clearer understanding in and out of lectures. See Quick Win 1
Clear In-Class Instructions
When too much information or too many tasks are given to students simultaneously, the brain struggles to process the information effectively. Teachers can support student learning by explaining the purpose of a task, giving short, precise instructions, providing written instructions as well as oral ones, and checking for understanding. See Quick Win 2
Clear Guidance Around Assessments
Students often lack clarity about assessments, which can lead to confusion about the task. This confusion may result in a lack of engagement with the task. See Quick Win 3
Further information
See the references organised by topic here.
Have you considered that students may not know how to interact with a lecturer?
QUICK WINS
→ QW1. State Your Openness to Dialogue. At the beginning of the class, explicitly tell students that their questions and comments are welcome and valued.
→ QW2. Experiment with the Sample Question Tool Kit. Adapt to your classroom the next examples provided by The University of Chicago.
→ QW3. Share personal stories or anecdotes. Incorporate within your classes brief stories, which might cover moments in which you made mistakes and what you learned from them.
Students might be unsure of the appropriate ways to build connections with academic staff as they adjust to a new social environment. Both the uncertainty about building connections and the adjustment to a new social environment are considered main transition challenges in the literature review.
Make Explicit Your Openness to Dialogue
Creating a participative classroom environment starts with clear communication. Let your students know that you value their input and encourage them to ask questions and participate. See Quick Win 1
Formulate Different Types of Questions
Utilising various types of questions can enhance students’ participation while maintaining the flow of the lesson. Closed questions can help build confidence by eliciting definitive answers, whereas open-ended questions encourage imagination and critical thinking. Different types of questions can also help connect with the diverse learning styles of students. See Quick Win 2
Support Intellectual Risk
A classroom culture where mistakes are perceived as failures increases students’ fear of participation. However, when students understand that errors are a natural part of the learning process, they are more likely to engage and respond to questions without feeling judged. See Quick Win 3
Further information
- Check questioning approaches here.
- Storytelling in Classroom, by Ohio Storytelling Institute.
