Effective teaching strategies

There is no doubt that employing effective teaching strategies to engage students is the need of the hour. Therefore, we’ll look at multiple teaching strategies that have been proven by research* to increase engagement and effectiveness of teaching:

Feedback

Feedback refers to providing information to someone regarding their performance. In classroom, (or other modes) a response from the teacher to a student on their performance creates awareness of correctness and what was done wrong which increases motivation and also positively affects other behavioral outcomes. Feedback also has significant impact on cognitive and motor skills. The importance of feedback as a teaching strategy is emphasized and recommended by the researchers:

“Feedback should be treated as a complex construct with various forms, which also tended to produce differentiated effects on students learning”

“Effective feedback should not only inform students about correctness, but should also be part of the teaching process”

Scaffolding

Scaffolding is a method of teaching which gradually reduces the instructor’s assistance allowing students to develop understanding. Scaffolding is applied in various forms for example the use of pictures, cue cards, brainstorming etc. the research suggests that scaffolding should be constrained to maximize its outcome. As in if scaffolds require higher knowledge and skillset than the learner’s current knowledge than it is likely to decrease its benefits. Gradually as the student’s competency and skill level improves, scaffolds may not be necessary to employ.

This method can be challenging for primary level teachers to take on as students of that grade require more guidance and help.

Active Learning

Active learning is a method that creates a connection between the learner and learning. Active learning suggests that students rather than teachers are the main agents that play the most important part in the process of learning. As opposed to passive learning, active learning allows learners to link new knowledge with existing knowledge and past experiences to obtain better understanding and generate new ideas. It promotes retention, critical thinking and motivation for further studies.

Collaborating

Collaborating as a teaching method usually involves peer-review etc., this allows students to receive the much-needed attention which is challenging for a single teacher to provide while tending to the entire classroom. Collaborating let students apply their concepts and increases participation, academic outcomes, and cognitive gains. Although it may not always have positive impacts. It has been observed that during collaboration, students may be involved in off-topic discussions which is more likely when students group with their friends. Hence, collaboration should be evaluation based, and a structure for interaction should be provided to avoid such situations.

Citation (*)

Han, F. (2021). The Relations between Teaching Strategies, Students’ Engagement in Learning, and Teachers’ Self-Concept. Sustainability, 13(9), 5020. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095020

Author: Javeria Khalid