
Dr. Ayodeji Arogundade
- 208-792-2898
- [email protected]
- TJH 106
Are you looking for a short list of ideas that can improve how your students feel and work in your classes? Below are eight essential tips that you can use to foster a productive and happy classroom environment, one that promotes wellbeing, retention, and positive communication. These tips were originally presented by Dr. Ayodeji Arogundande in his talk on "Keeping first year students engaged and happy in the face of COVID-19: Lessons from my BUS 101 Class" at the CTL during Spring 2021.
Because of Canvas, your students will usually access the syllabus before they even come to class. Don't give them reason to drop the class before they even meet you!
The syllabus is the student's first introduction to you. Make sure that it is:
Also, you may wish to reconsider your course calendar from the student perspective. Make sure that the course calendar:
Long gone are the days when the first day of class is a dull lecture on the syllabus. Instead, it is your first chance to set the tone by:
You know how frustrating it is when a student drops your class before you get to the really interesting stuff? Well, put the interesting stuff first, at least one thing, even if you have to modify it a lot. Students sometimes drop a class within the first few classes because its not interesting to them or it doesn't help them, so bring something that they can really use to the first lecture.
Also, make sure the students get to connect with each other and you during the first class.
You probably know this one. Keep students moving and thinking actively in ways that promote critical thinking skills and connection with each other. A short selection of many ways to do it:
Be intentional about helping students form connections between each other.
The bonds between you and your students are essential for encouraging them and retaining them in your class, even when the class is hard. Here are some suggestions:
Other ideas for how to show that you highly value each student are here.
Midterm is a great time for reflection with your students for the purpose of improving the classroom environment and explaining parts of the class that students might have questions about during the current semester. Unlike SCEs, midterm feedback is not shared with administration, so you can gather it in whatever creative way works for you. For example, maybe ask students to design a t-shirt with a class logo, or reflect on a favorite (or muddiest) part of the semester. Much of the time, the information you receive will help you better talk about why the class works the way it does. Other midterm feedback ideas, and ways to interpret the results, are here.
Many of our students have grown up in the age of cell phones and are used to working on them. Build opportunities into the class where students can access their cell phone, like using Poll Everywhere or a Kahoot. Utilize the tools on zoom, teach them how to submit video reports, find opportunities for them to use their laptops in class. For those new to college, these little moments of familiarity can help increase comfort in an often uncomfortable space.
For other innovative ideas for using technology in class, see Teaching Remotely and by Mixed Modality.
As you consider Dr. Arogundade's tips, it may be helpful to reflect on one or more of these questions:
Dr. Ayodeji Arogundade is a Professor with the Business Division. He joined LC State in January 2015. Before joining LC State, Ayo worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Idaho. He has a doctoral degree in Biological and Agricultural Engineering from the University of Idaho and a postdoctoral degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Florida. Ayo is passionate about teaching and helping students to succeed. Ayo, the author of a book titled “Practical Approach to Academic Excellence – For Undergraduate Students,” has delivered over fifty academic success seminars in high schools and universities both in Nigeria and the United States. Here at LC State, Ayo is one of the facilitators of LC Presents. program that connects college faculty to high school classrooms in Idaho Regions 1 and 2, Eastern Washington, and other nearby locales. He won the Annice Edmundson Faculty Excellence Award in 2021.