student engagement

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Students’ Sense of Belonging Matters: Evidence from Three Studies
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Evidence has shown that in certain contexts, a student’s sense of belonging improves academic outcomes, increases continuing enrollment, and is protective for mental health. In some of the studies presented, these correlations were still present beyond the time frame of the analysis, suggesting that belonging might have a longitudinal effect.

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Help Students Retain, Organize and Integrate Knowledge
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Why is it important? A fundamental goal of education is to promote enduring learning that equips students with the skills, knowledge, and beliefs that can be applied to solve problems […]

Creating Learning Environments to Support Student Motivation Post-Pandemic
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On March 30, 2022, TLL hosted a talk by Professor Carlton Fong of Texas State University on the many ways the COVID-19 pandemic impacted student motivation. Professor Fong discussed evidence-based strategies to maximize student confidence, learning, support, and belonging.

Maintaining Academic Continuity during Spring 2022
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We provide here a listing of resources that we hope will benefit you, your instructional team, and your students.

Addressing difficult events in the classroom
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This page provides pedagogical tools and resources for addressing charged, difficult, and/or stressful issues while remaining sensitive to the range of opinions, emotional reactions, and potential for student harm.

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Inclusive teaching at MIT highlighted in Festival of Learning panel
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This post highlights concrete ways that Arathi Mehrotra, Peter Dourmashkin, and Canan Dağdeviren have created learning environments where all students feel welcomed, supported, and valued as they learn, as shared in a panel on Inclusive Instructional Practices at the Festival of Learning 2022.

Recent Study on Near-Peer Mentorship Program to Support Academic Success
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A recent study on the effects of a near-peer mentoring program on first-year students intending to major in biology found that participants in the program were more likely to develop productive academic habits, earn higher grades, and persist in the biology major.

Trauma-Informed Teaching
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On October 26, 2021, we hosted a talk by Dr. Mays Imad on Trauma-Informed Teaching. Dr. Imad’s talk built on neuroscience research on trauma and learning and her experiences using trauma-informed teaching practices in the classroom.

Instructor contingency planning
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Due to Covid-related attestation, isolation, or quarantine policies for you and/or those in your care, it may be necessary for you to teach from home / away from campus for portions of the semester, to enlist a colleague to teach for you, or to reschedule/cancel class …

Meaning Makers: cultivating growth mindset environments
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In this talk on April 29, 2021, Dr. Canning discussed her recent research on cultivating growth mindset cultures in the classroom — the idea that anyone can develop their ability and talent over time with effective strategies, deliberate practice, and adequate support.