As part of the collaborative practice model of CPD, a lecture sequence delivering the first year Vectors and Matrices course in Civil Engineering at the University of Bath was observed, with emphasis on the theme of student engagement.

The lecture sequence was videoed and from this, a series of 13 recommendations were created to suggest good practice in student engagement techniques in HE, based on experience within the secondary school classroom. Clicking on the recommendations below will take you to relevant video clips from the observation; you may need to turn the volume on your computer speakers up to hear the clips clearly. 

Please note use of the word 'classroom' below relates solely to the GCSE and A level mathematics classroom.

(1) Create a welcoming environment & outline the lesson plan

Effective teachers create welcoming classroom environments that motivate students to thrive. Also, writing the plan for the class on the board before students arrive enables them to gain an overview of the expectations of that lesson.

(2) Promote active engagement

It is well recognised within the secondary classroom that most students learn more when they are actively engaged in their own learning through a host of strategies and active learning opportunities.

(3) Provide a framework which relates the lecture material to the real world

At secondary level, students often need to know why they are learning a particular concept; framing the material in this way can seem a lot more like a sixth form lesson for HE students.

(4) Use humour to enhance classroom atmosphere

This can be used to great effect to engage students and encourage them to contribute within the classroom environment.

(5) Outline learning objectives

Framing the subsequent theory with an open question enables students to understand the learning objectives, and is a common tool found within the classroom.

(6) Cultivate an inclusive learning environment

As much as possible, you should face the students. Eye contact is also an important part of student engagement within the classroom; scanning the lecture hall when delivering course material is a key aspect of this.

(7) Provide feedback opportunities to demonstrate student understanding during a lecture

Formative assessment techniques are a large part of a student’s experience within the A level maths classroom, and terms such as Assessment for Learning and Assessing Pupils' Progress are common parlance. This is something students will be very familiar with, and enables the lecturer to get immediate feedback regarding their understanding of material already covered, before moving on to the next section of work which builds on this theory.

(8) Reference important material / formula

Using 'The Magic Red Box' raises student engagement levels and focuses their attention on the important formulae they need to remember.

(9) Make every class writing-intensive

Writing has a major role in student learning and engagement and therefore, within any course notes, build in extensive opportunities for students to work through solutions and to 'fill in blanks'. Students are very familiar with this style of delivery from the maths classroom, with many using course booklets or workbooks at both GCSE and A level.

(10) Assess prior knowledge through formative feedback before a topic to ensure your lecture is pitched appropriately

Gaining an insight into prior experience is an important aspect of the teaching and learning behaviours of the maths classroom. Understanding student experience is also important as students sit a diverse range of mathematics A level modules. Indeed, in the case of 'Matrices' this is particularly important as it is only covered in Further Maths module 1; therefore, any undergraduate who has only studied mathematics at school will be immediately disadvantaged.

This is an important facet of engagement as it ensures the lecturer understands current level of student understanding and in doing so, can engender a more conducive environment to learning.

(11) Monitor the proportion of students who have completed tasks during the lecture

To ensure high levels of engagement in the classroom, it is important that the member of staff is able to ascertain the progress students make while completing tasks. This feedback is an important evaluative tool to determine the success of a particular part of a lesson sequence, especially if the lesson is being observed / scrutinized.

(12) Provide clear reasons for the structure of course material; provide a break for students; formalise student feedback mechanisms within a lecture environment

Students need to know why they are doing a task, or going over material - for example, a lecturer may need to explain that not all students study matrices in their A level maths courses and therefore it is important to go over the basics before moving on to more complex ideas.

Feedback can be garnered from students in the last 5 minutes of a lecture through a questionnaire as a means to evaluate the efficacy of the lecture.

(13) Foster a sense of shared values

Within a classroom, students want to feel as if they are each important members of that community. The atmosphere generated must be supportive so students feel their views can be heard. Also, they need to know  that there are clear mechanisms in place to enable the teacher to provide feedback to an individual pupil's concerns or questions within the classroom situation, or that they have access to a support structure outside of the lecture, such as email or office hours.