“Why Are We Doing This?” Establishing Relevance to Enhance Student Learning →
Some painless and practical advice. Here’s an excerpt:
Establish relevance at the start of every class period. Some faculty members present an outline of the day’s material on the board or in a PowerPoint. This is a useful practice that can aid student note taking, but students are even more motivated when the day’s content and activities are placed in the context of the course and their lives. Kicking off class with a simple orientation that answers three questions—What? Why? and How?—can get students on track, motivate them, and help them put the day’s content and activities into context.
