Increasing student engagement through community building: Opinion

Instructors should strive to increase student engagement by building communities in their classes, write Neil Garg and Kevin D Dougherty. Garg and Dougherty argue that students learn best when they are learning together, have a sense of belonging, and experience mutual respect within their classes. The authors recommend that instructors forge this sense of belonging by intentionally planning community-building in their courses and lessons, taking a personal interest in students, and providing students with opportunities to interact meaningfully with one another. Garg and Dougherty also encourage instructors to model joy for their students, provide opportunities for students to create together, and ensure that students are invited to share their experiences and expertise with the class. Inside Higher Ed Note: Archived stories may contain dead links or be missing source links.