Fostering Student Motivation and Engagement in Remote Teaching
Interactive online resources
With the move to remote teaching and learning, course materials for MATH 135 (a fundamental course with approximately 1500 students each year) were recast by CEL staff members into interactive slide shows and short lecture videos. In addition, students were able to learn and practice course content via the online platform Mobius. Sections on Mobius called "Check Your Understanding” and "Practice Problems" gave students the opportunity to practice key concepts. Many students reported that these exercises were “a good way to get comfortable with the material, and check-in to see if you are ready to move on.”
Mosunov, with the help of Evelyn Yang (SOLA), Abbagail Edington (OLA), and Karishma Musnuri (OLA), used LEARN to introduce a reward system into MATH 135 to see if it might encourage motivation in student learning. This system consists of various badges that students can earn after an accomplishment. For example, students who consistently engage in course material are awarded a badge called “Active Learner.” Students have commented that incorporating bonus marks with this functionality can “encourage them to stay in an active learning mode.”
Mosunov also provided additional resources, such as interesting YouTube videos on famous mathematicians, documentaries, historic math facts, and other engaging pieces relating to course content. These can help motivate students to stay engaged and feel excited about the course material, and the mathematics discipline in general.
Online assessment format
Mosunov conducted a low-stakes, mid-term assessment that consisted of one-on-one oral exams that were 15 minutes in length with all 80 students enrolled in MATH 135. Students reported that this was the first time they had an assessment in such a format, and that it allowed them to better connect with the instructor and have a more open discussion. One student reported that this was a “cool and unique format that brought a social element” to the course, an obvious challenge in a remote teaching context.
Looking ahead
Moving forward, Mosunov reflects how materials developed to address the needs in remote teaching could be repurposed in future courses as a blended model: an integration that leverages both in-person and online learning to the students’ advantage.