Teaching the Student of the Future – Lessons in Web 2.0 Engagement

Streamed Session Leadership

Session Materials

Brief Abstract

How do we as faculty meet and exceed the needs and desires of “The Student of the Future”? It starts with engagement! In this session, we will examine case research on innovative approaches to Web 2.0 integration that allowed student engagement to soar. Recommendations and best practices for Faculty, Administrators, and Curriculum Developers will be provided in the context of student engagement in the classroom. Best practices that allow for innovative approaches to Web 2.0 integration that allowed student engagement will also be included in addition to discussion of research findings.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Praveena Jayaraman, Grand Canyon University

Co-presenter: Helen Hammond, Grand Canyon University

Helen Hammond is a passionate Lifelong learner and enthusiastic encourager. She is committed to the development of others and enjoys seeing them realize their potential. She believes we are 'Better Together'. When she’s not loving 'Lope Life' on campus at GCU…she’s loving 'Arizona Life' on the 40 acres she and her husband have in Northwest Arizona and their adult sons frequently visit! Dr. Hammond is senior program manager and assistant professor in the Center for Innovation in Research on Teaching at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. She teaches undergraduate business courses including management, organizational behavior, servant leadership, marketing, and leadership in organizations. Dr. Hammond holds a PhD in In Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Her Research interests include servant leadership, management, teaching and learning, and online teaching best practices.

Extended Abstract

As we pace onward from the disruption of the pandemic, the new reality has created opportunity. The pandemic has opened our eyes to the opportunity to more fully engage students and use technology to better communicate and share our thoughts so that we can be more effective and intentional. A call to action is evident. Our teaching needs to be more student centered in the future.

The literature echoes this, pointing to the student of the future as one who is interested in being involved as an active participant rather than just a consumer of content (Mandernach, 2022). Full engagement is truly their priority.

As educators, we should be creating disruptive thinkers, who:

  • Are effective communicators
  • Are engaged in regular class participation
  • Communicate analytical concepts
  • Are creative
  • Take initiative
  • Learn by doing
  • Step up and ask big questions
  • Become leaders

In other words, moving forward there is a shift toward -‘What can I start doing today, that I wasn’t doing yesterday that will help my students?’ During the pandemic, this meant simulating the traditional face-to-face (synchronous) environment.

A growing body of research has focused on the pivot that the world has made because of the pandemic (Cronin & Hammond, 2021; Neel, 2022; Seminoff, 2021; West, 2021). As a result, we see that the pandemic has changed the way that even more students want to receive education (Mandernach, 2022). Student needs, wants, and expectations have changed!

In this session findings from case research will be presented, as well as the latest academic post pandemic research for asynchronous and synchronous online delivery.

It is important to remember that we as educators are the solution. It’s not about us – it’s about our students. We are here to help prepare students for the next phase of their lives. The pandemic has left every one of us in a very different place today emotionally, physically, and spiritually, then we were two years ago – and the same is true for everyone that we know – including our students. The opportunity now, is for us to pivot from here and move forward with what has been learned – from our students – and from each other about how to engage our students in the online environment.

Everything changes, and so must we. Recommendations for Faculty, Administrators, and Curriculum Developers will be provided in the context of student engagement in the classroom. Best practices that allow for innovative approaches to Web 2.0 integration that foster student engagement while improving the student learning experience will be included in addition to discussion of research findings.