Teaching in Higher Ed is changing: Here’s what you can do to prepare

2/19/2024 7:45 am

By Dr. Kristyne Wiegand

Have you felt it? There’s been a seismic shift in higher education. Part of this was likely brought on by the events of 2020, but if we’re really being honest with ourselves, things were going to change anyway. Today’s students are different, have different backgrounds and goals, and they learn differently. (However, I'm less certain that learning has changed, and instead believe the new generation of instructors have put a bigger emphasis on understanding how students learn.) One thing that’s interesting to note, though, is that pedagogical changes are still driving those transformations in our student body, and pedagogical shifts are being applied at different rates in different fields.

This past year, I had the opportunity to work with some awesome folks in pedagogy to bring some attention to better teaching practices, and the interest from the field of biomechanics was inspiring. One thing that I noticed is that we’re in a weird sort of place – some think biomechanics is too STEM to be social sciences, but too social science to be STEM. This, of course, varies by institution, which makes the entire field more of a wild card. We have engineering-focused programs, applied programs, performance-based programs, and everything in between. We have research-focused tracks, teaching-focused tracks, undergraduate and graduate programs, class sizes of 8, class sizes of 200, courses that include or don’t include lab, programs with incredible resources, programs with very few resources…the differences go on. As such, some of the pedagogical practices that have been used in different fields have started being used more frequently in biomechanics, but sometimes we have trouble implementing some of those changes because of class size, resources, or time.

Despite these challenges, it’s been incredible to see how many of us truly care that our students learn (and learn to love) biomechanics. However, making curricular changes or pedagogical changes can be daunting – a complete overhaul requires effort, time, and buy-in. Instead, I’d like to present a few simple changes that you can consider implementing. These changes are meant to be easily applied in the next academic year, next term, or even next class meeting.

Tip #1: Create a more engaging classroom.

First, it’s important to understand that student expectations for lecture have changed. Today’s students are inundated with resources. As a result, many students have discovered that they can pass a lecture-heavy class by downloading notes, watching videos, and using study sites without having to come into a classroom. As a result, fewer students are willing to sit through a lecture. This doesn’t mean that you have to stop lecturing completely, or totally ‘flip’ your course. A really simple approach to making your lectures more engaging is to simply fit in a couple of breaks for students to work on a practice problem, discuss a topic with their classmates, or answer comprehension questions. The break doesn’t have to be long – 2 to 3 minutes is usually enough.

Tip #2: Rethink your assignments.

In addition to changing expectations, the demographics of our student body are changing, as well. There are more students who work full-time, have families, commute longer distances, or are a bit older than the traditional 18-22 range. For those students, lecture-heavy classes and busywork are simply not worth the sacrifice. Instead of assigning work just to have something in the gradebook, try to approach your assignments as building blocks towards meeting the course objectives. For each assignment, reflect on exactly how the assignment addresses a course objective (or multiple). Consider using Bloom’s Taxonomy to assess the difficulty of each assignment. If you’re not able to pinpoint exactly how the assignment contributes to meeting the course goals, or you find that many of your assignments are not hitting those higher levels on Bloom’s, try to make some slight changes. If you don’t already, clearly state which course objectives are being met on the assignment for the students to see. You can also tweak tasks or questions to achieve higher levels of learning. For example, instead of asking questions that challenge rote memorization or blanket understanding, ask students to investigate, discuss, or debate those concepts. From there, you can scaffold, or link assignments together to build on each other. Scaffolding assignments and clearly identifying the goals of each assignment throughout the term are great ways to assess learning, engage students, and ensure that your learning outcomes are being met.

Tip #3: Think backward.

You may have heard of ‘backward course design’ already. With this approach, you use your course objectives to build the class. This, of course, means assessing those objectives. If it’s been a while since you’ve actually looked at your course objectives, this is a great place to start. Course objectives, which may be dictated in part by program or department learning objectives, should be assessed regularly. Clear course objectives are necessary to define and address the skills and competencies that your course is trying to attain. Course objectives must be clear, specific, measurable, and written from the student perspective. Once you define and articulate exactly what it is you want your students to be able to do by the end of the course, you can work your way backward to reassess your lectures and assignments.

Of course, these are really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to evaluating your approach to teaching and learning. If your institution has a Teaching and Learning center, it might be worth your time to check it out! Many institutions post their T&L content online, as well. Higher education is changing, and it’s important to keep up with those changes to ensure that you and your students are achieving your goals. While there are many additional things that you can do to meet our students where they are and improve learning, starting with something small is still starting.

Author: Kristyne Wiegand, PhD (Assistant Professor)