Session 106: From Passive to Participatory: Simple Shifts to Deepen Student Learning

Time: 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM

Location: Main campus location to be published here on January 5

Presenters: Tabitha Kidwell (Senior Professorial Lecturer, CAS | World Languages and Cultures), Sarah Knowles (Senior Professorial Lecturer, CAS | World Languages and Cultures), & Polina Vinogradova (Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer & TESOL Program Director, CAS | World Languages and Cultures)

Session Description: 

In the age of AI, the human side of teaching matters more than ever. This interactive session explores three areas of practical, research-informed strategies: maximizing student participation, lowering affective barriers, and promoting learner autonomy. Presenters will share strategies from the TESOL field that can be adapted for any discipline to make learning more active, inclusive, and authentically human.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Implement strategies that maximize student engagement and learning opportunities through active participation
2. Apply techniques that lower affective barriers and create psychologically safe learning environments
3. Design learning experiences that promote autonomy, reflection, and choice
4. Reflect on their own teaching practices to identify opportunities for increased student participation and engagement