Festival of Learning 2018

With our world so rapidly advancing and changing around us, we need to consider the different ways educational institutions convey new information to their students. According to Jason L. Frand, the role of professors and educators of all kinds is evolving. Compared to a decade ago, the role of educators has shifted from leading group activities based on memorization and repetition to a more individualized, guided learning experience (Frand, 2000). Educators are the architects of their student’s minds, building knowledge and ability as they guide them through new learning theories, thoughts and values.
Yet, with our population rapidly expanding, and technology becoming increasingly pervasive, we must assist students to overcome the many distractions that come alongside a bigger lecture or classroom. According to a study published in 2013, the average university student attention span can be anywhere from 10 to 18 minutes, and this is only during the first hour (Briggs, 2014).
Clearly, educators must do everything in their power to hold the attention and engagement of their students. By implementing active learning strategies, flipping the classroom and utilizing gamification, students are more engaged and motivated during lectures, while having the added benefit of being able to review their knowledge and understanding of key concepts and theories amongst each other.
By flipping the classroom and allowing students to collaborate and learn from each other, we open the doors to better-facilitated classroom discussions and increased participation while emphasizing the educator's role as a guide - no longer the sole deliverer of content.