On 11 Sep, CTLE held a half day professional development event with a focus on strategies of interactive lecturing. Nearly 70 UM academic staff attended the event and exchanged ideas on how interactive lecturing could benefit student engagement and learning.

In her opening remarks, Prof. Katrine Wong, Director of CTLE, spoke of the importance of interactive teaching for enhancing student engagement and learning experience. Highlighting some of the findings in a recent study on student motivation, she emphasized the need for active, meaningful participation in lectures.

Dr. Deborah Breen, Director of Center for Teaching and Learning at Boston University, delivered a keynote presentation on interactive lecturing for inclusive learning. By discussing her experiences in integrating active learning into traditional lectures, she emphasized the importance of aligning activities with class goals and adapting to the physical classroom space. Effective key strategies for promoting student engagement including gallery walk, concept mapping and physical responses were introduced.

Dr. Breen also addressed the need for interactive lecturing to support diverse learning needs, suggesting that providing time for students to think and using technology for feedback can enhance comprehension. She also highlighted strategies for creative and inclusive classroom such as welcoming students before the semester starts, learning their names and fostering a sense of community. Through several interactive tasks, she exchanged ideas with participants. The main takeaway is that interactive lecturing gives teachers the opportunity to share content and check on student understanding, while students can also benefit by demonstrating what they know. Interactive lecturing gives both teachers and students the space to operate in an inclusive and supportive learning environment. (Download Slides) (Watch Presentation)

The event continued with faculty sharing moderated by Prof. Katrine Wong. Colleagues from different faculties shared tasks and strategies that provided opportunities for students to interact actively and directly with the material in their respective fields. Below are the main messages from  he invited faculty members:

• Hongyu Wang (FSS): Prof. Wang reflected on her own learning experiences and highlights that engaging student with relatable examples, like aspects related to socialization, fosters stronger attention and more in-depth thinking, ultimately improving their ability to remember course material. ‘We learn when we think’: asking thought-provoking questions can help enhance students’ retention of knowledge. (Watch Presentation)
• Leo Tsz On Lee (FHS): Prof. Lee showcased two strategies for interactive lectures: in his lectures, he makes use of videos created by students in Physiology and Pathophysiology and PPT slides created by students in Advanced Nutrition and Food Safety. By replacing traditional oral presentations with multimedia materials, he aims to enhance class engagement and effective learning through critical discussions. (Download Slides) (Watch Presentation)
• Nick Groom (FAH): Prof. Groom outlines strategies for interactive lectures in children’s literature, pointing out the multifaceted nature of texts. By engaging students through material, verbal, communal, somatic and physical experiences —such as reading aloud and using props — active participation enhances memory and understanding, leading to more effective learning (Download Slides) (Watch Presentation)

Lastly, in the technology session, Mr. Miguel Costa from FST, who also serves as CTLE Academic Staff Advisor (Technology), spoke about using UMMoodle functions to enhance student engagement through active learning activities. He also shared with participants examples of leveraging AI, such as chatbots, to generate ideas for innovative, adaptable activities. He encouraged experimentation with various approaches to improve active learning outcomes and better align activities with student learning needs. (Download Slides)    (Watch Presentation)