The What And Who Of EDU

Some teaching strategies feel right—until they don't.  The What & Who of EDU is kicking off season 2 with a banger, breaking down the most common student engagement myths that sound like good advice but actually backfire in real classrooms. From "just make it fun" to "you can tell who's paying attention by looking," these well-meaning myths often make teaching harder, not better. Whether you're teaching online, in person, or somewhere in between, this episode offers practical teaching strategies to help you rethink classroom engagement and reconnect with the students in your room. Brought to you by Macmillan Learning. Student Engagement Myths Myth 1: Stricter Rules = More Engagement  [01:15] Myth 2: Online Students Don't Want Connection [03:23] Myth 3: You Can Tell Who's Engaged Just by Looking [06:25] Myth 4: Engagement Means More Energy [08:03] Myth 5: You Need to Fix Disengagement Immediately [10:45] Myth 6: Good Teaching Means Powering Through [13:04] Myth 7: If the Content Is Good, They'll Care [15:59] Myth 8: Start with Content, Add Relevance Later [19:07] Myth 9: Engagement Lives at the Front of the Room [20:51] Myth 10: Engagement Only Happens in Class [24:19] Featured Educators (In order of appearance) Dr. Ryan Herzog is an Associate Professor of Economics, Program Coordinator, and Faculty Fellow at Gonzaga University, where he has been teaching for 16 years. His work focuses on macroeconomics, financial markets, and public policy. Betsy Langness is the Psychology Department Head at Jefferson Community and Technical College, where she has worked for more than 20 years. She teaches general and developmental psychology courses in a virtual, asynchronous environment. Dr. Christin Monroe is an Educational Research Associate at the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She previously taught  Chemistry at Landmark College, with a focus on supporting neurodivergent learners through inclusive and innovative teaching practices. Dr. Jennifer Ripley Stueckle has spent the past 17 years as a Teaching Professor and Non-Majors Biology Program Director at West Virginia University. She has taught introductory biology, immunology and human physiology. She also created biology courses offered through dual enrollment at West Virginia high schools. Dr. Daniel M. Look is the Charles A. Dana Professor of Mathematics at St. Lawrence University. He's spent over 25 years trying to convince students that math is not only useful, but occasionally fun. He authored Math Cats: Scratching the Surface of Mathematics, an illustrated exploration of mathematical ideas through the lens of cats. Adriana Bryant is an English and Developmental English Instructor at Lone Star College–Kingwood in Texas. She teaches courses of different modalities, and strives to create an engaging environment that helps foster her students' growth and desire to learn. Dr. Kendra Thomas is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Hope College and co-author of The Developing Person Through the Life Span. She is a mother of two and partners with schools and community development organizations to apply developmental science to improve interventions. Dr. Eric Chiang is currently a Professor-in-Residence in Economics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He's the author of Economics: Principles for a Changing World (6th ed.), published by Macmillan Learning and is known for integrating technology into active learning environments. Dr. Star Sinclair is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Florida Gulf Coast University. For 18 years, she has taught general psychology, lifespan development, behavioral statistics, and research methods in psychology to students of all backgrounds and preparation levels. Jennifer Duncan is Associate Professor of English at Georgia State University's Perimeter College. Jennifer has been teaching English literature and composition for twenty-five years and specializing in online teaching for fifteen. Resources iClicker for Student Enagement: https://www.iclicker.com/ Economics: Principles for a Changing World (6th ed.) The Developing Person Through the Life Span:  Join the Conversation If this episode gave you something useful, or just made you nod while grading, pass it along to a colleague or that one friend who still says "I'm staying ahead this semester." (We believe in you.) Send us an email with your engagement hacks at TheWhatAndWhoOfEDU@Macmillan.com.