Maximizing Student Engagement with McGraw Hill Connect®
Student engagement is one of the most important factors in student success. The more engaged students are in their learning, the more likely they are to understand the material, retain it over time, and apply it to real-world situations.
McGraw Hill Connect is an excellent avenue to maximize student engagement because it offers a variety of features that can help instructors create interactive and engaging learning experiences for their students. Some of them are:
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Adaptive Learning Assignments: This is a wonderful resource as it lets the instructor create a learning experience that adapts to the needs of each learner. The assignment adjusts to the student’s ability provides them instantaneous feedback and suggests learning resources they can avail to understand the material more thoroughly.
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Virtual Labs: Connect has an ever-growing array of virtual labs that can be used either as a replacement for an in-person lab or can be assigned as a virtual exercise to prepare students for an upcoming lab by giving them a sneak preview of what to expect. Students can use the simulation as a way to get a head start on the lab activity.
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Web Activity: Connect provides the ability to create an assignment wherein you can link the student to a webpage or a website that provides information or even an activity that they can conduct. For example, students can be directed to complete an Ecological Footprint activity and then address questions posed on the information they collected.
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Writing Assignments: You can create a Writing Assignment on Connect that can be one that you have created, along with a rubric that the students can use to guide themselves. Alternately, Connect already has some pre-designed Writing Assignment prompts in the Prompt Library that you can use, such as Comparative Animal Biology and Value of Biodiversity. You have the option of creating your rubric or uploading one from your files to grade the assignment in Connect.
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Reading Assignments: You can also create individualized or topic-specific reading assignments for students to complete through the Connect eBook. You can select specific topics within chapters and link them for the students to read. If you have a specific portion of the textbook or a topic that you want the students to focus on, then the reading assignment can easily guide them.
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SmartBook® Assignments: SmartBook helps students maximize their study skills and, therefore, be better prepared for class. You can create an entirely new assignment in the SmartBook or you can create a Review Assignment wherein you can combine new content with content students have previously worked on. The SmartBook considers prior performance and customizes the assignment for each student by adjusting the order of questions and the number of questions on each topic.
There are other techniques and activities in Connect that you can use (such as Discussion Boards and Question Bank assignments from end-of-chapter questions) in addition to the ones listed above. Connect can help instructors create a positive learning environment by providing a variety of resources and tools that support student learning. This can lead to improved student learning outcomes and a more positive learning experience for all.
As you explore the wide range of options in Connect, you will quickly find what works (and does not work) for you and your students. Good luck!