CTL Workshop - The Engagement Reset: What Today's Students Actually Need

Today's college students, shaped by high-stakes testing, pandemic disruption and economic uncertainty, expect higher education to offer flexible, meaningful learning experiences that demonstrate clear value and foster authentic connection rather than prioritizing compliance and credential collection. Join the Center for Teaching & Learning for an interactive workshop that transforms how you think about student engagement and course design. Drawing on cutting-edge research about what truly motivates 18-to-25 year-olds, we'll explore how autonomy, competence and connection drive learning — and how traditional grading and compliance-based approaches often work against these fundamental needs. 

Through hands-on activities, you'll learn about using Dee Fink's integrated course design framework to create "significant learning experiences" that go beyond content mastery to foster deep, lasting change in how students think and act. We'll examine practical strategies for building what Paul Hanstedt calls "wicked competence" — preparing students to tackle complex, real-world problems that don't have single right answers. Leave with concrete tools, ready-to-use handouts and a reimagined approach to course design that positions students as capable, autonomous learners rather than passive recipients of information. Whether you're redesigning an entire course or refreshing a single unit, you'll gain actionable insights for creating the conditions where students don't just learn — they thrive.

This workshop will take place on Jan. 30, 3:30 p.m. in Library 376.

Register to attend!