Featured Teacher
Bud Bilanich, assistant teaching professor in the Department of Management, believes in fostering an interactive and student-centered classroom where students actively engage with the material and each other. His teaching philosophy emphasizes critical thinking, real-world application and student empowerment.
Defining Engagement
Bud defines student engagement as students being “fully present” in class, actively participating in discussions and thinking critically about the material. “Engagement happens when students are willing to discuss, debate and even disagree with each other,” he says. His goal is to move students beyond rote memorization, encouraging them to reach independent conclusions and take responsibility for their learning. “I want them to debate ideas and come to their own conclusions,” he explains, aligning his approach with higher-order thinking from Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Challenges Faced
Engagement can be challenging, particularly with undergraduate students who may be distracted by phones or computers. To combat this, Bud uses cold calling to get students involved. He’ll ask personal questions like, “What did you do over the summer?” to encourage them to prepare for class and engage in the conversation. “Students begin to see cold calling as part of active participation, which helps them come prepared,” Bud notes. He also focuses on positive reinforcement, always finding something valuable in students’ answers, even if the answer is “off the wall.”
Strategies for Engagement
Bud employs various strategies to keep students engaged, particularly through case-based teaching. He assigns pre-class written responses to ensure students come prepared to discuss the material. He also incorporates hands-on activities like using tinker toys and Legos for process improvement and strategic planning exercises. A popular activity involves a simulated plane crash, where students rank the importance of 15 salvaged items. “These activities teach teamwork, communication and how different perspectives improve decision-making,” Bud explains.
Reflective Practice
Bud actively reflects on his teaching to improve engagement. He uses name placards for students to jot down key takeaways, reviewing these reflections to assess comprehension. “I want to engage everyone, not just the students who always speak,” he says. By calling on quieter students, he ensures that everyone participates and remains involved.
Looking Ahead
Bud believes faculty development in student engagement is crucial. “Engagement is a skill that can be learned and developed,” he says, advocating for more training programs to help faculty adapt to evolving student needs and ensure an engaging classroom environment.
Closing Thoughts
Bud’s commitment to fostering engagement through participation and critical thinking in case studies and other hands-on activities ensures that his students are not just passive recipients of knowledge but active shapers of their own learning experience.