By Terri J. Matiella, Ph.D.
UTSA 2020-21 Next-Gen Faculty Fellow
Co-Director, Core Curriculum and Assessment for Environmental Science
Senior Lecturer, Department of Environmental Science and Ecology
Drew Stephen, Associate Professor in the Music Department in COLFA, teaches courses in music history, including core curriculum classes in film music and rock music. In his core class, MUS 2743 Music and Film, Drew presents his classes in microlectures and reinforces concepts by embedding questions within the lectures to promote student engagement. If students answer questions incorrectly, they can retake the lesson, offering multiple learning opportunities.
Embedded questions can be used as part of a graded lesson or as a participation grade, to keep students engaged through an asynchronous lecture. Immediately reinforcing the concepts helps students focus on and remember important concepts, transferring information into memory.
These active learning techniques offer multiple opportunities to help students learn the material, process information, and accommodate various learning styles.