1. The challenge
Many students in natural sciences plan to attend lectures, prepare for laboratories, begin assignments early, seek help when needed, and study regularly throughout a course. Sadly, these intentions do not always translate into action, and many students fail to follow through on their good intentions.
What can we do to support our students? In this workshop we will work in groups using nudging tools to explore how to support student learning.
2. The Nudging framework
"Nudging" offers one possible lens for understanding how intentions are translated into action. A nudge is a small change to how a choice is presented or organised that can influence behaviour while keeping alternatives available.
We are surrounded by nudges all the time. For example, companies use nudges to influence us to buy or do something. In education, nudging can be used to support students in following through on their good intentions and achieving their goals. By designing nudges through collaboration between staff and students, we avoid nudges turning into manipulation.
3. The toolbelt
There are many kinds of nudges. We have made a nudging toolbelt to facilitate thinking about nudging (Figure 1). During the workshop, we will use the toolbelt to explore the nudges that staff and students are aware of, or think might work. The goal is to explore how the nudge-perspective can help support students to reach their edcuation goals.
After the workshop, the results will be published on this page =)
The guide for the workshop
Follow the instructions in The nudging toolbelt workshop guide (pdf).
Good luck, and enjoy the workshop!
PS Feel free to copy and adapt the workshop for your own educational setting!
For more information, please contact Sarah.