David Morey 
Creating an engaging and creative classroom is the dream of most educators. To have students who not only participate in discussions but also take the lead in finding solutions for various challenges is critical to the learning process. But this is easier said than done. Teachers face innumerable challenges in creating engaging assignments that foster creativity. In this short article, we discuss a few cost-effective and less demanding options to explore. Read on to understand.
Provide constructive feedback
People like to be recognized and appreciated. Students aren’t any different. Teachers are encouraged to provide timely and constructive feedback on students’ assignments to boost their self-esteem and morale. But this isn’t always the case. Underfunding, crowded classrooms, lack of facilities, and other challenges have made it harder for educators to fulfil their roles.
Unsurprisingly, an increasing number of students are seeking private tutoring and alternative assignment help solutions. Sites such as https://www.customwritings.com are recording significant traffic growth to meet the needs of students who feel neglected and helpless. While the situation may seem helpless, teachers must do their best to help learners. Simple feedback can help a student understand their strengths and weaknesses and know which areas to focus on for overall improvement.
Use real-world scenarios
Studies have shown that incorporating practical examples and problems into the classroom significantly improves students’ engagement. Despite the best efforts to onboard all learners, educators sometimes fail miserably. It’s not just about being slow learners; in some cases, it is about the disconnect between concepts taught in class and students’ experiences. By incorporating real-world examples and objects into the classroom, you can bridge the gap and capture the learners’ attention, piquing their interest in the subject.
Enthusiastic learners are easy to teach; they will likely go above and beyond your instructions. For instance, if you’re teaching a science class, making your students memorize the various states of matter can work. However, assigning them a project where they design an experiment that tests different hypotheses can have a more impactful and lasting outcome. This will be like killing two birds with a single stone. It encourages creativity while helping the students grasp basic scientific concepts practically.
Embrace autonomy
Teachers use different approaches in their classrooms. These can be influenced by their personalities, skills, competence, environment, and students’ unique characteristics, among other factors. The adopted teaching approach significantly affects the kind of assignments teachers create for their learners. However, you must understand that being rigid can be counterproductive. The modern student needs room for self-expression. As such, it’s advisable to embrace strategies that give them autonomy, allowing them to choose topics or formats for their assignments.
Students are more likely to own their learning journey when they feel they have a voice in it and when they know they can explore their own interests. For example, in a book review assignment, you can allow your students to choose the publications of their liking. And if you’re a literature teacher, you can enable your learners to select poems of their liking for poetic analysis. This approach encourages creativity while improving engagement at the same time.
Encourage collaboration
Most assignments are often designed to gauge each learner’s abilities. However, such tests achieve little beyond determining knowledge retention. If you want to encourage creativity, it would be advisable to incorporate collaborative elements into your assignments. Move away from activities that emphasize personal achievements to those that encourage collective success. This should not be mistaken for promoting a collectivist culture. It’s a critical element for encouraging teamwork.
Many studies have shown that students remember tasks completed in harmony with others more than individually. Moreover, teamwork improves communication skills, allowing learners to express themselves freely and articulately. Therefore, as a teacher seeking to enhance student engagement and creativity through assignments, you should consider group projects more often than individual ones. Let your learners collaborate and find solutions through constructive discussions and trial and error.
Incorporate technology
It’s undeniable that technology has completely revolutionized our education system. Whether you’re pro or anti-Edtech, you must acknowledge and accept their place in education. Great teachers will always find ways to minimize their negative impacts while exploiting the benefits.
For instance, incorporating multimedia such as videos, games, presentations, or podcasts can significantly improve engagement in the classroom. If well used, technology provides limitless opportunities for students to express themselves.
Re-shape your assignments for maximum impact!
Giving out assignments to your students can help them master course contents and pass exams. But is that all about our education system? We should aim for more, for instance, to improve students’ creativity and make them more responsible adults. However, these outcomes may not be achieved by simply administering multiple assignments. As educators, we must incorporate tasks that encourage creativity to make students more willing and eager to learn. Using practical examples, adopting technology, providing constructive feedback, and embracing teamwork are all viable options. Try them, and your students will appreciate you more!
