Peter Felten discusses the research on engaging learners on episode 216 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.

Notes from the episode

Shape what our students do and what they think in the most efficient ways possible.
—Peter Felten

Learning results from what the student does and thinks and only from what the student does and thinks. The teacher can advance learning only by influencing what the student does to learn. (from How Learning Works by Ambrose et al., 2010, p. 1)

Five Things Students Need to Do:

Time
Effort
Feedback
Practice
Reflect

Three Things Students Need to Think/Feel:

“I belong here.”
“I can learn this.”
“I find this meaningful.”

Resources Mentioned

The Heart of Engaged Learning: What Students Do and Think
David Perkins: Ladder of Feedback
Constructive Criticism: The Role of Student-Faculty Interactions on African American and Hispanic Students’ Educational Gains, Cole, Darnell

Research on Engaging Learners

Teaching in Higher Ed