Blah No More! 10 Aha Moments You Can Use Today to Engage Students

[MarisaBluestone]

Lectures get a bad rap. For some students, they’re the academic equivalent of airplane mode, something to quietly endure until it’s time for the test. But lectures don’t have to be lifeless. Across the country, instructors are finding fresh ways to make even the most content-heavy sessions engaging, interactive, and (dare we say) fun.

At The What and Who of EDU, we asked educators across the country to share how they’re flipping the lecture model, without flopping in the classroom. The result? Ten practical, classroom-tested strategies from 11 instructors that help learning stick.

Be sure to check out the full podcast episode From Blah to Aha: 10 Instructor-Approved Ways to Engage Students in Lecture-Based Courses Needs on Apple or Spotify to hear all the tips straight from the instructors themselves. Here's a preview of what they shared:

1. Don’t Compete With AI—Do What It Can’t

Dr. Ryan Herzog, Associate Professor of Economics at Gonzaga University knows that AI might be just a browser tab away, but he doesn’t see that as competition. Instead, he focuses on what AI can’t replicate: connection, conversation and context. He uses group work, iClicker questions and current event discussions to help students apply economic concepts in real-world ways.

“Students don’t feel like they need to pay as much attention in the classroom because they can just go to AI and they think they can get the material from AI, and we are seeing more and more of that. So you know, you, you want to try to tell fun stories, and you want to try to get them to engage in the material in ways that make it seem relevant.”

Why it works: When students see real-world relevance, they’re more likely to stay present—and participate. It’s not about beating the bots, it’s about offering what they can’t.

2. Break the Spell Every 15 Minutes

Dr. Erika Martinez, Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida knows that attention spans tend to expire before the lecture does. She breaks her sessions into short, interactive chunks, using polls, videos, and demonstrations to keep students actively engaged.

“I try to break up all of my lectures into 15, no more than 20 min segments where I'm changing what I'm doing at the time to help re-engage the students.”

Why it works: Structured variety gives students a mental “refresh” without losing momentum—and keeps them actively processing the content.

3. Add Checkpoints Mid-Lecture

Dr. Margaret Holloway, Assistant Professor of English at Clark Atlanta University doesn’t wait until the end of class to check understanding. She builds “mini invites” into her lectures, prompting students to talk, practice, or reflect every few minutes to stay mentally present and involved.

“I break my lecture up into maybe 3 different parts, especially if it's a a longer lecture. So I will introduce a concept, talk about the concept, and then I'll insert a slide or something in my PowerPoint presentation and say, 'Hey, now, let's practice this, or let's talk about it'. So it's not just me talking for 20 min or so, and them getting bored or checking their phones.”

Why it works: These micro-engagements keep students on their toes—and give instructors real-time feedback on how well students are tracking with the content.

4. Let Students Take the Wheel

Dr. Mike May, Mathematics and Statistics Coordinator at Saint Louis University lets students decide how the lecture unfolds. His classes begin with warm-up questions based on the previous session, and from there, students guide the direction of the lecture. Bonus: they even campaign for the “right” answer.

“So the way I structure my lectures is the first 10 minutes are warm-up questions... I will have students tell me how to proceed….So when someone then says, ‘Why did you put a 5 there?’ My answer is, ‘Because somebody told me to put a 5 there. Do you think something else needs to go there?’”

Why it works: Giving students agency turns passive note-takers into active co-creators and makes the learning stick.

5. Use iClickers as Brain Speed Bumps

Dr. Christin Monroe, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Landmark College uses iClicker questions to pace her lectures and create space for neurodivergent learners to reflect. These checkpoints help her adapt in real-time to students’ needs, especially when body language doesn’t tell the whole story.

“I do use iClicker questions in my classes because it helps to pace myself. I don't always know whether the students are learning the content. I can't always look out and read students faces. And so what's nice about the questions is essentially it helps me to read the room."

Why it works: Frequent, low-stakes checks for understanding create a rhythm that supports all learners—and prevents runaway lectures.

6. Remix the Medium—Even Disney Counts

Jennifer Duncan, Associate Professor of English at Georgia State University's Perimeter College taps into unexpected sources—like Frozen or The Little Mermaid—to explain academic concepts. The medium matters. She swaps traditional course readings with videos, adaptive assignments, and yes, even Disney songs to illustrate rhetorical principles in memorable ways.

“Sometimes it’s a YouTube video of Disney characters singing songs while they spot the rhetorical elements... Anytime I can teach through an interactive activity instead of through a lecture or a course reading, that’s going to be a real win for me.”

Why it works: Unconventional content can activate curiosity, make abstract ideas more memorable, and meet students where they already are—culturally and cognitively. Also, multiple modalities speak to multiple learning styles.

7. Don’t Just Lecture—Choreograph Learning

Dr. Derek Harmon, Associate Professor – Clinical, The Ohio State University College of Medicine makes movement part of the message. He incorporates demos, student participation, and even VR to immerse learners in the content.

“... When I am immersed in a space, everything else fades away, and I am only able to focus on what is presented in front of me in that virtual space. I think that is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful and unique features of virtual reality compared to any other medium.”

Why it works: When students move through the material—literally—they retain it better. It’s learning by doing, not just listening. Physical interaction and immersive environments boost attention and recall, something that’s especially in dense subjects.

8. Design Asynchronous to Feel Interactive

Betsy Langness, Professor and Psychology Department Head at Jefferson Community and Technical College makes asynchronous classes feel guided and personal through carefully selected interactive eBooks with adaptive quizzing, try-it questions, and multimedia to support student engagement in virtual classrooms. Because asynchronous doesn’t mean autopilot. 

“Trying to give them a little tidbit or insight into what they're going to be reading in the book and then really selecting a really good ebook that is interactive that does engage students by giving them try-it questions.”

Why it works: Self-paced learning can still feel structured, guided, and responsive with the right tools.

9. Build Belonging Into the Bones

Dr. Charlotte de Araujo, Assistant Professor of Biology at York University, integrates connection into her teaching from day one. Whether through student-led decisions or coloring activities that explain biochemical structures, she creates a learning environment that prioritizes well-being and inclusion.

“No matter how large or small my classes, I try to assign a getting to know you introduction piece asking students to share something they would like me to know more about... It also fosters conversations during student hours throughout the semester”

Why it works: Students who feel seen and supported are more likely to engage and ask for help when they need it.

10. Flip the Script—Let Students Lead the Questions

Adriana Bryant, English and Developmental English Instructor, Lone Star College–Kingwood, doesn’t use lecture time to talk at students, she uses it to talk with them. Rather than deliver information during class, Bryant gives her lectures in advance and uses in-person time to dive into student-generated questions and discussions. Collaborative note-taking rounds out the strategy.

“My students will create questions that they have over the lectures. So then, when we get to the actual day, I spend the majority of the time going over the questions that they have about the materials... It becomes more a discussion of the topics than me just talking to them for an hour and 20 minutes.”

Why it works: When students show up with questions, they’re already engaged. And when they help shape the discussion, they take ownership of their learning.

Lectures aren’t the problem—it’s how we use them that matters. These 10 tips demonstrate that a few small tweaks, even the most traditional formats can become active, inclusive and deeply impactful.

🎧 Want to hear it all in action? Listen to the full episode → Have a student engagement hack of your own? Leave us a voicemail at (512) 765-4688 and you might just hear yourself on a future episode