Welcome to “Engaging the Digital Natives.” Today’s students—often referred to as Digital Natives—have grown up in a world of instant access to information, interactive technology, and dynamic communication. Traditional teaching methods often struggle to capture their attention and motivation. As theological educators, how can we make our classrooms more engaging, interactive, and relevant? This session explores fun and interactive teaching methodologies, motivation strategies, and innovative tools to transform the learning experience for the Digital Native generation.
Description
This session provides theological educators with practical insights and strategies to engage today’s Digital Native students effectively. Moving beyond traditional lecture-based teaching, this session explores ways to make theological education more interactive, relevant, and impactful.
Key discussions include:
- Understanding the mindset, methods, and medium of Digital Natives and how these factors shape their learning experiences.
- Exploring extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation and how to inspire students towards deeper learning.
- Experimenting with engaging teaching methodologies to transform a standard 50-minute class into an interactive and dynamic session.
- Utilizing digital tools and innovative techniques to make learning more participatory and impactful.
By rethinking how we teach, this session equips educators to bridge the gap between theological education and the digital learning culture, ensuring that students remain actively engaged and motivated in their theological journey.
Outcomes
By the end of this session, theological educators will:
- Understand the mindset, learning styles, and expectations of Digital Natives.
- Evaluate the role of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation in student engagement.
- Identify effective methodologies and teaching strategies for interactive learning.
- Develop classroom techniques that transform passive learning into active participation.
- Utilize digital tools and resources to enhance engagement in a 50-minute class.
- Apply innovative approaches to make theological education more relevant and dynamic for the Digital Native generation.