2026 Undergraduate Research Showcase

“I’m Totally Flexible”: Maximizing Student Engagement in an Undergraduate Linguistics Course

Document Type

Student Presentation

Presentation Date

4-24-2026

Faculty Sponsor

Dr. Aiden VanderStouwe

Abstract

In many classrooms, instructors strive to foster student engagement and investment in order to facilitate and maximize learning. The strategies used by instructors to achieve this can become uniquely complicated in university courses considering the variety of students’ ages and degree paths. This project utilizes ethnographic methods to explore the broader linguistic strategies employed by the professor of a discussion-oriented undergraduate linguistics course to create a classroom environment that encourages active engagement and participation. By using an informal tone with students, being an active participant in class discussions, and affirming her interest in students’ ideas, the professor establishes a professor-student dynamic that minimizes the power imbalance that is typically expected in classroom spaces. In so doing, the professor prioritizes the safety and comfort of her students which in turn increases engagement. Additionally, the professor provides students with opportunities to make academic decisions by allowing them to choose what assignments to complete for a grade of their choice. This flexibility increases students’ agency in their own education and gives them the decision-making freedom to assess what would be best for their individual learning. This study demonstrates the efficacy of egalitarian teaching methods in maximizing student investment.

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