Encouraging Student Participation in Discussion Sections
CATE TA Workshops
January 26, 2026
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Location
Virtual event
Calendar
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Overview
Discussion sections offer an important opportunity to deepen student comprehension of course concepts through active learning approaches. But how do you get students to talk? What do you do if your students aren’t prepared? How can you create a classroom environment where all students feel comfortable participating? In this workshop, participants will learn strategies for facilitating engaging, inclusive class discussions and diverse learning activities that will help promote active participation and enrich their students' learning
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Describe meaningful participation and its importance to student learning
- Identify common barriers to participation
- Employ a selection of strategies and activities for encouraging participation in a variety of situations
WORKSHOP FORMAT: This workshop will be online on Zoom
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR: Jacki Putnam, jputna4@uic.edu
WORKSHOP CONTACT: Emily Potratz, epotra2@uic.edu
Inclusivity & Accessibility Information: CATE is committed to making events accessible. CATE’s online events are delivered through Zoom, will use Zoom auto-captions, and may include breakout rooms and group discussion. If you have any accessibility questions, requests, or to coordinate accommodations, please contact the CATE team at teaching@uic.edu.
Date posted
Dec 12, 2025
Date updated
Dec 12, 2025