Fostering relationship-rich classrooms

How can you create learning environments that deepen connection, foster belonging, and support students’ engagement and motivation? Explore these strategies and insights from instructors to see how relationship-rich practices can strengthen learning. The strategies highlighted here can be adapted for courses taught on campus, in blended formats, and fully online, offering flexible ways to build trust, community, and authentic interaction—especially in an era increasingly shaped by generative AI.

Building community through rotating partnerships

Building community through rotating partnerships: How small, intentional interactions transform our classrooms

Instructors: Alejandra Barriales Bouche and Sun-Young Kim 

Courses: Spanish and German language courses

Department and Faculty: Languages, Literatures and Cultures, Faculty of Arts  

“By the end of the term, students are no longer just classmates; they function as a supportive learning community.” - Alejandra Barriales Bouche and Sun-Young Kim 

This blog post explores how rotating partnerships—brief, structured interactions with different peers—build classroom community over time. Through low stakes collaboration, consistent routines, and intentional design, students grow more comfortable, connected, and engaged with their peers. These small moments strengthen relationships, support diverse learners, and transform the classroom into a warmer, more dynamic learning environment.

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Facilitating dialogue in the classroom

Facilitating dialogue in the classroom: Insights into simple, practical approaches to teamwork and student engagement

Research Assistant - Teamwork Program Lead: Renee Pellissier

Faculty: Engineering

In this blog post, educator Renee Pellissier shares simple, practical ways to foster meaningful dialogue in the classroom. With intentional design, light structure, and authentic modelling, these strategies encourage diverse participation and ease the pressure of “getting it right,” helping students feel comfortable contributing and building deeper understanding through real, connected conversations.

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Gathering students’ course feedback

Instructor: Lawrence Chen  

Course: Introduction to Signals and Symbols (ECSE 206) 

Department and Faculty: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering 

Summary: Students respond individually in writing to the prompt, “When you feel that you matter in class, what is your instructor doing?” This question encourages students to reflect on the relational aspects of teaching and share what makes them feel seen, heard, and supported. Students’ responses help inform instructional decisions and reinforce the message that students’ voices matter. The prompt can be given mid-term, during a routine check-in, or at the end of the term. 

Goals 

• Strengthen connections with students 

• Encourage students to identify what supports their learning, participation, and sense of belonging and mattering 

• Use student responses to adjust and enhance relational and pedagogical practices 

• Reinforce the message that students’ voices help shape the course experience 

“As students reflect on the prompt, I hope they recognize their instructor as a human being—a real person who cares about their learning.” – Lawrence Chen 

Steps 

1. In class, the instructor distributes paper copies of the prompt, “When you feel that you matter in class, what is your instructor doing?,” making sure to include space for students to write their responses. The paper should indicate that students not include identifying information. 

2. Students take 5-10 minutes to reflect on the prompt and respond. 

3. In class, TAs or designated students collect responses to preserve students’ anonymity and give them to the instructor. 

4. The instructor reviews the responses to identify themes and use the insights from the themes to refine teaching practices for the remainder of the term or future iterations of the course. 

Ready to try it out? Here’s some advice … 

• If you choose to modify the prompt, keep it simple and open-ended.  

• Emphasize anonymity to encourage honesty. 

• Conduct the activity when students have enough experience in the course to give meaningful responses. 

• Look for small, high impact changes you can make to your teaching practice based on students’ responses. 

• You might gain many insights. Do not feel you need to act on everything. 

Benefits 

For students 

• Promotes a stronger sense of connection and belonging in the classroom, which may be particularly important in large or introductory courses. 

• Increases comfort asking questions and engaging in discussions. 

• Highlights relational practices that support learning, such as time for peer discussion or individualized check-ins. 

• Encourages students to reflect on what helps them thrive academically and emotionally. 

For instructors 

• Provides clear insight into which teaching practices students notice and value. 

• Helps refine instructional and relational practices, such as learning students’ names, implementing icebreaker activities, and checking in with students during individual or group work. 

Challenges 

• In very large classes, collecting the papers may require careful planning. 

• Students may have difficulty interpreting the prompt; offering a brief explanation and sharing a few examples of the types of responses you are seeking can help. 

• Reviewing many written reflections can be time-consuming. Offering guidelines for number of words can help manage your reading workload and let students know what your expectations are. 

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When midterm exams spark conversation

When midterm exams spark conversation: Implementing an open-ended two-stage exam

Instructor: Caroline Paquette

Course: Motor Control (EDKP 447)

Department and Faculty: Kinesiology and Physical Education, Education

This blog post describes the redesign of a midterm using a two-stage exam format to boost engagement in a large course in the Faculty of Education. Combining individual and collaborative components fostered lively discussion, deeper reasoning, and stronger connections among students. Reflections highlight logistical lessons, student feedback, and plans for refining the approach in future iterations.

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