We have a mission to deliver a mandatory teaching training course to over 800 research students annually, with no credit awarded.  This might sound like a nightmare for any instructor who has ever tried managing engagement, even in a class of 20. So, is this truly a mission impossible? Since we are in a unit within the university that advocates innovative active learning and student engagement, to walk our talk, we need to ensure the design of the course is highly engaging and yet needs to be scalable to the large cohort size. What we did might offer some ideas for your own teaching practice.

Introduction

With the growing demand for university degrees, some entry-level courses are compelled to accommodate large cohort sizes, and many universities have general education program requirements that provide pathways for students to broaden the breadth and depth of knowledge and skills, making some of these courses mandatory for the entire cohort.  Instructors teaching them often struggle with these questions in mind:

1. How can I motivate and engage students in mandatory but disciplinary-unrelated courses?
2. How can innovative pedagogies be effectively integrated into large class-size setting?

How did we transform the challenging course design scenarios into meaningful and effective learning opportunities? We began by establishing a clear vision that one of the key outcomes of the program is to nurture Future-Ready Educators who possess the capabilities to navigate in the ever-evolving educational landscape. To achieve this, students must experience innovative pedagogies in action, rather than simply learn the theories behind them.

The Design of the Course

The course is a cohesive design that integrates elements of blended learning, purposeful gamification, and emerging technologies such as generative AI (GenAI) and virtual reality simulation (Figure 1). The design is grounded in four established educational theories: Self Determination Theory, Mechanic Dynamics Aesthetics Framework, Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle, and Knowles’ Theory of Andragogy. These theories are foundational to adult learning as they address the needs for autonomy, competence, relatedness, motivation, direct involvement, and practical application. While this may seem ambitious to design, these elements were introduced gradually and purposefully throughout the process.

Making the most of pre and post class exercises

We first adopted the blended learning approach, which helped to provide a structured framework for pre-class preparation and supported the translation of theoretical knowledge into practical applications in the face-to-face class through collaborative activities, case studies, and peer discussion. The model offers flexibility to accommodate students’ diverse schedules and learning preferences while also enabling the integration of meaningful active learning in large class settings. To extend the learning beyond the core content, the course includes optional post-class challenges for students who wish to explore further. These challenges are continuously updated for recency and reflect the current trends and needs in the field, such as tasks that involve using recent GenAI tools to design teaching materials.

Gamification in action

With the blended model in place, we then introduced the ‘Engage-Earn-Enjoy’ gamification framework, using the Sherlock Holmes-inspired narrative to tie all elements together. When students engage in both the required and optional learning activities, they earn Motivation Coins (mCoins), a virtual currency they can exchange for specially designed game cards as rewards (below). Each game card has its unique function, supporting individual and group success. An online platform was developed to manage participation among the cohort of over 800 students, track individual and group mCoins balances, record game card trades (below), and most importantly, keep a clear record of student achievement for the instructor. 

AI chatbots

We also leveraged emerging technologies to enhance student learning, support personalized learning at scale, and provide scenarios-based simulations for practical application. Three AI chatbots with a specific role were developed using commercial platforms such as POE (www.poe.com) or Microsoft Azure APIs. These chatbots served the following functions: (1) a virtual secretary to handle administrative queries, schedules, and course logistics, (2), an intelligent tutor to support students with course content, assignments, and subject matter questions, and (3) an AI practice partner to simulate and respond to challenging student questions and scenarios (below). In addition, the Virtual Classroom (Figure 4) simulates real classroom settings for students to practice teaching scenarios outside of scheduled class time. This gives them valuable opportunities to rehearse in a realistic environment before taking on their actual teaching responsibilities.

Conclusion

In our course, each component is thoughtfully designed to reinforce and support the others. Blended learning offers structure and a strong pedagogical foundation. Gamification sustains motivation and fosters a sense of community. Emerging technologies enable personalized learning and scalable practice. Together, this synergistic design turns teaching challenges into meaningful educational opportunities.

The course has received positive feedback from students and gained international recognition, including a Silver Award in the Blended and Presence Learning category at the QS Reimagine Education Award 2024 and a Gold Award for Exemplary Teaching and Learning at the eLearning Forum Asia 2024.

Is engaging over 800 students in a required course a mission impossible? Absolutely not. The secret lies in putting students at the center of the design, and as educators, we need to remain curious, adaptive, and attuned to the evolving educational landscape.

Banner image generated by Microsoft Designer AI