Choosing the Right NILE Tool to Encourage Student Engagement

Choosing the right tool in NILE can sometimes feel overwhelming. With a wide range of options available, it’s not always obvious which activity to use when thinking about student engagement.

To support academic tutors with this decision‑making, Richard Byles, Learning Technologist at the University of Northampton, runs a workshop called Enhancing and Measuring Student Engagement through NILE Tools and as part of this, he has created a table of tools that helps staff compare and evaluate them based on pedagogic purpose, rather than guesswork.

The NILE engagement activities table brings together commonly used engagement activities, like polls, journals, Padlet activities, quizzes and discussions, and sets them out alongside considerations such as:

• what the activity is designed to achieve
• how it supports learning and engagement
• accessibility considerations for diverse learners
• potential risks around inappropriate use of AI
• time commitment for both students and staff
• how tutors might respond when engagement is low

So, rather than trying to work out what is the ‘best’ tool, tutors can make more informed decisions. Richard wanted to encourage tutors to choose a tool based on questions such as:

• What kind of engagement am I trying to encourage here?
• Is this activity inclusive and realistic for my students?
• How will I know whether it has been effective?

The resource is intended to be used flexibly, whether you are planning a new module, rethinking an existing activity, or simply exploring alternatives to familiar approaches within NILE.

By focusing on pedagogy, accessibility, and student experience, Richard’s activity table can support a more purposeful use of the wealth of NILE tool available to foster meaningful engagement, rather than engagement for its own sake.

Below is a link to his resource, which he welcomes you to use and if you need help, you can contact your Learning Technologist to schedule any training you need on the tools.