How to Improve Student Engagement with Vertical Video

Let's be real—keeping students genuinely hooked on learning feels like a bigger challenge every year. It’s not just about making sure they're looking in your direction; it's about igniting a real spark for the subject matter. When that connection happens, the results are incredible, with some studies showing engaged students are 2.5 times more likely to say they get excellent grades.

So, what does "engagement" actually look like in a world dominated by TikTok and Reels? It’s not just one thing. True engagement is a powerful mix of what students do, how they feel, and what they think—and you can supercharge all three by speaking their language: vertical video.

Why Engaged Students Are Successful Students

To really boost participation, you have to think about the whole student. It’s a combination of their actions, emotions, and intellectual investment. When all three are working together, that's when the magic happens.

The Three Pillars of Student Engagement

I've found it helpful to break engagement down into three core areas. Focusing on all three is the key to creating a classroom where students don't just show up, they thrive.

• Behavioral Engagement: This is the one you can see. Are students coming to class? Are they raising their hands, joining in on discussions, and getting their work done? This is the foundation—the physical act of participating.

• Emotional Engagement: This one goes a little deeper. How do students feel in your classroom? Do they have a sense of belonging? Are they curious, or even excited, about the topic? A positive emotional vibe is a massive motivator.

• Cognitive Engagement: This is the holy grail. It’s about the mental heavy lifting. Are students just repeating facts back to you, or are they wrestling with complex ideas, asking probing questions, and connecting the dots on their own? This is where true, lasting learning takes root.

Think about it this way: A student who raises their hand (behavioral) because they're genuinely curious (emotional) and trying to wrap their head around a tough concept (cognitive) is firing on all cylinders. That's the sweet spot we're aiming for.

Modern Challenges Demand Fresh Strategies

Let's face it, the old playbook isn't always enough anymore. Your students are growing up in a world of non-stop digital content, and that’s rewired how they focus. A straight lecture that was effective ten years ago might feel like it’s moving in slow motion to them now.

This isn't a knock on students; it's a signal for us to evolve. The trick is to meet them where they are. This means bringing dynamic, familiar tools into your teaching.

Even better, you can start using the formats they consume every single day, like short-form vertical video. Imagine breaking down a tricky math problem or a pivotal historical moment into a punchy, 60-second video. It’s not as hard as it sounds. Tools like FlowVid’s AI video generation let you create compelling clips without needing a film degree. These aren't just gimmicks; they are powerful ways to build a classroom where every student wants to lean in and participate.

Create a Classroom Culture That Inspires Participation

Before you ever roll out a new app or plan an elaborate activity, let's talk about the foundation. Real, sustainable engagement doesn’t start with a gadget; it starts with a classroom culture where students feel safe, seen, and brave enough to take a few intellectual risks.

Think of it as setting the stage. Without the right backdrop and lighting, even the most brilliant performance can fall flat. The same goes for your classroom. If students are worried about being judged, they’re not going to raise their hand, share a wild idea, or ask that "dumb" question that actually leads to a breakthrough.

This isn't just about being nice—it's a strategic move. Building this kind of environment is arguably the most powerful way to get students involved because it taps into a fundamental human need: the need to belong.

Build Strong Student-Teacher Relationships

Let’s be honest, the connection you have with your students is the bedrock of it all. When they know you genuinely care about them as people, not just names on a roster, their willingness to participate goes through the roof. It’s all about building that rapport and showing them you’re in their corner.

This doesn't mean you need to plan some grand, time-consuming gesture. It’s the small, consistent things that really count.

• Greet students at the door. A simple "hello," a high-five, or asking how their morning is going creates a personal touchpoint before the bell even rings.
• Learn what they're into. Take a minute to ask about their hobbies, the music they like, or a show they're binge-watching. Weaving these little details into your examples makes lessons instantly more relatable.
• Share a bit about yourself. Letting students see you as a real person with your own quirky interests makes you way more approachable. It turns a one-way street into a real connection built on trust.

This kind of proactive relationship-building is a direct antidote to disengagement. Chronic absenteeism in the U.S. is a huge red flag, with about 25% of students missing more than 10% of school days. It's a clear signal that for many, school isn't a place they want to be. Research also points to family involvement as a major factor, underscoring just how critical personal connections are for motivation. You can discover more insights about the disengagement gap to see just how powerful these relationships are.

Give Students a Voice and a Choice

No one likes feeling like they have no control. Giving your students a sense of agency in their own learning is one of the quickest ways to get them invested. When they have some say in what or how they learn, the work suddenly becomes much more meaningful to them.

You can put this into practice in simple but really effective ways. For instance, try offering a menu of options for a final project. Instead of just a standard research paper, maybe they could choose to create a podcast, design an infographic, or produce a short video explaining the concept.

This simple shift changes the dynamic from one of compliance to one of ownership. When students get to choose their path, they're far more motivated to see it through and take real pride in what they create. It’s no longer just an assignment; it’s their project.

If you're looking for fresh ideas for these kinds of modern projects, our guide on content marketing best practices has some great tips on creating compelling content that you can easily adapt for the classroom.

Celebrate the Process, Not Just the Result

In a world that's often obsessed with grades and final scores, celebrating the learning journey itself can be a total game-changer. This means giving a shout-out for effort, praising a really thoughtful question, and acknowledging progress—even when the final answer isn't quite right.

You want to create a space where mistakes are just seen as part of the process. When a student offers an answer that’s off the mark, thank them for putting it out there and use it as a teaching moment for everyone. That one small act can dramatically lower the fear of being wrong and encourage a lot more hands to go up next time.

Use Technology for Truly Interactive Learning

Let's be honest, technology in the classroom can either be a game-changer or just another glorified slideshow. When you use it the right way, it has the power to pull students out of a passive slump and get them genuinely involved. The trick isn't just to put your lesson on a screen—it's to use tech to start conversations and build projects that actually feel relevant to students' lives.

Think of these tools as your new teaching assistants, specifically hired to boost participation. Things like gamified quizzes, shared digital whiteboards, or even a quick live poll can instantly break up a lecture and give every single student a voice.

The real magic happens when technology helps students interact with each other, not just with the screen. That’s when you know it's working.

Embrace the Power of Vertical Video

If you want to meet students on their own turf, you have to speak their language. And right now, that language is short-form vertical video. An entire generation has grown up on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, so they're already fluent in this quick, punchy, 9:16 video format. Why fight it?

Instead of another book report, what if you asked students to explain a historical event in a 60-second video? Or summarize a biology concept? It sounds like fun, but it's secretly a powerful exercise. They have to boil down complex information to its absolute core, which requires a much deeper level of understanding.

By bringing vertical video creation into the classroom, you’re tapping into skills your students already have and value. The assignment suddenly feels less like a chore and more like a creative challenge they actually want to tackle.

This simple shift changes their role from passive listeners to active creators. They’re learning to script, communicate clearly, and tell a compelling visual story—all incredibly practical skills. For a deeper dive into making these videos shine, check out our guide on effective social media video creation.

Choose Your Tools Without Causing Tech Overload

The sheer number of educational apps out there is enough to make anyone's head spin. The key is to be selective. Don't add tech just for the sake of adding tech. First, figure out what you want to achieve. Do you need to spark a debate? Make reviews more lively? Encourage more questions?

Once you have a clear goal, you can pick the right tool for the job.

• For Instant Feedback: Polling tools like Mentimeter or the classic Kahoot! are fantastic for checking understanding on the fly. You get a real-time snapshot of who's getting it and who needs a little more help.
• For Group Brainstorming: A digital whiteboard like Miro or Jamboard lets students throw ideas around visually, whether they're in the same room or miles apart. It’s collaborative, a little messy, and often brilliant.
• For Creative Storytelling: This is where that vertical video assignment comes in. Instead of wrestling with complicated editing software, students can use a tool like FlowVid’s AI video generator. It lets them turn a simple script into a professional-looking video, complete with AI narration and captions, so they can focus on the content, not the technical hurdles.

Choosing Your Interactive Learning Tools

To help you decide, here’s a quick look at different technologies, where they shine in the classroom, and how they directly boost student engagement.

Technology Type	Primary Use Case	Key Engagement Benefit
Gamification Apps	Reviewing material, low-stakes quizzes	Creates a fun, competitive environment that motivates participation.
Digital Whiteboards	Collaborative brainstorming, mind mapping	Provides a shared visual space for all students to contribute ideas.
Real-Time Polling	Checking for understanding, gathering opinions	Gives every student an anonymous, low-pressure way to have a voice.
AI Video Generators	Creative projects, concept summaries, presentations	Empowers students to become creators and share their knowledge visually.

Ultimately, the best tools are the ones that blend seamlessly into your lesson, making the learning experience better without getting in the way.

Remember, technology doesn't replace great teaching—it just gives it a megaphone. By picking the right digital tools, you can build a more interactive, engaging classroom where students are genuinely excited to participate.

Turn Assessments into Real Learning Moments

What if tests and quizzes actually got students more excited about learning? For most of us, the word "assessment" probably conjures up images of silent rooms, ticking clocks, and that sinking feeling of a high-stakes exam. It really doesn't have to be that way.

When you start to think of assessment less as a final judgment and more as part of the learning journey, it becomes one of your best tools for engagement. This simple shift in perspective moves the goalpost from just getting the right answer to celebrating the whole process of discovery and getting better.

This isn't about getting rid of grades. It's about opening up new ways for students to show what they know—ways that feel more meaningful and connected to their world. The idea is to make assessment a conversation that keeps students in the game, not a verdict that makes them want to quit.

Moving Past the Classic Test

The multiple-choice test has its moments, but let's be honest—it’s usually better at measuring memorization than genuine understanding. If you want to see what your students have really mastered, you need to give them a chance to roll up their sleeves and apply their knowledge.

This is where project-based learning shines. Instead of asking students to just write about a historical event, what if you challenged them to solve a problem from that era? A task like that forces them to do more than just recall facts. They have to analyze, evaluate, and create, which gets them thinking on a much deeper level.

It’s the perfect way to answer that classic student question: "When will I ever use this?" When the assessment is the real-world application, engagement just naturally happens.

Leaning into Creative and Digital Projects

Your students live and breathe digital media. They’re fluent in visuals, videos, and quick, snappy content. Using this to your advantage in the classroom is an absolute game-changer for participation.

Instead of a five-paragraph essay, why not have them create a short explainer video? A 90-second vertical video that breaks down a complex scientific concept is a fantastic challenge. It pushes them to be clear, concise, and creative in a medium they already understand and enjoy.

A student who can successfully teach a concept on video has to know it inside and out. That's a far more powerful demonstration of mastery—and a more rewarding task—than just circling an answer on a page.

A tool like FlowVid can level the playing field, making this kind of project accessible for every student, regardless of their tech skills. They can pour their energy into the content and script, and the tool handles the professional polish with narration and visuals. It turns what could be an intimidating task into a genuinely fun, creative outlet.

Use Ongoing Feedback to Keep the Conversation Flowing

Not every check-in needs a grade attached. In fact, some of the most powerful assessment moments are low-stakes and informal. These quick check-ins give you a real-time snapshot of where your students are and keep them actively involved in their own learning.

Here are a few of my favorites:

• Exit Tickets: Before the bell rings, ask students to jot down the most important thing they learned or one question they’re still chewing on. It takes just a minute but gives you a ton of insight.
• Quick Polls: A simple show of hands or a quick digital poll can tell you so much about how confident students are feeling about a new topic. It’s an easy way to read the room.
• Peer Feedback: Setting up activities where students give each other constructive feedback is a win-win. It helps them learn to evaluate work and communicate their ideas, and it builds a real sense of shared ownership in the classroom.

These small, frequent interactions change assessment from a scary, one-time event into a continuous, supportive dialogue. This doesn't just help you adjust your teaching on the fly; it shows students that their progress—not just their final performance—is what really matters.

How Your Enthusiasm Can Spark Student Motivation

At the end of the day, your energy is the engine that drives the classroom. When you're genuinely fired up about the material, that passion is contagious. Let’s talk about your role as the chief engagement officer—the one person who can turn a dry subject into a fascinating journey.

Think of yourself less as just an instructor and more as a storyteller and a facilitator of curiosity. By making your lessons feel relevant and tied to the world outside your classroom walls, you can spark a level of motivation that a textbook alone never could. It's really about shifting from simply delivering information to creating an experience.

Bring Dry Subjects to Life with Storytelling

Facts and figures are important, no doubt. But they don't stick unless they're wrapped in a compelling narrative. Storytelling is one of the oldest and most powerful teaching tools we have, capable of transforming abstract concepts into something memorable and deeply human.

Instead of just listing the causes of a historical event, frame it as a story with real people, high stakes, and a turning point. When teaching a scientific principle, tell the story of the scientist who discovered it—their frustrations, their "aha!" moment, and how their work changed everything. This approach makes information relatable and gives students an emotional hook to hang the facts on.

A story gives data a soul. It creates an emotional anchor that helps students remember the details long after the quiz is over. Your own enthusiasm for the narrative is what makes it truly powerful.

This is a strategy that works incredibly well in modern media, too. If you're looking for fresh ideas on how to build compelling narratives, our guide on social media growth strategies has some practical tips for capturing and holding an audience's attention.

Connect Your Lessons to the Real World

"When are we ever going to use this?" It’s a question every educator has heard. The best way to answer it is to show them. By connecting your lessons to current events, pop culture, and their own interests, you make the material instantly relevant.

Teaching geometry? Talk about how it’s used to build the worlds in their favorite video games. Working through Shakespeare? Compare his dramatic themes to the plot of a popular new streaming series. This simple shift proves that what they’re learning isn't just for a test; it has real value and application in their world.

This connection isn't just a nice thought—it's backed by data. Recent Gallup findings from their Voices of Gen Z surveys show a powerful link. When 78% of middle and high school students said a teacher made learning interesting, a corresponding 56% were classified as 'thriving' in their overall life evaluation. You can read the full research on how teacher engagement impacts students to see just how big of an impact you can have.

Incorporate Student Interests to Boost Buy-In

One of the simplest ways to make learning feel personal is to let student interests lead the way. The good news is you can do this without overhauling your entire curriculum.

Here are a few practical ways to get started:

• Survey Your Students: At the start of the year, ask them about their hobbies, favorite music, or topics they're passionate about. Keep a running list and look for chances to weave these into your examples and projects.
• Offer Topic Choices: When assigning a research paper or presentation, provide a few options or, even better, let students pitch their own topic within the unit's theme. That sense of ownership is a huge motivator.
• Use Their Media: Challenge students to find examples of a concept—say, irony or foreshadowing—from a song, movie, or TikTok video. This validates their world and helps them build analytical skills by applying academic ideas to content they already love.

By becoming an engaging facilitator, you do more than just teach a subject. You model what it means to be a curious, passionate learner. That infectious energy is one of the most powerful tools you have.

Adapt Your Strategies for Diverse Learners

We all know that a one-size-fits-all approach is a recipe for failure in today's classroom. Every student who walks through your door brings their own unique background, learning style, and way of seeing the world. To genuinely reach them, your teaching methods have to be just as diverse as they are.

It’s all about creating an environment where every single student feels seen, heard, and ready to learn. When you adapt how you communicate and design your activities, you're not just being fair—you're being effective. You're building multiple roads into the content, ensuring no one gets left behind.

Foster a Culturally Responsive Classroom

Building a truly inclusive space starts with embracing the incredible cultural and linguistic diversity right in front of you. This isn't about token gestures; it's about weaving cultural responsiveness into the very fabric of your daily teaching.

So, how do you do this?

• Bring in diverse perspectives. When you're picking out texts, case studies, or historical examples, consciously look for voices and stories from a wide range of backgrounds. It's a game-changer when students can see themselves reflected in the curriculum.
• Treat multilingualism as a superpower. A student's home language is an incredible asset, not something to be overcome. Let them use it for brainstorming or in small group work. This often helps them unpack complex ideas before they have to articulate them in English.
• Respect different communication styles. In some cultures, speaking up in a large group isn't the norm. Be mindful of this and offer different ways to participate. Things like written responses or quiet small-group chats can be a much more comfortable space for some students to share their thoughts.

This isn't just a local issue, either. With education becoming more global, engagement is a top priority everywhere. In fact, a recent report on student recruitment trends revealed that prospective students are actively looking for schools that offer supportive, inclusive environments. You can read the full State of Student Recruitment report to dig into the data yourself.

When you intentionally build a culturally responsive classroom, you send a powerful message: every student’s identity is valued here. That sense of belonging is often the key that unlocks deeper academic engagement and gives every learner the confidence to participate.

Your Top Student Engagement Questions, Answered

Alright, we’ve covered the big-picture strategies, but let's get into the nitty-gritty. What do you do when you’re in the thick of it and need a practical solution, right now? I get these kinds of questions all the time from fellow educators, so let’s tackle a few of the most common ones.

Think of this as your quick-reference guide for those real-world classroom moments. The goal isn't perfection; it’s about having a few solid plays in your back pocket to keep the learning momentum going strong.

How Can I Boost Engagement with Limited Tech?

I hear this one a lot. It’s easy to think you need a classroom full of gadgets to get students excited, but that’s just not true. Honestly, some of the most effective engagement boosters are delightfully old-school and rely on pure human connection.

• Think-Pair-Share: This is a classic for a reason—it works. You pose a question, give students a quiet moment to gather their thoughts, let them hash it out with a partner, and then open the floor. It’s a simple structure that guarantees everyone gets to process and participate before the bigger discussion begins.
• Gallery Walks: Get students up and moving! Tape chart paper with different questions or prompts around the room. Students then travel in small groups from station to station, adding their ideas and building on what others have written. It’s collaborative, kinesthetic, and sparks some fantastic conversations.
• Socratic Seminars: For deeper, more critical thinking, nothing beats a well-facilitated Socratic seminar. The power here is that it’s entirely student-led. You step back and they take the lead, driving the conversation, questioning each other, and building a shared understanding.

What's the Quickest Way to Re-Engage a Distracted Class?

You know that moment—the energy dips, eyes start to glaze over, and you feel you're losing them. You need to hit the reset button, and fast. The trick is to use what’s called a “pattern interrupt.” It’s a quick, unexpected action that shakes things up and snaps everyone back to attention.

It doesn’t have to be complicated. A 30-second stretch break can work wonders. Sometimes I’ll just call for a quick “stand up, sit down” to get the blood flowing. You could even throw a fun, random poll at them: "Quick vote: what's the all-time best movie snack?" This tiny mental detour is often all you need to clear the air and refocus the room's energy on the lesson.

How Do I Know if My New Strategies Are Actually Working?

This is such an important question. You're putting in the effort to try new things, so you need to know what's landing and what's not. The key is to look at a mix of hard data and your own observations.

You can obviously track the numbers—things like participation rates, how many assignments are getting turned in, and general on-task behavior. But don't sleep on the qualitative clues. Are students asking better, more thoughtful questions? Are their discussions getting richer and more nuanced? That’s where the real magic is.

One of my favorite ways to get honest feedback is with anonymous exit tickets. A simple question like, "On a scale of 1-5, how engaged did you feel today and why?" gives you pure gold. It’s direct, quick, and tells you exactly what’s resonating with your students so you can keep getting better.

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