21: THE REACTING TO THE PAST PEDAGOGY AND ENGAGING THE FIRST‐YEAR STUDENT

This chapter investigates the value of the Reacting to the Past pedagogy with regard to engaging first‐year students. In recent years, calls to improve student engagement and active learning techniques have grown, and few have been as successful in producing the desired results as Reacting to the Past. This chapter investigates why Reacting is so successful in meeting the goals of high‐impact practices that increase student engagement and learning. We also examine how the Reacting pedagogy and first‐year seminars encourage problem solving, critical thinking, and writing among students.