My quest was to explore the inner workings of successful, creative classroom learning activities and principles. I wanted to find out what seemed to work and why; what made students' learning clocks tick and how could we, as faculty, be more involved in the winding mechanism. I also wanted to identify ideas and opportunities that other educators could use in their own classrooms to increase student engagement and create higher levels of learning.decided to poll over 1000 faculty members AND college students to discover what teaching and learning methods resonated most with each of them. I wasn't content just to collect tried and true methods and advice from already successful teachers; I wanted to hear what the voices on the other side of the podium had to say as well. I decided I would also systematically search and sift through interviews, blog posts, and online articles to find innovative yet easy-to-implement learning ideas for a wide variety of settings both in and out of the classroom. The numbers from my research told a story, and as I analyzed responses, I began to build a framework that would become a new model for engaging students in the classroom. The data showed that students do want information "and they want it now"but they also want it in relevant and "snack-sized" portions delivered in an engaging manner. After identifying the general principles that most of the responses and research had in common, I came up with a simple but effective way to convey them "strategies that would improve retention, conversion, application, and, most importantly, engagement.All faculty members can substantially improve their classroom learning environments if they make a conscious choice to apply new ideas and employ the four M's (Movement, Materials, Mindfulness, and Media) of the Enterprising Engagement Model framework set out in this book. By being exposed to these results and strategies, you will discover suggestions and ideas that you can use to tweak or improve your own teaching patterns and routines. This book is meant to serve as a tool to help teachers get more out of their students and get more out of themselves. I have included a summarized description of the research findings along with the highlights. I have also presented anecdotes that first demonstrate common challenges and then reveal what others have done not only to conquer these challenges, but to connect with their students while doing so. Furthermore, this book includes topically appropriate checklists, models, and strategies"all materials that you can use to control your own, custom success plan. From one simple question I opened the door to hundreds of successful learning ideas, activities, and principles. I hope these ideas will be read, shared, and debated. I encourage you to fill in the blanks for your own brilliant classroom teaching and learning processes. I'm offering you a shortcut through which you can selectively borrow from best practices and start using them immediately. From these "ready-made activities" you can shop for things you like and ignore those that might send you reaching for the bottle (whatever you drink). My research findings and resulting strategies will also appeal to administrators, parents, trainers and others interested in an engaging learning environment. I have the greatest job in the world through which I am honored to have the opportunity to share information, influence people, and help build lives. I imagine you must feel the same way too, and I invite you to join me on an intellectual adventure to discover what makes for creative college learning and how you can make it work for you. You might find one or two things here you would expect, but most will surprise you (and some will even shock you, as they are highly contradictory to academic conventions). Get ready f or a fun, inspirational, and engaging journey of discovery!"