Student engagement

Student engagement occurs when "students make a psychological investment in learning. They try hard to learn what school offers. They take pride not simply in earning the formal indicators of success (grades), but in understanding the material and incorporating or internalizing it in their lives."^[1] It is increasingly seen as an indicator of successful classroom instruction, and as a valued outcome of school reform. The phrase was identified in 1996 as "the latest buzzword in education circles."^[2] Students are engaged when they are involved in their work, persist despite challenges and obstacles, and take visible delight in accomplishing their work.^[3] Student engagement also refers to a "student's willingness, need, desire and compulsion to participate in, and be successful in, the learning process promoting higher level thinking for enduring understanding."^[4] Student engagement is also a usefully ambiguous term that can be used to recognize the complexity of 'engagement' beyond the fragmented domains of cognition, behaviour, emotion or affect, and in doing so encompass the historically situated individual within their contextual variables (such as personal and familial circumstances) that at every moment influence how engaged an individual (or group) is in their learning.

Contents [hide] 1 Definitions 2 Requirements 3 Indicators 4 Measuring student engagement 5 Increasing student engagement 5.1 Learning communities 5.2 School climate 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Definitions

Student engagement is frequently used to, "depict students' willingness to participate in routine school activities, such as attending class, submitting required work, and following teachers' directions in class."^[5] However, the term is also increasingly used to describe meaningful student involvement throughout the learning environment, including students participating curriculum design, classroom management and school building climate.^[6] It is also often used to refer as much to student involvement in extra-curricular activities in the campus life of a school/college/university which are thought to have educational benefits as it is to student focus on their curricular studies.^[7]
In a number of studies student engagement has been identified as a desirable trait in schools; however, there is little consensus among students and educators as to how to define it.^[8] A number of studies have shown that student engagement overlaps with, but is not the same as, student motivation.^[9]
Definitions usually include a psychological and behavioral component. Student engagement is used to discuss students' attitudes towards school, while student disengagement identifies withdrawing from school in any significant way.^[10]

[edit] Requirements

Student engagement requires that teachers actively seek to create the conditions that foster this reaction. The first step to whole-school improvement in the area of student engagement is for the entire building faculty to share a definition of student engagement.^[11] Other steps include clear articulation of learning criteria with clear, immediate, and constructive feedback; show students the skills they need to be successful are within their grasp by clearly and systematically demonstrating these skills, and; demonstrate engagement in learning as a valuable aspect of their personalities.^[12]
Relationships between students and adults in schools, and among students themselves, are a critical factor of student engagement. This is especially true among students considered to be at-risk and without other positive adult interaction.^[13] There are several strategies for developing these relationships, including acknowledging student voice, increasing intergenerational equity and sustaining youth-adult partnerships throughout the learning environment.^[14] There have been multiple formats identified for this type of engagement.^[15]
The National Survey of Student Engagement identifies dozens of everyday indicators of student engagement throughout colleges and universities.^[16]

[edit] Indicators

The term "student engagement" has been used to depict students' willingness to participate in routine school activities, such as attending classes, submitting required work, and following teachers' directions in class.^[17] That includes participating in the activities offered as part of the school program^[18] and student participation in school reform activities^[19].

[Students] who are engaged show sustained behavioral involvement in learning activities accompanied by a positive emotional tone. They select tasks at the border of their competencies, initiate action when given the opportunity, and exert intense effort and concentration in the implementation of learning tasks; they show generally positive emotions during ongoing action, including enthusiasm, optimism, curiosity, and interest.^[20]

Another study identified five indicators for student engagement in college. They included the level of academic challenge, active and collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction, enriching education experiences and a supportive learning environment.^[21]
Indicators of the absence of student engagement include unexcused absences from classes, cheating on tests, and damaging school property.^[22]

The opposite of engagement is disaffection. Disaffected [students] are passive, do not try hard, and give up easily in the face of challenges... [they can] be bored, depressed, anxious, or even angry about their presence in the classroom; they can be withdrawn from learning opportunities or even rebellious towards teachers and classmates.^[23]

[edit] Measuring student engagement

Assessing student engagement is seen as an essential step towards a school becoming a successful proponent.^[24] Critical educators have raised concerns that definitions and assessments of student engagement are often exclusive to the values represented by dominant groups within the learning environment where the analysis is conducted.^[25]
There are several methods to measure student engagement. They include self-reporting, such as surveys, questionnaires, checklists and rating scales. Researchers also use direct observations, work sample analyses, and focused case studies.^[22]
National Survey of Student Engagement http://nsse.iub.edu/
Community College Survey of Student Engagement http://www.ccsse.org/
High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE)
Hope Survey for Schools http://hopesurvey.org

[edit] Increasing student engagement

Several methods have been demonstrated to promote higher levels of student engagement. Instructors can enhance student engagement by encouraging students to become more active participants in their education through setting and achieving goals and by providing collaborative opportunities for educational research, planning, teaching, evaluation, and decision-making.^[26] Providing teachers with training on how to promote student autonomy was beneficial in enhancing student engagement by providing students with a more autonomous environment, rather than a controlling environment. ^[27] Another method of promoting student engagement is through the use of learning communities, a technique that has a group of students taking the same classes together. ^[28] By being part of a group taking the same classes, students show an increase in academic performance and collaborative skills. ^[29] Increasing student engagement is especially important at the university level in increasing student persistence. ^[30] It may also increase students’ mastery of challenging material. ^[31]

[edit] Learning communities

Main article: Learning community

One method that has been gaining popularity in University teaching is the creation or encouragement of learning communities (Zhao and Kuh 2004). Learning communities are widely recognized as an effective form of student engagement and consist of groups of students that often form with the intention of increasing learning experiences through shared experience. Lenning and Ebbers (1999) defined four different types of learning communities: 1. Curricular communities which consist of students co-enrolled in multiple courses in the same field of study. 2. Classroom learning communities that focus on group learning activities in the classroom. 3. Residential learning communities that are formed off-campus that provide out of the classroom learning and discussion opportunities. 4. Student-type learning communities that are created for special groups of students. Within learning communities, students are able to interact with peers who share similar interests and stimulate conversation about the topic. Such conversations are beneficial because they expose the members of the community to new ideas and methods. Students that are a part of such communities are therefore able to generate and construct their knowledge and understanding through inquisitive conversations with peers, as opposed to being given information by the instructor. This type of engagement in the field leads to a deep understanding of the material and gives the student a personal connection to the topic (Zhao and Kuh 2004).
Organizing classrooms into learning communities allows instructors to constantly gather evidence of student learning to inform and improve their professional practice. They use common assessments and make results from those assessments easily accessible and openly shared among members of the team in order to build on individual and team strengths and to identify and address areas of concern. Results are then used to identify students who are experiencing difficulty and need additional time and support for learning as well as students who are highly proficient and require enrichment and extension. Learning community programs also improve students' interpersonal dialogue, collaboration, and experiential learning within the context of diversity, these programs address a decreasing sense of community and connection and allow students to relate their college-level learning to larger personal and global questions.

[edit] School climate

Main article: School climate

The J. Erik Jonsson Community School (3 yeard-old-5th grade) in Dallas, TX has a simple formula for success: "Powerful Pedagogy + trusting relationships = student engagement" (Journal of Staff Develoment, 2008). The majority of research is done is early education (Pre-School-5th), but this sentiment rings equally true in higher education. Accplishing that end is near impossible in introductory, general education classes with class enrollments reaching up to 300 students at some schools but relationship-building is a skill that is under-appreciated in the "college experience".

[edit] See also

• Education theory
• Youth engagement
• High School Survey of Student Engagement
• Learning community

[edit] References

1. ^ Newmann, F. (1992) Student Engagement and Achievement in American Secondary Schools. Teachers College Press. pp. 2–3.
2. ^ Kenny, G. Kenny, D. and Dumont, R. (1995) Mission and Place: Strengthening Learning and Community Through Campus Design. Oryx/Greenwood. p. 37
3. ^ Schlechty, P. (1994). "Increasing Student Engagement." Missouri Leadership Academy. p. 5.
4. ^ Bomia, L., Beluzo, L., Demeester, D., Elander, K., Johnson, M., & Sheldon, B. (1997). "The impact of teaching strategies on intrinsic motivation." Champaign, IL: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. p. 294.
5. ^ Chapman, E. (2003) "Assessing student engagement rates," ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation. ERIC identifier: ED482269.
6. ^ Fletcher, A. (2005) Guide to Students as Partners in School Change. Olympia, WA: SoundOut. Retrieved 2/20/08.
7. '^ Donald Markwell (2007), A large and liberal education': higher education for the 21st century, Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing & Trinity College, University of Melbourne.
8. ^ Farmer-Dougan, Farmer-Dougan and McKinney, K. (nd) "Examining Student Engagement at Illinois State University: An Exploratory Investigation." Center for Teaching and Learning with Technology. Retrieved 7/2/07.
9. ^ Sharan, S. Shachar, H. and Levine, T. (1999) The Innovative School: organization and instruction. Praeger/Greenwood. p. 85.
10. ^ Willms, J.D. (2003) Student Engagement at School: a sense of belonging and participation: Results from PISA 2000. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. p. i.
11. ^ Berardi, L. and Gerschick, T. (nd) "University Faculty Members' Perceptions of Student Engagement: An Interview Study. Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology. Retrieved 7/2/07.
12. ^ Strong, R. Silver, H. and Robinson, A. (1995) "What do students want (and what really motivates them)?" Educational Leadership. September. p. 25.
13. ^ McCombs, B.L., & Pope, J.E. (1994). "Motivating hard to reach students." Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
14. ^ Fletcher, A. (2005) Stories of meaningful student involvement. Olympia, WA: CommonAction. p. 19.
15. ^ Schunk, D. and Meece, J. (1992) Student Perceptions in the Classroom. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. p. 27.
16. ^ (nd) Definitions. Longwood University. Retrieved 7/2/07.
17. ^ Chapman, E. (2003). "Alternative approaches to assessing student engagement rates." Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 8(13). Retrieved 7/2/07.
18. ^ Natriello, G. (1984). "Problems in the evaluation of students and student disengagement from secondary schools." Journal of Research and Development in Education, 17 p. 14.
19. ^ Fletcher, A. (2005) Meaningful student involvement: Guide to students as partners in school change. Olympia, WA: CommonAction. p. 4.
20. ^ Skinner, E.A., & Belmont, M.J. (1993). "Motivation in the classroom: Reciprocal effects of teacher behavior and student engagement across the school year." Journal of Educational Psychology, 85(4). p. 572.
21. ^ Kenny, G. Kenny, D. and Dumont, R. (1995) p. 37
22. ^ ^{a b} Chapman, E. (2003).
23. ^ Skinner, E.A., & Belmont, M.J. (1993).
24. ^ (2005) "UTC working to enhance student engagement". University of Tennessee - Chattanooga. Retrieved 7/2/07.
25. ^ Hurtado, S. (1999) "Reaffirming Educators Judgment: Educational Value of Diversity." Liberal Education, Spring, p. 28
26. ^ Fletcher, A. (2005) Meaningful Student Involvement Guide to Students as Partners in School Change. Olympia, WA: SoundOut. Retrieved 10/20/10.
27. ^ Reeve,J. ,Jang, H., Carrell, D., Jeon, S. and Barch, J. 2004. Enhancing Students’ Engagement by Increasing Teachers’ Autonomy Support. Motivation and Emotion, Vol. 28, 147-169.
28. ^ Zhao, C. and G.D. Kuh. 2004. Adding Value: Learning Communities and Student Engagement. Research in Higher Education, Vol. 45, 115-138.
29. ^ Zhao, C. and G.D. Kuh. 2004. Adding Value: Learning Communities and Student Engagement. Research in Higher Education, Vol. 45, 115-138.
30. ^ Kuh, G.D., Cruce, T.M. and R. Shoup. 2008. Unmasking the Effects of Student Engagement on First-Year College Grades and Persistence. The Journal of Higher Education, Vol.79, 540-563.
31. ^ Hake, R.R. 1997. Interactive-engagement versus traditional methods: A six-thousand-student survey of mechanics test data for introductory physics courses. Am. J. Phys. Vol. 66, 64- 74.