Student engagement is a complex concept that includes factors like motivation, interest, and commitment. It also involves students' perceptions of how well they're doing academically, which can vary widely depending on the subject matter.
Here's how it works.
- pre-engagement
- initial engagement
- sustained engagement
- deep engagement
- post-engagement.
Pre-engagement refers to when students first show an interest in learning. Initial engagement occurs when students begin to actively participate in class. Sustained engagement happens when students continue to participate throughout the semester. Deep engagement means students are fully invested in their studies and are willing to put forth extra effort to succeed. Post-engagement is when students reflect on their experiences with learning and decide whether they will pursue further education.
In order to understand student engagement, we first must define what it means. Engagement is "the process of being involved, interested, and committed to something," according to the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The NSSE defines four levels of engagement: high, medium, low, and very low. High engagement is defined as "being actively engaged in course work and other academic activities." Medium engagement is defined as "having some involvement in course work and other activities." Low engagement is defined as "not having much involvement in course work and activities." Very low engagement is defined as "little or no involvement in course work and academic activities."
Pre-engaged students are interested in learning, but they haven't yet made up their minds about whether or not they'll actually enrol.
Enrolled students are committed to their courses, and they're actively involved in them. They're also likely to stay enrolled until graduation.
- academic engagement
- civic engagement
- campus involvement, and
- personal/social development.
Students who are engaged in their studies tend to be more motivated, feel more connected to their school community, and are more likely to graduate than those who aren't.
Committed students are invested in their classes, and they're often eager to learn new material.
The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) found that student engagement varies greatly across disciplines. In the social sciences, for example, students reported being most engaged in courses where they were able to apply what they learned in class to real-world situations. Students who took biology classes were most likely to report feeling engaged in their coursework. And those who enrolled in chemistry classes were most likely to feel engaged in their studies.