Abstract
Abstract This analysis argues for an interwoven perspective of motivation, engagement, agency, and action in Online Writing Instruction (OWI) compiled from shared elements of empirical research in online education, writing instruction, and especially student academic engagement in traditional classrooms, where the research domain is comparatively mature. Engagement is the common element shared by these domains. In online education research, engagement is sometimes understood through intentional student actions. In writing instruction, engagement is commonly understood through human agency. In academic settings, engagement can be seen as a foundational part of Self-Determination Theory, which is comprised of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional engagement ( Deci and Ryan, 1985 ). Educators often find measures of engagement valuable because they are reliable predictors of student outcomes, and they suggest a reasonable point of intervention for struggling students. A measure of agentic engagement, which describes the extent to which a student exerts agency to personalize a learning experience, could add value to measures of engagement, especially in OWI where actions and agency are integral to student success. In addition, a focus on engagement and intervention/remediation may offer an opportunity for students to succeed in learning online, not just in OWI, which is a valued skill in the workplace.
Highlights
We explore an action-theoretical model of engagement comprised of cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and agentic engagement where agentic engagement may add to the predictive power of Self-Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000) in both online education and writing instruction
While student academic engagement can be defined as the quality of participation in academic work, agency can be seen as the potential for achieving this level of quality
Considering the outsized role of agency in Online Writing Instruction (OWI), it seems logical that any engagement measure that facilitates intervention and remedial action must consider the contribution of agency to engagement
Summary
We explore an action-theoretical model of engagement comprised of cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and agentic engagement where agentic engagement may add to the predictive power of Self-Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000) in both online education and writing instruction. Because online education and student reading/writing are highly agentic actions, both measurement and application of agentic engagement in online writing instruction are important to student success. The actiontheoretical model, with its action perspective, suggests that the most successful interventions occur where variables affecting student outcomes are alterable (Fredricks, Blumenfeldt, & Paris, 2004). To this end, an action-theoretical model of engagement may facilitate successful interventions in online writing instruction by providing an early warning system, framing effective interventions, and supporting “learning to learn” in online education
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
