Student Engagement Framework Research Articles

Reflections on co-researching AI literacy

Students as Partners (SaP) approaches have gained more and more traction in higher education in recent years (Dai & Matthews, 2022). Rooted in values such as reciprocity and shared responsibility, SaP can offer opportunities for internationalizing the curriculum and departing from traditional teacher-student hierarchies (Green & Baxter, 2022). This case study focuses on a SaP project involving international students and their English for Academic Purposes (EAP) teacher, which investigated artificial intelligence (AI) literacy during a UK pre-sessional course in summer 2023. The project identified that learning about the limitations of AI, in addition to developing skills for effective prompt writing, was beneficial to students (Partridge et al, 2023). This case study reflects on the challenges and benefits of SaP for both students and the teacher using the Advance HE (2016) Framework for Student Engagement Through Partnership. Based on these reflections, the case study offers recommendations for future SaP projects including effective scheduling, defining roles, engaging in continual reflection, and formally recognising student input.

University Students’ Engagement with Feedback in a Quiz Platform: A Case Study of Quizizz

Students’ engagement with feedback is vital for the learning process. It is widely acknowledged that technology can enhance students’ engagement with feedback. However, research on technology-generated feedback tools emphasises that different technologies have varying impacts on students’ engagement. Recently, there has been a dearth of research shedding light on students’ engagement with feedback from quiz platforms. This mixed-methods study aims to examine the extent to which and how students engage with feedback on the Quizizz platform, drawing from Fredrick et al.'s (2004) framework of student engagement, including affective engagement, behavioural engagement, and cognitive engagement. Data were collected from a questionnaire with 294 respondents who were learning English as a foreign language at a private university in Vietnam and three focus group interviews with 15 participants. The findings indicate that participants moderately engaged with feedback from the quiz platform, and these engagements were quite complex. Moreover, data from the interviews revealed aspects of the quiz platform that can enhance students' engagement with feedback. Additionally, an Exploration Factor Analysis was conducted to explore the structure of the questionnaire measuring students’ engagement with feedback, which confirms the usefulness of the framework in measuring students’ engagement with feedback from an interactive platform. The implications for using a quiz platform regarding students’ feedback literacy were discussed.

Assessing the deliverables of beyond-the-classroom engagement of management students: an outcome-oriented model approach

PurposeStudent engagement is a multifaceted concept that encompasses various dimensions that significantly influence students and their learning journey. This study aims to explore the extent of engagement among management students outside the confines of the classroom, specifically focusing on their engagement with the campus and community and assessing the outcomes resulting from this engagement.Design/methodology/approachThe literature review provided the basis for developing a student engagement framework, focusing on campus and community engagement and their outcomes. Established scales measured these variables through surveys administered to 386 UG and PG management students. In-depth analysis using PLS-SEM technique revealed the interplay of variables, beyond demographic and descriptive examinations.FindingsThe study found that campus and community engagement fosters a sense of responsibility. Campus engagement also cultivates long-term loyalty to the institution, while community engagement enhances social consciousness. Additionally, no significant differences in engagement levels were observed based on gender or educational level among management students.Research limitations/implicationsThe study faces limitations that need addressing for balanced understanding and future research guidance. Firstly, varying definitions across studies lead to inconsistent outcomes and comparability challenges. Secondly, accurate measurement is difficult due to reliance on self-reporting tools, which are prone to biases. Cultural and contextual differences also limit generalizability, and quantitative data alone may not capture the full picture. In India, identifying specific skills and competencies as engagement outcomes in outcome-based education is challenging, requiring precise variable identification.Practical implicationsThe study would contribute to improving the efficacy of efforts beyond the classroom engagement activities as it tests, validates, and projects them as outcome-driven by showcasing learning both as generic competencies in a broad sense and higher-order competencies in particular.Originality/valueThe literature indicates higher education institutes' activities beyond classroom teaching enhance students' campus and community relationships. This study measures these engagements' outcomes and suggests new research dimensions in student engagement.

What does it mean to be engaged? The engagement of student engineers with sustainability: a literature review

PurposeStudent engagement has become increasingly significant in sustainability education for engineers because it enables future engineers to develop competencies, knowledge and values relevant to acting for sustainability. Therefore, this paper aims to examine characteristics of student engineer engagement with sustainability and to discuss the meanings of this concept.Design/methodology/approachTo build a more holistic picture of student engineer engagement with sustainability, this study followed a literature review approach to search, screen and appraise relevant journal articles on this topic. As a result of this research, 30 articles were identified as eligible.FindingsBased on the theoretical framework for student engagement with sustainability, newly synthesized here, and the content analysis of the 30 papers included in this study, four patterns of engagement were identified: intrapersonal engagement, inter-relational engagement, engagement as connection and disconnection and situated engagement.Practical implicationsThis review provides practical recommendations about how to support the engagement of student engineers with sustainability at the levels of the individual, staff, educational programmes and associated curricula. Future research directions are also discussed.Originality/valueThis study contributes a theoretical framework synthesizing student engagement theory with sustainability education. It also describes current characteristics of student engineers’ engagement with sustainability.

Rethinking student engagement for ‘hyflex’ teaching and learning in post-compulsory settings: acknowledging flexibility and agency needed for unplanned events

ABSTRACT Emergency remote delivery (ERD) employed by post-compulsory education providers during COVID-19 has left an enduring legacy. In particular, hyflex (simultaneous online and in-person delivery) teaching and learning (HTL) has the potential to offer a choice of mode and flexibility, and open new ways of thinking about adult student engagement. To explore whether existing ideas about student engagement are ‘fit for purpose’ for HTL, we conducted a mixed-methods study, using post-course online surveys (n = 110) and semi-structured interviews with students (n = 10) engaged in undergraduate and postgraduate courses in seven disciplinary areas in a large metropolitan university in Australia. Kahu and Nelson’s student engagement framework, and the educational interface in particular, guided our analysis. Our findings illustrate the ways that hyflex accommodates unplanned crises and personal challenges to provide flexible and equitable access to learning, as well as fostering aspects of the educational interface: self-efficacy, emotions, wellbeing, and belonging. Tertiary and adult education providers should build on such experiential learnings gained since the pandemic by continuing to invest in resources to support hyflex teaching as an essential feature of students and staff being able to balance the competing demands of life and study/work, especially in the context of unplanned events.

Inventors emerging in-school and out-of-school: six iterations of educational design to promote equitable student engagement

Invention education is an emerging field that shows promise for fostering equitable student engagement, especially related to disciplines of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM), in both classroom and informal learning. A central concept for practitioners, researchers, and evaluators, student engagement connects with academic, socioemotional, career, and civic success. Nonetheless, more work is needed to ensure more equitable approaches to educational design for student engagement, especially with youth of one or more minoritized identity markers (e.g., Black, Brown, or Indigenous youth; female or non-binary youth; youth from lower socioeconomic statuses; etc.). This Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy article describes six iterations of educational designs for invention education with grades 6–8 classes and camps. Three of the iterations revised the same curriculum for grade 7 classes (N ~ 160 students/year), and the other three iterations involved similar yet distinct curricula for grades 6–8 camps (N ~ 25 students/year). Taking a cultural psychology approach to design-based research, we conducted a phenomenological mixed-methods study for convergence. That is, we iteratively refined educational designs within given microcultures, and we sought to better understand participants’ lived experiences. We share evidence of high affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement, within and between both individual and social levels, alongside development of self-efficacy with respect to ability beliefs and anxiety management. With a few exceptions, our findings suggest equitable participation of youth. These findings we connect with educational design considerations, including individual vs. social supports, explicit attention to youths’ hobbies and peer-inventors, and formative assessment that broadens response scales and gradations of challenge. Our work supports a more nuanced and socially-situated six-dimensional framework for student engagement, expanding upon commonly-used three-and four-dimensional models. We conclude with local and transferrable implications, towards the main goal of fostering equitable student engagement in science and engineering through invention education.

Factors Influencing Engagement in Project-Based Learning Among College EFL Speakers

There has been a surge in the popularity of project-based learning (PBL) as an instructional approach in foreign language education. However, despite the increasing body of research on students’ engagement in PBL, the focus on exploring engagement in PBL from a multi-dimensional perspective remains limited. Based on Reeve’s student engagement framework, an explanatory mixed methods design was employed to evaluate college English as a Foreign Language (EFL) speakers’ engagement (behavioural, emotional, cognitive and agentic) and elucidate the factors influencing engagement in PBL. For this study, 151 students from a polytechnic in China were recruited as participants, and a questionnaire was employed to examine the four dimensions of engagement in PBL among them. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 students to understand their perspectives on how PBL has impacted their engagement levels. An analysis of the questionnaire data by descriptive statistics revealed that behavioural engagement ranked highest, followed by emotional, cognitive and agentic engagement. The interview data, analysed by thematic analysis, identified the factors influencing the four engagement dimensions of PBL, which were then categorised as positive (e.g., interest, group dynamics, topics and task types, etc.) and negative (e.g., weak English proficiency, introverted personality, fear of failure, etc.) factors. The findings provided insights into the four types of engagement and the factors influencing these dimensions. This study has educational implications for foreign language teachers as it will help them to find ways to engage college EFL students in PBL speaking activities and optimise the PBL environment.

Implementing Book-end Division Approach using ClassPoint to Energize Electrical and Electronics Engineering Student Engagement

TThis study investigates the efficacy of using ClassPoint in improving student engagement during class and its impact on academic performance among electrical and electronics engineering students by using student engagement framework that established by technology-enhanced learning (TEL) environment microsystem. To achieve this objective, five instructors teaching various courses incorporated ClassPoint into their classes. Then, quantitative data on student engagement and academic performance were collected via surveys. The student’s comments are extracted from university teaching evaluation survey (EPAT) for thematic analysis. The descriptive analysis revealed a significant increase in student engagement after ClassPoint was implemented. Furthermore, students appreciated the use of ClassPoint features such as slide-drawing, multiple choice questions, and word clouds during classes. Survey results also show students have greater attentiveness, active participation, and improved interactions with their peers and instructors. Likert scale responses indicate positive correlation between the use of ClassPoint and students’ enhanced performance in class discussions, idea integration, increased interest in learning, and improved classroom dynamics. Moreover, thematic analysis shows the empowering of five element in TEL microsystem with ClassPoint increase the student engagement. This study highlights ClassPoint's effectiveness in creating an inclusive and interactive learning environment, thus, transforming teaching methods for electrical and electronics engineering students.

Construct validity of a questionnaire for measuring student engagement in problem-based learning tutorials

BackgroundStudent engagement is student investment of time and energy in academic and non-academic experiences that include learning, teaching, research, governance, and community activities. Although previous studies provided some evidence of measuring student engagement in PBL tutorials, there are no existing quantitative studies in which cognitive, behavioral, and emotional engagement of students in PBL tutorials is measured. Therefore, this study aims to develop and examine the construct validity of a questionnaire for measuring cognitive, behavioral, and emotional engagement of students in PBL tutorials.MethodsA 15-item questionnaire was developed guided by a previously published conceptual framework of student engagement. Focus group discussion (n = 12) with medical education experts was then conducted and the questionnaire was piloted with medical students. The questionnaire was then distributed to year 2 and 3 medical students (n = 176) in problem-based tutorial groups at the end of an integrated course, where PBL is the main strategy of learning. The validity of the internal structure of the questionnaire was tested by confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modeling assuming five different models. Predictive validity evidence of the questionnaire was studied by examining the correlations between students’ engagement and academic achievement.ResultsConfirmatory factor analysis indicates a good fit between the measurement and structural model of an 11-item questionnaire composed of a three-factor structure: behavioral engagement (3 items), emotional engagement (4 items), and cognitive engagement (4 items). Models in which the three latent factors were considered semi-independent provided the best fit. The construct reliabilities of behavioral, cognitive, and emotional factors were 0.82, 0.82, and 0.76, respectively. We failed however to find significant relationships between academic achievement and engagement.ConclusionsWe found a strong evidence to support the construct validity of a three-factor structure of student engagement in PBL tutorial questionnaire. Further studies are required to test the validity of this instrument in other educational settings. The predictive validity is another area needing further scrutiny.

Student engagement and learning outcomes: an empirical study applying a four-dimensional framework

ABSTRACT Introduction This study applies Reeve’s four-dimensional student engagement framework to a medical education context to elucidate the relationship between behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and agentic engagement and learning outcomes. Meanwhile, we categorize learning outcomes in knowledge and skills, and added taxonomies to the cognitive education objectives for the knowledge part, including memorization, comprehension, and application. Methods We used the China Medical Student Survey to investigate student engagement, and combined it with the Clinical Medicine Proficiency Test for Medical Schools results as a standardized measurement of learning outcomes. We performed multivariate regression analyses to delve into the effectiveness of different types of student engagement. Moreover, we evaluated the moderating roles of gender and the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) within the relationships between student engagement and learning outcomes. Results We observed that emotional engagement is most effective in promoting learning outcomes in basic medical knowledge and basic clinical skills. Emotional engagement and cognitive engagement could effectively contribute to learning outcomes in all three aspects of basic medical knowledge. In contrast, behavioral and agentic engagement showed negative effects on learning outcomes. Besides, we found that the results of the NCEE played a positive moderating role. Conclusion This study provides robust evidence for the effectiveness of emotional engagement and cognitive engagement in promoting learning outcomes. Whereas behavioral and agentic engagement may not be good predictors of learning outcomes in macro-level general competence tests. We suggest a combined effort by students and institutions to promote student engagement and bridge the distance between general competency tests and daily learning activities.

A Model of Student Engagement in Online Learning

In the field of online learning, the topic of engagement has drawn a lot of attention. According to research, when students engage in their own learning, they experience a variety of benefits, including greater motivation and achievement. Several metrics for gauging student engagement have been proposed in previous studies. Few, however, have been created to assess involvement in online learning contexts. The goal of this study is to create an instrument for measuring student involvement in online learning settings. A critical synthesis of the literature was carried out by categorizing and then critically reviewing the literature in order to construct and integrate the variables that could aid in successful learning outcomes, leading to the development of a framework that can guide in achieving student engagement. This study confirms earlier findings while also directing the development of a student engagement framework for online learning systems. The suggested model would bring value to literature by enhancing and improving understanding of the elements influencing student engagement in an online learning environment, resulting in active student learning.

Fresh Feature Friday: A Framework for Student Engagement in K-12 Meal Programs

Fresh Feature Friday: A Framework for Student Engagement in K-12 Meal Programs

Influence of Individual-technology-task-environment Fit on University Student Online Learning Performance: The Mediating Role of Behavioral, Emotional, and Cognitive Engagement.

The present study aimed to examine whether and to what extent university student online learning performance was influenced by individual-technology fit (ITF), task-technology fit (TTF), environment-technology fit (ETF), and whether the influence was mediated by their behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. A theoretical research model was developed by integrating the extended TTF theory and student engagement framework. The validity of the model was assessed using a partial least squares structural equation modeling approach based on data collected from 810 university students. Student learning performance was influenced by TTF (β = 0.25, p < 0.001), behavioral engagement (β = 0.25, p < 0.001), and emotional engagement (β = 0.27, p < 0.001). Behavioral engagement was affected by TTF (β = 0.31, p < 0.001) and ITF (β = 0.41, p < 0.001). TTF, ITF, and ETF were observed as significant antecedents of emotional engagement (β = 0.49, p < 0.001; β = 0.19, p < 0.001; β = 0.12, p = 0.001, respectively) and cognitive engagement (β = 0.28, p < 0.001; β = 0.34, p < 0.001; β = 0.16, p < 0.001, respectively). Behavioral and emotional engagement served as mediators between fit variables and learning performance. We suggest the need for an extension to the TTF theory by introducing ITF and ETF dimensions and demonstrate the important role of these fit variables in facilitating student engagement and learning performance. Online education practitioners should carefully consider the fit between the individual, task, environment, and technology to facilitate student learning outcomes.

Global challenges: South African and Australian students’ experiences of emergency remote teaching

The COVID-19 pandemic forced universities worldwide to move their teaching online within an unprecedentedly short timeframe. Whilst the move online learning has increased the reach of tertiary educational delivery it has also raised significant issues of equity, accessibility and student engagement. This includes concerns around access to technology and reliable internet connectivity, academic and digital literacy, and other factors such as mental health and work-life balance. This paper examines two studies of student engagement with online learning during 2020 when then pandemic began. One study was conducted in South Africa the other in a small regional university in South-Eastern Australia. A mixed method approach was used in both studies and then student responses were analysed using the student engagement framework presented by Kahu and Nelson (2018). A key focus in this analysis is the critical importance the educational interface and shared mutually formative experience of learning between students and universities. Findings show that despite the two different contexts, student concerns around digital literacy and engagement in an online learning environment share many similarities.

The Five Core Concepts of Biology as a Framework for Promoting Expert-Like Behaviors in Undergraduates Learning How to Read Primary Scientific Literature.

A growing body of literature shows that primary scientific literature (PSL) is a valuable and useful tool for science, technology, engineering, and math education. We currently have a relatively limited understanding of how skills relating to reading PSL progress through academic careers, i.e., the process by which expertise in reading PSL develops. In this study, we built on previous work showing clear differences in strategies that experts use to read PSL that are not often available to or documented with novice PSL readers. Using the five core concepts (5CCs) of biology, outlined in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology, as a framework for student engagement with PSL, we investigated whether the 5CCs can be used to (i) increase student engagement with PSL, (ii) provide a context for PSL, and (iii) integrate student prior knowledge when reading PSL. Second, we investigated whether a 5CCs-based, semester-long intervention could shift student reading habits to be more expert-like. As no direct assessment for this exists, we instead measured student motivation for reading PSL, their Biology identity, and their perceived learning gains in science. We found that, through the use of the 5CCs as a framework for reading PSL, students were able to integrate previous knowledge and engaged with PSL constructively. Additionally, we saw positive shifts in student motivation for reading PSL, student Biology identity, and student self-reported learning gains in Biology. Taken together, the 5CCs, as a disciplinary framework, have great potential as a pedagogical tool for increasing student engagement with PSL in Biology classrooms.

Student engagement in health professions education: AMEE Guide No. 152

This guide aims to support our colleagues to have comprehensive understanding of student engagement in health professions education. Despite the universal agreement about the significance of student engagement, there is lack of uniformity in conceptualizing and operationalizing this emerging construct. We review the theoretical basis explaining student engagement from three main perspectives: behavioral, psychological, and socio-cultural. In addition, we propose a contemporary and comprehensive framework for the student engagement in higher education, which is applicable to health professions education contexts. Drawing from this framework, we explain the conceptualization of the construct and its preceding factors, mediators, dimensions, spheres, and outcomes of student engagement. The proposed framework introduces student ‘engagement through partnerships’ as a novel component compared with the existing models of student engagement in higher education. This way, we are proposing a mixed model that not only considers the student as a ‘customer’ but also as a ‘partner’ in education. Engagement of students through partnerships include four areas: (1) provision of the education program, (2) scholarly research, (3) governance and quality assurance, and (4) community activities. This guide will provide practical applications on how to improve student engagement in health professions education. Finally, we highlight the current gaps in areas of research in the student engagement literature and suggested plans for future directions. Practice points Student engagement is student investment of time and energy in academic and non-academic experiences that include learning, teaching, research, governance, and community activities. Students are involved in these aspects at the cognitive, affective, behavioral, agentic, and socio-cultural dimensions. Student engagement could be explained by three theoretical perspectives: behavioral, psychological, and socio-cultural. The theoretical framework for student engagement in health professions education consists of five components: (1) antecedents of engagement, which refer to institutional and student factors as well as the interactions (student-student and student-staff), (2) mediators of engagement, which include self-efficacy, motivation, belonging, and reflectivity, (3) engagement dimensions, which refer to the five dimensions of engagement: cognitive, behavioral, emotional, agentic, and socio-cultural, (4) Spheres of engagement, which refer to engagement in own learning and engagement through partnerships, and (5) outcomes of engagement, which are short-term and long-term. Engagement through partnerships includes four main areas: (1) provision of the education program, (2) scholarly research, (3) governance and quality assurance, and (4) community activities. The following measures are necessary to promote student engagement in HPE: (1) promote a culture of community and psychological safety, (2) create a culture of ‘students as partners’, (3) promote the use of active, collaborative learning methods with relevance to future career, and (4) promote the use of technology-enhanced learning.

Effect of Role-Play in Online Discussions on Student Engagement and Critical Thinking

Without a strategy in place, online discussions in asynchronous courses rarely rise above the level of information sharing. As a result, it is important to design discussion strategies that push students further in their interactions with both the content and each other. In this case study, the role-play strategy was examined to determine whether it fosters critical thinking and student engagement. Student discussion transcripts were examined from an online, self-paced human biology course using both Garrison et al.’s four-phase model of cognitive presence and Gunawardena et al.’s five-stage model of knowledge construction to look for evidence of higher-order thinking. Furthermore, the transcripts were examined qualitatively for phrasing that signified evidence of student engagement. The findings indicate that the role-play instructional strategy, when used in online discussions, does support student engagement and critical thinking. This strategy places students in authentic, real-world contexts and enables them to explore different perspectives while engaging with the content to discover new knowledge and construct new meaning. The research presented here also supports evidence that written reflection should be incorporated when employing the role-play strategy. Based on the insights from this study, the researchers have developed a framework for students to achieve deeper, more engaging online discussions. This framework is called the “Framework for Student Engagement and Critical Thinking in Online Discussions.”

Exploring the Complexity of First-Year Student Belonging in Higher Education: Familiarity, Interpersonal, and Academic Belonging

Belonging is critical to first-year student success and persistence in higher education. However, differing definitions make it challenging to fully understand why belonging is significant. Foregrounding student voice, this research explored how first-year Australian university students talked about their belonging. Using Kahu and Nelson’s (2018) framework of student engagement as a lens, 18 students were interviewed weekly throughout the year. Students talked about belonging in three distinct but interrelated ways: familiarity, interpersonal belonging, and academic belonging. While all were important for student wellbeing and engagement, academic belonging, students’ sense that university, their discipline, and courses were “right” for them, was critical for perseverance. Unlike interpersonal belonging which tended to build through the year, academic belonging fluctuated for many students. The findings suggest framing belonging merely as about relationships limits understanding of this important construct. Contributing to scholarship by bringing a refreshed perspective to the nuances and complexity of belonging, the research suggests higher education providers need to monitor and foster academic belonging in first-year students.

Creating Student-centred Experiences: Using Design Thinking to Create Student Engagement

Design thinking (also known as human-centred design) is a creative problem-solving framework that focuses on developing user-centred, effective solutions to well-defined problems. Given the focus in entrepreneurship education on factors like idea generation and opportunity recognition, design thinking is especially important. While popular in several fields such as engineering, business and computer science, the authors have developed a framework to help faculties use the principles of design thinking to design more effective and highly engaging student experiences in and out of the classroom. Called the Design Framework for Student Engagement (DFSE), the article outlines the key premises of the framework as well as the tools and strategies that teachers can use to create engaging student experiences.

Secondary teachers’ perceptions of the importance of pedagogical approaches to support students’ behavioural, emotional and cognitive engagement

This article reports on original research investigating the pivotal role that teachers play in student engagement, using a tri-dimensional framework. This framework identifies how teachers’ pedagogical choices impact student engagement in ways that influence students’ external behaviours, internal emotions and internal cognitions. A questionnaire was developed to explore secondary teachers’ (n = 223) perceptions of pedagogies that support students’ behavioural, emotional and cognitive engagement in the classroom. Findings revealed that female participants placed higher importance on pedagogies that support students’ cognitive and behavioural engagement, and participants with leadership roles placed higher importance on pedagogies that support students’ cognitive and emotional engagement. Also emerging from the research was a negative correlation between the importance teachers placed on pedagogies that support cognitive and behavioural engagement and their school’s ICSEA value (the measure of socio-educational advantage in Australian schools). Overall, results support the tri-dimensional framework of student engagement utilised in this study and provide a robust framework for future research to further explore teachers’ pedagogical choices and how these choices impact student engagement.