Student Disengagement Research Articles

Tertiary student hunger in Jamaica

Objective: The full academic potential of tertiary students in Jamaica is diminished by their struggles to secure tuition and non-tuition financial resources. Principal among student needs is the ability to consume regular healthy meals. This study among three tertiary institutions in Jamaica explored the dynamics that affect student food security and how this can harm student success. It also examined how frequently tertiary students worry about feeding themselves and the extent to which they restrict their food intake. Methods: The analysis classified students as having low, moderate and severe hunger. Nine hundred and seventy-nine students completed the surveys through a quantitative method approach to collect data from students in different disciplines. To determine the factors related to hunger several demographic, socio-economic, living conditions and academic-related variables were examined. Results: The study found that most of the students (38.3%) suffered from severe hunger followed by moderate hunger (33%) and the lowest proportion (29.3%) with no/mild hunger. More than 70% of students worried each month about not having enough food while 33% of the students sometimes do not eat for an entire day. Their physical and emotional readiness to study was compromised as 40% said hunger affected their academic work via a variety of reasons such as headaches, poor concentration, and missed classes. Importantly, the low-achieving students experienced the most hunger. Conclusion: With data showing a strong link between food insecurity and student disengagement, the issue of hunger on campus represents a priority. The study concludes that administrators, counselors and the students themselves have critical roles to address hunger if tertiary institutions are to fully meet their educational mandate.

How teacher presence engages and supports online female postgraduate students at an Australian regional university

Teacher presence is of particular importance in the online learning environment, as the learning space lacks the inherent physical presence that a teacher in a physical classroom delivers. As a result, those who teach online, need to manufacture and foster teacher presence in the online learning environment. This requires caring online teachers who have refined online interpersonal skills and well-developed instructional design, who are driven to fully engage and support their online students (Martin et al., 2018). Without this strong teacher-student relationship that high quality teacher presence delivers, online students can feel isolated and disconnected from their teacher, resulting in student disengagement and dissatisfaction (Bolliger & Halupa, 2018; Sugden et al., 2021; Weidlich & Bastiaens, 2018). This study interviewed female postgraduate students studying online at an Australian regional university, a cohort with whom online education is highly prevalent (Latchem, 2018). The degrees students were studying, were designed before COVID-19 as full online offerings. Student interviews provided in-depth descriptions of which teacher presence strategies were most important to the participant sample, why these strategies were important and how participants engaged with the strategies. This study used the five elements of engagement from the Online Engagement Framework for Higher Education (Redmond et al., 2018), to inform the data analysis. Most online postgraduate students in the sample preferred synchronous teacher presence strategies that mirrored the on-campus university experience. These synchronous strategies had a lower level of transactional distance and used several of the five elements of engagement to engage and support students. However, some of the asynchronous teacher presence strategies did not produce enough elements of engagement to allow students to feel adequately engaged and supported. Subjects facilitated by purely asynchronous strategies had a higher level of transactional distance, creating a greater potential for students to feel markedly less supported without skilled teacher presence strategies applied in well-designed asynchronous subjects. Implications for policy and practice Online educators need to develop more frequent and well-designed synchronous teacher presence strategies for online subjects, such as regular interactive online meetings. Asynchronous online teachers need to actively, directly and regularly engage their online students using a variety of specialist online teacher presence strategies and skills that target as many of the engagement elements as possible. Online education institutions need to ensure online educators teaching in asynchronous subjects, have a high level of online teacher presence skills and a caring approach towards their online asynchronous students to ensure they are adequately engaged and supported. Keywords: online learning, teacher presence, transactional distance, and student engagement.

Toward a Curiosity Mindset: Reframing the Problem of Student Disengagement from Classroom Instruction

Reduced student engagement in formal instruction is a problem that pervades classrooms across the educational spectrum. Students have been shown to commonly experience the negative emotions of boredom and inattentiveness (Bunce, Flens, & Neiles, 2010; Mann & Robinson, 2009; Young, Robinson, & Alberts, 2011) as well as vigilance decrement (Grier et al., 2003). Studies have revealed that more than 40% of high-school students usually remain disengaged from learning (Usher and Kober, 2012) and few (as little as 8%) reach a developmental level characterized by intrinsic motivation, attention, and effort (Lawson & Masyn, 2015; Scherrer & Preckel, 2018). Because student interest in the instructional topics and pedagogical activities rapidly decreases or is completely lost, students withdraw their attention from instruction in favor of off-task behaviors such as daydreaming, doodling, or inappropriate use of technology (Adams, 2006; Bugeja, 2007; Fink, 2010; Gilroy, 2004; Nworie & Haughton, 2008). Despite teachers’ best efforts, maintaining high levels of student interest during class time and avoiding disengagement from the learning process constitutes a challenging pedagogical endeavor, particularly in the context of classroom discussions and lectures (Lemke, 1990; Nunn, 1996).

Development and use of a Playful Learning Observation Tool (PLOT) for Active Game-based Learning in Physical Classroom Situations

This study presents the development and implementation of a qualitative observation tool for in-class observation of courses employing game-based learning (GBL), and playful learning situations. The design of the observation model exploits a literature review of classroom observation models, of cognitive psychology motivation scales, and of GBL evaluation models. It integrates relevant elements from these domains to offer an observation model for GBL implementation. In this model, in-class observations are coded and analysed for GBL effectiveness and potential to support intrinsic motivation in students. The model was then used in two courses using different forms of GBL (one digital cooperative multiplayer game, one analog board game). Observations were coded using NVivo and distributed according to type of motivation and type of motivated learning tasks. Due to Covid19 restrictions and the difficulties of finding in-person classes, only two courses were examined using the model. The model appeared efficient in both observational situations, and the coding confirmed previous studies to the potential of GBL to sustain students’ intrinsic motivation. The observations also showed that preparedness of students to the specific contents of the game reduced risk of amotivation and disengagement in students. The study allows us to reflect on best practices for GBL implementation and evaluation and how better understanding of in-class interactions during playful learning could enable educators and teachers to make better informed choices to implementing GBL. While there are many templates for classroom observation and GBL evaluation, there is a lack of dedicated observation models, that offer clear guidelines for qualitative data gathering in live, in-person classroom situations. This study aims at providing a specific tool to that purpose.

The Rotating Front Row Increases Student-Reported Participation during Discussion.

Discussion is a common method to engage students in large-enrollment lectures. Many instructors rely on voluntary participation from students, which can lead to inequitable student contributions and exposure to a narrow scope of opinions. Mandatory participation for which points are earned or lost can lead to student disengagement and have the unintended consequence of marginalizing students. A technique known as the rotating front row blends mandatory participation with student flexibility to provide space for all voices while lowering barriers in traditional discussions. Field tests in microbiology-based lectures showed a majority of nonmicrobiology majors (77.1%) and microbiology majors (76.1%) reported an increase in participation within discussions after engaging in the rotating front row. A slight majority of nonmajors (55.7%) and majors (55.1%) reported an increased understanding of the course material covered during participation in the rotating front row. Student responses indicated the rotating front row alleviated anxiety surrounding public speaking while deepening understanding of the course material. The rotating front row is an inclusive technique in which students hear multiple perspectives and an equitable technique that ensures all voices are given an opportunity to contribute within discussions.

Contextualization of an Introductory Physiology Course to Address Student Disengagement during Remote Learning in Aotearoa

Extended periods of population lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic required many university courses to be delivered completely online, and for a student, this can lead to feelings of isolation, disconnectedness, and disengagement. This article proposes a hypothetical modification to an undergraduate course in physiology to address possible student disengagement when studying remotely. Through contextualisation, the delivery of course content is made relevant to everyday life experiences in Aotearoa (New Zealand)—this approach may improve retention of material and sustain interest in the course. Four scenarios are presented which align physiology content with information sources that present a context relevant to the lived experience in Aotearoa. Each scenario’s learning outcomes, course content, and assessment are constructively aligned, consistent with current pedagogical practices in course design. It is suggested that adopting this contextualisation approach may increase the likelihood of student course completion, reduce student attrition, and increase student engagement during periods of extended remote learning. Further, it is suggested that using contextualisation presents an opportunity to redesign a higher education course to focus more on the relevance of academic material to the real-world lived experiences of students.

The Impact of Academic Aspect Quality on Student Disengagement in Higher Education

Higher education (HE) in developing countries like Vietnam has shown to be a growing sector even under the worldwide impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, due to the typical characteristics of education in general and HE in particular, there is a crucial issue for HE institutes in balancing growing objectives as a service business and quality assurance objectives including student engagement. The current literature still lacks studies on student disengagement in HE as it focuses on the positive valence of engagement. Hence, this study aims to determine the impact of perceived academic aspect quality (PAAQ) on student disengagement (SD) intention and actual behavior under the lens of extended TRA. The results of our structural equation model reveal the full mediating role of student dissatisfaction in the relationship between PAAQ on SD intention. Once the students have the intention to disengage in learning tasks, they are most likely to act on it. Perceived disengaged behavior cost is robustly proved as a key driver of SD behavior intention and actual disengagement behavior.

3D Printing in the Mathematics Classroom: Results from a Pilot Study with Advanced Middle School Students

This mixed-methods study focused on advanced student engagement, mathematics competence, and the influence of teachers in classrooms that used 3D printing to teach mathematics. Quantitative methods were used to understand changes in student perceptions of competence, engagement, and feelings regarding group work. Qualitative methods were used to explore teacher self-efficacy in teaching using Prototype Problem Solving and 3D modeling. The results indicated positive changes in student disengagement. It also highlighted the influence of teachers in implementing new pedagogy in the classroom as significant differences were found between groups of students based on school. The teacher participants indicated that in addition to learning how to use 3D modeling and printing in their classrooms, using Prototype Problem Solving Activities and the professional development that they received in this program inspired them to provide more creative opportunities when teaching mathematics in a heterogeneous classroom.

The Quadratic Pathways Model to Promote Principals' Self-efficacy and Resilience in Low-socioeconomic Schools in Alberta

This paper presents the Quadratic Pathways Model (O’Neill, 2013), which emerged from the findings of a doctoral study that investigated the influences on principals’ self-efficacy and resilience in low-socioeconomic-status (SES) schools. This model was developed to promote principals’ efficacy and resilience while exercising leadership agency in these challenging contexts.
 Principals leading in low-socioeconomic-status (SES) schools experience unique challenges from their counterparts in wealthier contexts. The literature identified that educators cope with students with academic problems, student disengagement, mental health concerns, behavioral issues, and parental disengagement. Additionally, many students lack the basics of life. Principals also contend with many teachers who believe some parents and students do not value education. Consequently, while cognizant of their need to be instructional leaders, some principals believe they cannot fully engage in the instructional aspect of their role due to the many pressures and competing demands on their attention, and the subsequent frustration influences their efficacy.
 This study employed a theoretical framework founded upon Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (1986, 1997), particularly pertaining to self-efficacy, and also integrated resilience research (Patterson & Kelleher, 2005), leadership theories (Leithwood et al., 2004), and contextual literature, which explored the complexities of low socioeconomic status schools.
 The methodology was mixed methods utilizing questionnaires (n=42) and interviews (n=13) with principals in low-SES schools across the province of Alberta, Canada (Creswell & Guetterman, 2019). Although there were several key themes to emerge from the research, this paper focuses on the synthesis of a new model, the Quadratic Pathways Model, which was designed to inform system leaders of the various components that could enhance and sustain high principal efficacy and resilience in low-SES contexts. It offers principals a template that positively reconceptualises instructional leadership practices that enhance and nurture student success in challenging school contexts.

The Importance of an Autonomy-Supportive Workplace and Engaged Students for Language Teachers’ Self-Determination and Engagement

Teachers often face pressures both from above and from below as they adhere to their supervisors’ requirements and work with students who may be disengaged from the learning process. These interpersonal influences are argued to thwart instructors’ teaching motivation and result in a more controlled teaching experience and a more controlling teaching style, whereas supportive supervisors and engaged learners could promote a self-determined motivational orientation and greater teaching engagement. Regression analyses of survey responses collected from 63 English language instructors in Canada showed that supportive supervisors helped satisfy English language teachers’ psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, which in turn promoted self-determined motivation and teaching engagement. Student disengagement undermined the satisfaction of instructors’ needs and led to more controlled teaching motivation, but student engagement enhanced teachers’ self-determined motivation and/or teaching engagement. These results underscore the importance of supervisory attentiveness to instructors’ psychological needs. As well, they suggest that whereas teachers might be inspired by engaged students, they might also need to find strategies to cope with the potentially negative impact of disaffected students on their own teaching motivation and engagement.

Testing the relationship between a need thwarting classroom environment and student disengagement

National data on student disengagement show a pervasive trend that currently makes this phenomenon one of the biggest challenges faced by teachers worldwide. Much research on student disengagement examines the problem through an indirect framework in which deficiencies in positive social conditions or psychological states are tested as predictors of disengagement. This study uses a different lens by examining how negative student–teacher interactions differentially predict disengagement in adolescent students. Using self-determination theory, this study advances two hypotheses: H1, student perception of psychological need thwarting will have a stronger relationship with student disengagement than student perception of the lack of need support, and H2, the relationship between student perceived psychological need thwarting and student disengagement will be mediated by psychological need frustration. With data from 4694 students, ex post facto study findings confirmed the anticipated increased variance in disengagement when testing negative student–teacher interactions. Further, the hypothesized mediating effect of psychological need frustration was supported.

"I'm not listening to my teacher, I'm listening to my computer": online learning, disengagement, and the impact of COVID-19 on French university students.

In a French context where universities are thought of and analysed as “weak institutions” that leave learners to themselves, the effects of the pandemic present great risks to students who already face structural obstacles to their education. This qualitative paper is based on the experience of 19 students in a typical non-selective university in France, who have disengaged or have thought of dropping out during the pandemic. We examine how lockdowns and distance learning have impacted French students’ learning and living conditions unequally, unpacking ideas of student engagement and disengagement through a sociological lens looks at students within their social context and places importance on the role of institutions in “holding” students. By unpacking our participants’ narratives, we address the implications of online learning for educational justice and the long-term opportunities of students. Our analysis shows that students’ well-being and learning are entangled with an attachment to the institution, with seeing the worth, purpose, and recognition for what they do and the importance of emplaced learning to do so. We therefore highlight the importance of recognition and regulation in the learning process itself. Our findings allow us to also offer nuance to existing research and discourse about the French university system being a “weak” institution that forces individuals to be autonomous. The article also points to the strategies employed by students and teachers with a view to maintain engagement that contribute to considering solutions to help student retention for the sector as a whole and in our pedagogical practice.

Assessment in the Time of COVID-19: Understanding Patterns of Student Disengagement during Remote Low-Stakes Testing

ABSTRACT The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound effect on K-12 education. Most schools transitioned to remote instruction, and some used remote testing to assess student learning. Remote testing, however, is less controlled than in-school testing, leading to concerns regarding test-taking engagement. This study compared the disengagement of students remotely administered an adaptive interim assessment in spring 2020 with their disengagement on the assessment administered in-school during fall 2019. Results showed that disengagement gradually increased across grade level. This pattern was not meaningfully different between the two testing contexts, with the exception of results for American Indian/Alaska Native students, who showed higher disengagement under remote testing. In addition, the test’s engagement feature – which automatically paused the test event of a disengaged student and notified the test proctor – had a consistently positive impact whether the proctor was in the same room as the student or proctoring was done remotely.

Effects of Knowledge Hiding in Dual Teaching Methods on Students' Performance-Evidence From Physical Education Department Students.

With the post-pandemic situation, digitalization has revolutionized physical teaching into online teaching and has become a common practice. The engagement of students has been essential for their good academic performance which can be ensured by the active participation of the students and this is a real challenge for the teachers. However, sometimes in online and physical teaching, teachers are also involved in rationalized knowledge hiding, which leads to the disengagement of the students, and this ultimately affects their academic performance. Therefore, the present study aims at measuring the students’ disengagement in the teaching classes, both physical and online. The population of the present study is the students from the universities of China belonging to different fields of study. The sample size for this study is 246. The data are obtained through the Questionnaire surveys. The existing study has assessed the role of teachers’ rationalized knowledge hiding behaviors in the disengagement of students and their lesser grades. It has been found that rationalized knowledge hiding in online teaching does not affect students’ performance; however, it makes students disengage from their studies in physical classes. Interestingly, the rationalized knowledge hiding in physical teaching has negatively affected the performance of the students. Furthermore, the mediating role of the students’ disengagement has been found significant in this study. Organizations, especially universities, can ensure maximum knowledge sharing by motivating the instructors through positive reinforcements. This study will be useful for the curriculum coordinators of different departments in ensuring the maximum outcome of the teaching classes, workshops, and seminars conducted either physically or online to avoid the rationalized knowledge hiding of the teachers.

Artificial Intelligence and Big Data: The Advent of New Pedagogy in the Adaptive E-Learning System in the Higher Educational Institutions of Saudi Arabia

The operations of many industries, such as banking, insurance, energy, healthcare, and retail, have been improved and transformed by the application of artificial intelligence. The education sector is the particular one which has more potential for artificial intelligence and its applications. Universities and colleges are currently facing a number of challenges, including high rates of dropouts and student disengagement in their classes, as well as the failure of traditional learning techniques in the face of ongoing outbreaks. Major issues in the educational sector can be resolved by the proper application of artificial intelligence and big data, which can facilitate learner-centred approaches as per the needs of today’s era. This can be better described as a personalised learning approach, in which the needs of each and every student can be considered and education can be provided uniquely for them. In this way, the educator can provide a better learning experience according to the needs and ability of the learners/students. Thus, it also assists in enhancing the motivational level of the learners and minimising the dropout rates of the students. The main purpose of the study is to examine the role of artificial intelligence and big data in the adaption of the E-learning system for imparting better education facilities to the students of various colleges and universities situated in Saudi Arabia. The sample dataset for this study was collected through a purposive sampling technique from the 290 students enrolled in numerous higher educational institutions. The collected data were analysed using SPSS and SmartPLS 3 software. The findings of this study reveal that AI and big data assist educators and students as well to run the teaching and learning process smoothly even in the period of an ongoing pandemic at the higher levels of the education system. It also explores the educational inferences of transpiring technologies in the ways of students’ “learning and institutions” teaching and their adaption. In recent eras, technological evolution and an increase in the adoption of latest technologies in the field of higher education have been scouted to forecast the essence of higher education globally in the near future, where AI will be the gist for universities. This study reveals some issues faced by higher educational institutions and students related to the adaptation of these technologies for learning, teaching, administration, and student support. The implications of the present study will be helpful for students and teachers to access educational resources effectively and for educational institutions to improve the efficiency and personalization of learning tasks. Furthermore, it will allow students to get more time with their respective teachers.

Preventing disengagement leading to early school leaving: pro-active practices for schools, teachers and families

ABSTRACT This article identifies the latest researched practices for preventing school disengagement resulting in Early School Leaving (ESL) within the European Union, and which are significant as we transition to a post-COVID-19 school environment. Drawing from an extensive review of European and U.S.-based research literature on the prevention of ESL and student disengagement and a secondary study examining teachers’ practices, this article identifies the practices that are implementable at the classroom level to promote students’ engagement, foster school-family relationships, and which can be readily adapted by teachers and parents as schools reopen. The findings show that while some practices which ameliorate ESL are already known, others such as 1) early-on identification of students’ disengagement; 2) strong peer and teacher relationships 3) high teacher expectations; 4) classroom level behavioural practices targeted to student engagement; 5) nurturing, safe school environments; 6) challenging curriculum; and 7) partnerships between schools and parents whereby both are trained to view schools as a joint learning enterprise are critical. We conclude by stressing the pro-activity of schools, teachers, and parents in using these practices, so that teacher-student relationships fostered by trained and dedicated teachers can keep students engaged and in school.

Is Distance Education Fun? The Implications of Undergraduates’ Epistemological Beliefs for Improving Their Engagement and Satisfaction with Online Learning

The epistemological beliefs of students are an important area for higher education research. This paper firstly reports on a research review concerning the impact of epistemological beliefs on academic outcomes. This review indicates that students’ epistemological beliefs are an influence on their engagement with learning and academic success, and that educators should consider them in developing learning experiences. This issue became particularly pertinent in the context of a global pandemic that necessitated an international trend in moving to online distance education, where student disengagement is more likely to occur. However, research into distance education students’ epistemological beliefs emerged as an under-researched field. Consequently, an empirical questionnaire study was conducted with data collected from 550 distance education students. A principal component analysis indicated that particular epistemological beliefs were significantly associated with students’ enjoyment of studying online. Their beliefs regarding the role of fun in online learning materials and activities are discussed, and the usefulness of considering fun and epistemological beliefs as factors within distance learning in higher education is highlighted. Keywords: epistemological beliefs, higher education, fun, online learning, academic success

’MPower Shows Me Who I Want to Be’: A Qualitative Study of a Youth Purpose Program

<p style="text-align: justify;">Studies have documented widespread academic disengagement in middle and high school students. This disengagement has been tied to a myriad of negative outcomes, including failure to graduate from high school and transition into college and meaningful vocations. Supporting adolescents in cultivating a sense of beyond-the-self purpose is one factor that may combat student disengagement. MPower is a program designed to cultivate beyond-the-self purpose in an effort to promote student engagement and completion of high school (Klein et al., 2019). In a recent quantitative study, MPower participants compared to controls demonstrated a higher GPA, BTS purpose, self-efficacy, and decreased performance approach and performance avoidance goal orientations. In the current qualitative descriptive study, 11th and 12th grade (N=25) students in the Northeastern region of the United States, described their experiences in the MPower program. Three themes associated with the transformative aspects of MPower emerged from focus group data: 1) practice in strategic goal planning, 2) engagement in mentoring relationships, and 3) increased social support within a community. Because fostering youth purpose engenders many promotive and protective factors, these findings hold important implications for implementing similar programs more widely.</p>

INSCRIBE - College Notes Sharing Application

Abstract: The lecture is still the primary teaching and learning form in university and will remain so due to its cost effectiveness. However, student disengagement caused by the traditional didactic style of lecture - with its one-way information flow allowing little or no interaction - prevents students from taking full advantage of this learning paradigm. Some work has been done to address this issue by re-designing lectures to incorporate more lecturer-and student interaction, but has yet to be widely adopted. In this paper, we present a novel approach to applying a student centered collaborative learning pedagogy into the lecture environment through a novel real-time collaborative notes sharing application Group Notes on Smartphones to let students voluntarily engage themselves by means of student-to-student interaction and also with the faculty members. Preliminary student feedback has shown that the approach is pedagogically and technically feasible and students are quite open to this approach due to its learning-sharing factor and peer motivation. Keywords: Android, IOS, Dart - Flutter, encryption, collaboration, Smartphones, education.

Around the house: A descriptive study of attachment styles, living arrangement, and involvement in undergraduate commuter students

Most undergraduate students still commute to their undergraduate institution, and previous research identified parental involvement as a factor when determining whether a student will be a commuter. It is also assumed that these students are disengaged from their co-curricular experiences. Yet, little research has explored this dynamic of parental attachment and commuter student involvement. Self-reported living arrangements, student involvement, and attachment styles were explored in a singular institutional study of commuter students (n=1,452). The findings were that there was no relationship between attachment style and involvement, but there was between attachment style and living arrangement. Most participants self-disclosed they were involved, which disrupts assumptions of commuter student disengagement. Implications for practice and future directions for research are suggested connected to the study findings to suggest ways in which institutions can facilitate increased commuter student involvement.