Engagement is a word that educators have been speaking about for a long time; recently the word has surfaced in many more conversations. Hybrid learning environments have caused teachers to worry that students are not engaged as much as necessary for the learning outcomes expected. Aligning teachers’ practices and expectations around student engagement calls for a deep dive into the word engagement itself. This post will define engagement and look at how to develop engagement with specific strategies and points for reflection. To understand student engagement, it is important to consider its many layers. EdGlossary, an online resource that helps educators familiarize themselves with specialized language in the field of education, explains that, “Student engagement refers to the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and passion that students show when they are learning or being taught, which extends to the level of motivation they have to learn and progress in their education.” Categorizing the above definition, Fisher, Frey, & Hattie (2020) have identified three distinct areas of engagement: behavioral, emotional, and cognitive. Behavioral engagement is the easiest to define. Attention is the easiest marker of behavioral engagement: hand raising, work completion, cameras on, and microphones unmuted. What are some markers of success in the areas of emotional and cognitive engagement? In this blog post, we will deep dive into emotional engagement, a trickier side of the topic. Strategies to Build Emotional Engagement Emotional engagement is characterized by how students are feeling about their learning. Teachers can see emotional engagement in the way students participate in discussions, what questions they ask, how they seek help, and how they express curiosity. Building positive relationships and creating a student-centered learning environment increases emotional engagement. Teachers must strive to build positive and healthy relationships now more than ever! Below is a list of strategies that can be applied in any classroom, virtual or in-person, to develop students’ emotional engagement:
A student-centered classroom filled with discussion—students in dialogue with each other—creates a positive atmosphere with time for critical thinking, active listening, and the development of curiosity. Educators must strive to teach students how to engage in this manner by giving guided practice on communication skills. A number of student-centered discussion protocols include fishbowl, socratic seminar, and jigsaws. The following questions can serve as a guide to establish dialogue in the classroom:
Markers of Emotionally Engaged Learning Commit to using practices that develop emotional wellbeing around learning. Emotional engagement starts with relationships and continues with student-centered learning practice. This type of engagement must be developed, taught, and monitored over time and with intentionality. As educators establish goals for student engagement, Fisher, Frey and Hattie (2020, p. 64) suggest that educators reflect and self-assess on these success criteria:
Justine Wilson, M.Ed. Instructor, Moreland University
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