It's no secret that student engagement is vital to academic success, particularly in the digital classroom. When students are involved and engaged, their learning experiences will be far more effective and enjoyable.
The thing is, keeping students engaged can be a challenge. According to Idaho EdNews, only 46% of students reported feeling involved at school in 2021. This significantly decreased from 53% in 2019 to 65% in 2018.
So, how can we create classrooms where all learners are engaged and inspired? More importantly, why is student engagement so crucial for student success?
In this blog post, we'll cover these important things:
- Why student engagement matters
- What are the best techniques for creating a stimulating environment in your classroom or online course space
- Best practice to ensure your students stay connected during remote or hybrid settings
What is Student Engagement?
Student engagement is an important factor in a student's educational journey. It is the degree to which students are actively involved in their learning, participate in activities within and outside the classroom, and feel connected to their school and community.
Student engagement can be affected by many factors, such as teaching styles, classroom culture, curriculum design, peer relationships, etc.
To promote student engagement, educators must focus on creating an environment where students feel accepted, respected, and supported.
This can include providing opportunities for meaningful feedback, allowing students to take ownership of their learning, and connecting course materials to the student’s interests or experiences.
Additionally, students can become more actively involved in their education by incorporating technology into the classroom in meaningful ways and fostering collaboration and communication.
By doing so, educators can have a long-lasting impact on their students’ lives. When students are actively engaged in their education, they are more likely to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will benefit them throughout their academic careers.
Why is Student Engagement Important?
Student engagement is a crucial factor for successful learning and academic success. 92% of teachers say student engagement is a key driver of success. Educators also point to attendance and student learning satisfaction as essential for academic success.
When students are actively engaged in their learning, they are more likely to retain the information they have learned and be motivated to continue progressing in their studies.
Here are some of the primary reasons why student engagement is important:
Fosters Student Retention
When students are engaged in their education, they are more likely to stay enrolled in school and complete their program of study. Higher student engagement leads to higher retention rates, which benefits both the school and the student.
Students who complete their program of study will benefit from improved job prospects and higher earning potential. On the other hand, the school will benefit from increased admissions and fewer dropouts.
Creates Meaningful Learning Experiences
Engaging students in the educational process makes lessons more meaningful for them. This is because they actively participate in the learning process instead of passively receiving information.
By encouraging students to participate in activities that help them understand and apply the material, they will be better able to retain and use what they learn.
Enhances Critical Thinking Skills
Student engagement encourages students to think critically about their learning.
Students are encouraged to analyze information from different perspectives and develop their own opinions and conclusions by engaging in discussions and activities related to the material. This type of critical thinking is essential to success in the modern workplace.
Improves Student Performance
Engaging students in their education improves performance on assessments and tests, ensuring students learn the material.
When students actively engage in the learning process, they better understand the material and can better apply what they have learned.
Develops Social Skills
Participating in student engagement activities helps students to develop important social and communication skills.
By working together on projects, participating in group discussions, or collaborating with peers on tasks, students learn how to work effectively with others. This is a vital skill that will serve them well in the future.
Overall, student engagement is a critical element of successful learning in the classroom. Educators must promote active participation among their students to ensure the best outcomes for their academic performance.
By creating a stimulating and supportive environment, teachers can foster greater student engagement and ultimately lead to improved learning and academic success.
How to Promote Student Engagement
Are you looking for ways to promote student engagement in your classroom? Do you need help creating an environment that fosters learning and participation? If so, you’re not alone!
Here are some ways to promote student engagement in the classroom:
Make Learning Relevant
One way to ensure students stay engaged in learning is to ensure that the content is relevant to their daily lives and interests. By connecting course material to current events, real-world problems, or topics of interest, educators can help students better understand why the lesson matters.
Teachers should consider bringing up current news stories or introducing engaging activities related to the subject.
For example, if a student is learning about history, have them research a recent event or look at how certain historical events still impact us today.
In addition to making learning more relevant, teachers can encourage student engagement by allowing students to be creative and express themselves in the classroom.
This could include asking students to create a visual or write a story about the lesson. Allowing students to express their creativity allows them to take ownership of their learning and become more invested in the material.
Remove Barriers to Learning
A key factor in increasing student engagement is ensuring no barriers to learning.
Barriers can come in many forms, from physical impediments such as desks arranged too close together or a lack of accessible materials to psychological barriers involving feelings of alienation or stigma due to cultural differences.
Identifying and removing these barriers is essential for creating an environment that fosters learning. Here are some strategies educators can use:
- Create a comfortable and inviting classroom atmosphere by providing comfortable furniture in an aesthetically pleasing layout. This will help students feel welcome and relaxed, which can lead Make sure all materials are easily accessible to students with physical or sensory impairments. This can be achieved by providing large print materials, Braille materials, audio-visual aids and other assistive technology.
- Reduce feelings of isolation and alienation by fostering cultural awareness in the classroom. Educators should strive to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all students, free from stereotypes, biases and prejudice.
- Encourage students to take risks and express their ideas without fear of reprisal. This can be done by providing a supportive environment, allowing for open discussion, and reinforcing the idea that everyone’s opinions are valued.
By removing physical and psychological barriers to learning, educators can create an environment that fosters engagement and encourages students to reach their full potential. With a bit of creativity, every educator has the power to make a positive difference in their student’s academic performance.
Include Choice and Voice
Educators can foster engagement by giving students meaningful choices and voices in their learning environment.
Allowing students to have some control over the content they learn, how they learn it, and when they demonstrate mastery of a concept can effectively promote participation and enthusiasm.
One way to provide choice is by offering multiple ways to learn and demonstrate mastery.
For example, instead of having students all read the same chapter in a textbook, educators can offer suggestions for different resources that cover the content and allow students to choose how they want to learn it.
Giving students a choice over the type of assignment or project they complete can also be an effective tool.
Along with choice, providing students with a voice in the classroom can help build an engaging learning environment. Educators should create open forums for discussion and collaboration where students can share their ideas and experiences without fear of judgment or criticism.
This could be done through group work or online discussions. Additionally, asking for student input on topics such as seating arrangements or course content can be beneficial.
Create a Safe Space for Learning
One way to promote student engagement is by creating a safe space for learning. Creating a sense of safety in the classroom can help students feel more confident, allowing them to be open and willing to participate.
This can include ensuring everyone feels respected and heard, having a zero-tolerance policy on bullying or teasing, and setting clear boundaries for behavior.
In addition, teachers should strive to create a learning environment that promotes diversity and respect for different backgrounds and perspectives.
For example, this could include using materials that represent different cultures or experiences, incorporating discussions about current events or social justice issues into the curriculum, or allowing students to explore topics of personal interest within their studies.
Finally, it is important to ensure that students have an opportunity to provide feedback and share their ideas, which can help create a more collaborative learning atmosphere.
By creating a safe and inviting space for learning, teachers can foster greater student engagement in the classroom.
Encourage Social Learning
Creating an environment that encourages communication and collaboration is essential to promote social learning. This can be done by providing students with opportunities to work in groups and interact with each other while they are working on a project or activity.
Encouraging students to share their thoughts and ideas can help foster a spirit of cooperation, which can help them become more engaged in their learning.
Additionally, providing various resources such as books, videos, articles, and websites can help engage students in learning.
Another way to promote social learning is by utilizing technology. Technology-based tools such as online forums or group chats can facilitate discussions, debates, and collaboration.
Allowing students to access educational content on their devices can also promote student engagement. Many platforms offer interactive features such as quizzes or simulations that can engage students while learning.
Finally, teachers should provide regular feedback and follow up on student progress to keep them motivated and engaged.
Incorporate Technology
Technology is a powerful tool that can be used to facilitate student engagement in the classroom. By incorporating technology, like Rolljak, into lessons and activities, teachers can better provide meaningful learning experiences for their students.
Rolljak enables collaboration between students on group projects to provide access to real-time feedback from peers and instructors. This creates an interactive and engaging learning environment.
Rolljak also allows gamification in the classroom. This can be done through online activities that add an element of fun to the learning experience. Gamification can also increase student motivation by providing rewards for completing tasks, such as earning points or unlocking levels.
Conclusion
Student engagement is essential to a successful learning experience. Not only does it ensure that each student is participating and challenges them to reach their academic potential, but it also allows teachers to understand their needs better and create tailored instruction.
Numerous strategies can be used to promote student engagement— from incorporating technology into lesson plans to providing incentives for participation or setting high expectations for work quality.
When used effectively, these techniques can create a dynamic and engaging classroom environment that encourages all students to stay engaged with the material.
By prioritizing student engagement in the classroom, we can ensure that our students will have greater success in their academic journey.