Engagement stands for all aspects of school that can be changed to help struggling students want to keep on learning.

Engaged students = learning students

Engage the disengaged ‘How schools can help struggling students succeed (Lois Brown Easton)

Research by Jones, Valdez, Nowakowski and Rasmussen 1994

The research has formed strong consensus on the importance of engaged learning.

Meaningful, Engaged learning

VisionEngaged learners are responsible for their own learning. They are able to define goals and evaluate their achievement in order to take the next steps to improve.Engaged learners know now to learn, they enjoy learning and learn well with others.

TasksThe tasks provided to engage learning are challenging, complex, authentic, multidisciplinary that take time to complete. The learning task takes place with peers, mentors and family and relates to the real world.

InstructionEngaged and meaningful instruction is interactive with teacher and peers. Some strategies include; individual and group summarizing, exploring differing perspectives, building on prior knowledge, brainstorming, problem solving and team teaching.

Teacher roleThe teachers of engaged learners are more of a facilitator, guide and learner. They provide the environment and learning experiences, act as a mediator, models good learning behaviour and also learn along the way.

‘No child left behind Act’ Key elements of Student

Engagement

Students’, who are motivated to learn, can succeed even in less-than-optimal environments – often because they see an immediate connection to real-life experiences.

Relevant and interesting tasksThis requires teachers to know about the students’ interest. Most students require significant intrinsic interest in materials in order to persist in difficult tasks.

Choice / involvement in activitiesAdolescent learners sometimes experience a world of rules and regulations imposed on them by adults who seem not to understand their world. The physical and emotional changes they experience are further sources of feeling that they have no control over their lives.

Curriculum Interdisciplinary project-based curriculum (group based inquiry, questions, problem-solving of interest to them), cooperative learning approaches that includes time for student sharing and discussion.

SchoolGirls usually want to please the teacher. Boys on the other hand will be less motivated to study unless they find the material intrinsically interesting. Boys will only consult the teacher as a last resort.

The most powerful learning is schools is often found in activities that harness individual students interest and creativity.

All students need a culture that energizes them for learning and affects not only academic but also personal and social growth.

Engage the disengaged ‘How schools can help struggling students succeed (Lois Brown Easton)