Understanding the Concept of Learner Engagement

Warm-up

For this course, it can be beneficial to keep a digital journal for your thoughts and reflections. You may choose a Word doc, a Google doc, or even paper and pen.

Why do you think sometimes learners can be engaged in one classroom and disengaged and/or disruptive in another? How can you tell the students in your classroom were engaged/disengaged?

Introduction

In this unit, we delve into the fundamental aspects of learner engagement, particularly drawing upon Schlechty’s Center on Engagement, focusing on the diverse types and levels of engagements and the benefits it yields. As we embark on this exploration of learner engagement, our aim is to equip participants with a robust foundation for understanding, appreciating, and applying the principles that underlie effective engagement in the educational arena. By the end of this unit, learners will gain a nuanced understanding of the pivotal role learner engagement plays in the educational landscape.

Outcomes

Define learner engagement and its significance
Identify the key elements and factors that contribute to learner engagement
Explain the advantages of active learner engagement for both students and educators.

What is Learner Engagement and Why Does it Matter?

Types of Engagement

Engagement:

With students at this level of engagement:
1. They see the activity or assignment as personally meaningful
2. They preservere through difficult aspects of assignment/activity since their level of interest is sufficiently high
3. Task/assignment is challenging enough that they believe it is worth accomplishing
Students who are engaged:
1. Retain what they learn
2. Can transform what they have earned to new applications and contexts

Strategic Compliance:

With students at this level of engagement:
1. the focus is on a desired personal outcome rather than understanding and grasping the objective of the lesson
2. Goals are extrinsic so student accomplishes assignment for higher class rank, “good” grade, and parental approval, part of what is necessary for college acceptance
3. If the assignment/task does not have potential in meeting a student’s extrinsic goal, the student will not engage
Students who are strategically compliant:
1. May learn at high levels but do not have a deep grasp of what they have learned
2. Have a superficial grasp of what they have learned so they do not retain much
3. Have difficulty applying what they have learned in another context aside from an exam/project

Ritual Compliance

With students at this level of engagement:
1. Work has no meaning to them since they aren’t connected to the tasks/assignment
2. Emphasis is on “what do I have to do to get this over with?”
Students who are ritually compliant:
1. Learn at low levels and superficially grasp material
2. Do not retain information
3. Rarely can transfer what they have learned from one application to another

Retreatism

With students at this level of engagement:
1. They are disengaged from the activity/assignment and are distracted
2. They reject the goals and purpose of the activity/assignment as they feel that it is irrelevant to them
3. Feels incapable of accomplishing the assignment/task
Students who are in retreat:
1. Do not participate and learn little to nothing from the task/activity assigned

Rebellion

With students at this level of engagement:
1. They are disengaged from current activity/task and are actively engaged in another
2. They create their own goals that do not align with the ones from current activity/task
3. Can be seen acting out and encouraging others to follow suit
Students who are in rebellion
1. Do not participate and learn little to nothing from the task/activity assigned
2. Have developed poor work habits and sometimes negative attitudes toward not only task/activity assigned, but the classroom as a whole

Video: Schlechty's Levels of Engagement

This fun video provides an engaging review of Schlechty's Levels of Engagement.

Reflection

In your journals, reflect on how increasing learner engagement would make an impact on your students. What are some of the tactics from the videos you might employ?

Course Navigation

Home Page

Unit 1: Understanding the Concept of Learner Engagement

Unit 2: Ideal Design Qualities

Unit 3: Using Student Voice to Increase Engagement

Unit 4: Engaging Ways to Check for Understanding