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Student Engagement: What Is It? Why Does It Matter?

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Abstract

This chapter considers the relationships of student engagement with ­academic achievement, graduating from high school, and entering postsecondary schooling. Older and newer models of engagement are described and critiqued, and four common components are identified. Research on the relationship of each component with academic outcomes is reviewed. The main themes are that engagement is essential for learning, that engagement is multifaceted with behavioral and psychological components, that engagement and disengagement are developmental and occur over a period of years, and that student engagement can be modified through school policies and practices to improve the prognoses of students at risk. The chapter concludes with a 13-year longitudinal study that shows the relationships of academic achievement, behavioral and affective engagement, and dropping out of high school.

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... Although there are disagreements about how engagement should be conceptualized, it is generally agreed upon that engagement is a multidimensional construct that is most commonly represented by three dimensions (Fredricks et al., 2004). Behavioral engagement refers to one's involvement in academic activities in terms of their participation and attendance (Birch & Ladd, 1997;Connell & Wellborn, 1991;Finn, 1989;Finn & Zimmer, 2012;Fredricks et al., 2004Fredricks et al., , 2011Gasiewski et al., 2012;Sinatra et al., 2015). Cognitive engagement refers to one's investment and value in their own learning (Connell & Wellborn, 1991;Finn & Zimmer, 2012;Fredricks et al., 2004Fredricks et al., , 2011Gasiewski et al., 2012;Greene & Miller, 1996;Sinatra et al., 2015). ...
... Behavioral engagement refers to one's involvement in academic activities in terms of their participation and attendance (Birch & Ladd, 1997;Connell & Wellborn, 1991;Finn, 1989;Finn & Zimmer, 2012;Fredricks et al., 2004Fredricks et al., , 2011Gasiewski et al., 2012;Sinatra et al., 2015). Cognitive engagement refers to one's investment and value in their own learning (Connell & Wellborn, 1991;Finn & Zimmer, 2012;Fredricks et al., 2004Fredricks et al., , 2011Gasiewski et al., 2012;Greene & Miller, 1996;Sinatra et al., 2015). Affective engagement refers to one's positive or negative emotions in regard to their teachers, peers, school, and academic tasks (Connell & Wellborn, 1991;Finn & Zimmer, 2012;Fredricks et al., 2004Fredricks et al., , 2011Sinatra et al., 2015;Skinner & Belmont, 1993). ...
... Cognitive engagement refers to one's investment and value in their own learning (Connell & Wellborn, 1991;Finn & Zimmer, 2012;Fredricks et al., 2004Fredricks et al., , 2011Gasiewski et al., 2012;Greene & Miller, 1996;Sinatra et al., 2015). Affective engagement refers to one's positive or negative emotions in regard to their teachers, peers, school, and academic tasks (Connell & Wellborn, 1991;Finn & Zimmer, 2012;Fredricks et al., 2004Fredricks et al., , 2011Sinatra et al., 2015;Skinner & Belmont, 1993). Together, these dimensions have been shown to be critical predictors of academic outcomes, such as academic performance and dropout prevention, in both formal and informal STEM learning environments (Fredricks et al., 2004;Fredricks 2011;Shernoff, 2010;Sinatra et al., 2015). ...
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Student engagement is widely considered to be a multidimensional construct consisting of behavioral, cognitive, and affective components. Recent research has examined student engagement in science learning contexts using holistic approaches that account for multidimensionality through the identification of engagement profiles. However, it is not yet clear whether identified science engagement profiles are consistent across different samples, different learning environments, or different modes of measurement. Using data from three extant data sets involving middle-and high-school aged youth, we explored the consistency of students' situational engagement profiles across science learning environments (formal and informal) and modes of measurement (experience sampling and end-of-class reports). Results from latent profile analyses of students' behavioral, cognitive, and affective engagement identified four common profiles across the three data sets, though each data set had its own unique profile solution (ranging from 5-7 profiles). Consistent profiles across the three data sets included universally low, moderate, recreational, and full engagement. Three additional engagement profiles were identified (rational, purposeful, and busy engagement), though they emerged inconsistently across the samples. Findings speak to the applicability of conceptual frameworks of engagement to science learning contexts. Results are discussed considering environmental (formal vs. informal learning environments) and methodological considerations (experience sampling vs. end of class report).
... Pedagogical literature notes there are established links between student engagement and attainment (Finn & Zimmer, 2012), alongside the need to assess student engagement to enhance the learning process (Das & Dev, 2024). Yet, the term 'student engagement' lacks consistent definition and application (Bryson & Hand, 2007;Robinson, 2012). ...
... Admittedly, however, determining the most suitable and inclusive methods to assess understanding itself is a contested topic (see McConlogue (2020)). Wider, non-verbal forms of engagement evident in the seminar room include attending the seminar, paying attention, completing assessments, and taking initiative such as seeking help when required (Finn & Zimmer, 2012). ...
... Research-based teaching utilises inquiry-based seminars, with modules not about acquiring specific subject content but broad theories and key skills (Healey, 2005). Interestingly, such active, problem-based learning styles often benefit student engagement, including through giving students the independence to collaboratively explore areas they are interested in (Ahlfeldt et al., 2005;Finn & Zimmer, 2012;Ramsden, 2003). ...
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Pedagogical literature identifies established links between student engagement with learning and subsequent academic attainment. During my first year as a GTA, the main challenge I experienced was getting students to verbally engage in seminars, both with myself and their peers. I was surprised by how challenging I found teaching a seminar with limited verbal engagement, and how difficult it was encouraging this during seminar discussions. In this piece, I critically reflect on my experiences as an introverted GTA trying to ‘tackle the tumbleweed’. To commence, I consider the preconceptions I had about what constituted an ‘engaged’ seminar group, and examine varied definitions of (verbal and non-verbal) ‘student engagement’ within the seminar context. Then, I reflect on the techniques I used to encourage both verbal and non-verbal engagement in practice, plus further approaches I will trial in future teaching. In the concluding section, I provide advice for other GTAs and raise wider, external factors likely impacting engagement that lie beyond GTA control.
... This is a general rule of thumb, more engaged students means better learning outcomes. Engaged students do better in school and have lower dropout rates and higher satisfaction (Finn & Zimmer, 2012). Clearly, investment in reasoning and problem-solving -elements commonly associated with higher-order thinking -is a dimension of cognitive engagement (Fredricks et al., 2004), and indeed is associated with academic achievement. ...
... In the majority of studies, engagement is measured as a static construct at one time point without consideration of its effects on academic performance. There is a need for longitudinal JOCW.ITTC.EDU.BD studies that investigate how engagement unfolds over time, how it influences adult outcomes, and how it relates to important areas of development (e.g., preparation for the workforce, emotional maturity, and lifelong learning; Finn & Zimmer, 2012). ...
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This paper investigates whether educational quality assurance models effectively address the quality of classroom management and school engagement. It examines practices within selected international and Bangladeshi universities, categorized by educational expense, to evaluate how quality assurance frameworks integrate indicators of classroom management and student engagement. Data were analyzed from online reports and university websites to assess the alignment of institutional policies with practical classroom strategies. The findings reveal gaps in integrating classroom-focused metrics into broader quality assurance activities, highlighting the need for frameworks that bridge institutional objectives with direct classroom practices. The originality of this study lies in its comparative analysis of diverse universities, shedding light on the role of financial capacities in shaping quality assurance initiatives. By emphasizing classroom dynamics and engagement as pivotal elements of educational excellence, this research contributes to the evolving discourse on quality assurance. The implications extend to policymakers and educators, suggesting actionable recommendations for developing comprehensive quality assurance systems that prioritize holistic student outcomes and foster innovation in classroom practices.
... A third contribution is to identify whether pupils' academic performance and progress was related to the different forms of peer relationships and school engagement. This third contribution is informed by research emphasising the role of engagement and relatedness at school in pupils' academic outcomes (Finn & Zimmer, 2012;Knifsend et al., 2022). ...
... This suggests that children have a good understanding of which pupils work the hardest in class. These findings are similar to other studies demonstrating associations between engagement and attainment outcomes (Finn & Zimmer, 2012;Gettinger & Walter, 2012;Wang & Fredricks, 2014). School engagement measures were only weakly associated with science attainment, and momentary engagement measures, with the exception of off-task passive, did not correlate at all with science attainment. ...
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Previous research suggests connections between peer relationships and children's engagement and learning within the classroom. However few studies have explored these connections in detail or considered the possible processes that may begin to explain linkages. This study collected systematic data from different respondents within primary school settings to help clarify the role of peers in classroom engagement and learning. Over 800 pupils based in English primary schools were involved in a multi-method study. Peer-sociometric questionnaires provided measures of academic peer relations, informal-social peer relations, such as being accepted as a work partner and liked as a person to play with, playground group centrality and leadership. Self-report questionnaires provided data on school engagement, disengagement, and disaffection. Science attainment data were collected at the start and end of the year. Momentary behavioural engagement was observed in classrooms for a subsample of pupils who were also rated by their teachers in terms of their attention and behaviour in class. Findings revealed small to moderate associations between peer relations measures, multiple measures of school and classroom engagement, attainment, and progress. Multiple regressions examined peer relations measures relative to momentary, classroom and school engagement and learning outcomes. Findings highlight important overlaps and differences in the predictors of different types of engagement. They also highlight the variety of ways in which peer relationships, whether academically or socially focused, may have different implications for engagement at momentary, classroom and school levels. Findings indicate that academic peer acceptance is predictive of engagement at the different levels and science attainment. However, informal-social peer relations were more highly connected with class disruption, school disengagement and disaffection and were negative predictors of attainment and progress over the year. This suggests different pathways for children with different types of relationships with peers relative to engagement and adjustment highlighting complex connections between social and academic life in school.
... However, present research suggests that participation in sports can also have profound impacts on educational outcomes, including academic performance, student engagement, and overall educational experience (Buckley & Lee, 2021;Finn & Zimmer, 2012;Willms et al., 2009). ...
... Trudeau and Shephard (2008) (Trudeau & Shephard, 2008) that suggest participation promotes better classroom behaviour. Finn & Zimmer (2012) also noted fewer disruptive behaviours and higher attendance among sports participants. ...
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This research investigated the perceived impacts of university sports engagement on first-year undergraduate students from both student and staff perspectives, employing a mixed-methods approach of qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys. It examined how sports participation affects academic performance, time management, social interactions, and emotional development. Findings revealed conflicting views on time management; students in general saw sports as motivational, while staff identified potential distractions for scholarship athletes. Staff expressed concerns about recreational athletes, but students reported increased confidence and academic engagement from sports. Notably, sports positively influenced social interactions and emotional well-being, fostering a sense of belonging. The study underscores the need for enhanced support systems, including tailored advising and flexible scheduling, to help students balance commitments. It highlights the importance of community in first-year adjustments and calls for ongoing improvements in support structures and academic policies. A recommendation made was that future research should focus on the long-term impacts of sports on academic and career outcomes to inform higher education policy development.
... The study used the Cronbach alpha value to test for internal consistency, and the generally agreed lower limit is 0.6 (Field, 2024). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient ( ) for the HESES instrument was 0.905. ...
... To test the hypothesis that there are significant differences between the pre-Gamification and post-Gamification activities, an independent sample t-test was performed. Levene's test was performed to determine homogeneity of variances due to unequal sample sizes (Field, 2024). Results indicated that both groups were sufficiently normal for t-test analysis. ...
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This study investigates the influence of gamification on students' motivation, engagement, and academic achievement in a managerial communication course at a large Australian university. Amidst growing concerns about student disengagement in traditional educational settings, gamification has emerged as a promising instructional approach. Utilising game elements like points, and leaderboards, this quasi-experimental study sought to create a more engaging and motivating learning environment. The intervention was conducted in weeks 5-8 of the semester, with students participating in gamified online activities and in-class challenges that contributed to a team-based leaderboard. The research design included pre- and post-gamification surveys using the Higher Education Student Engagement Scale (HESES), the Gameful Experience Questionnaire (GAMEFULQUEST), and the Questionnaire on Motivation for Cooperative Learning Strategies (CMELAC). Independent samples t-tests were conducted to analyse the data, focusing on five engagement variables: academic engagement, cognitive engagement, social engagement with teachers, social engagement with peers, and affective engagement. The results, based on responses from 665 students (410 pre-intervention and 255 post-intervention), indicated significant increases in cognitive engagement and social engagement with teachers post-gamification. Cognitive engagement scores showed a notable improvement, with students reporting higher satisfaction, enjoyment of intellectual challenges, and motivation to study. Similarly, social engagement with teachers improved, with students feeling more understood and supported by their instructors. However, there was no significant change in academic engagement and social engagement with peers. This suggests that while gamification can enhance specific aspects of the learning experience, its effects on overall academic performance may vary. The study concludes that gamification has the potential to positively impact certain dimensions of student engagement, particularly cognitive and social aspects, but its influence on academic outcomes remains complex. These findings underscore the need for further research into the nuances of gamification and its role in educational contexts. Educators are encouraged to consider the implementation of gamified elements to foster a more dynamic and interactive learning environment.
... The role of engagement in educational contexts has received increasing attention (Vilhunen, Lavonen, Salmela-Aro, & Juuti, 2022;Fredricks, Reschly, & Christenson, 2019;Pöysä, Poikkeus, Muotka, Vasalampi, & Lerkkanen, 2020;Sinatra, Heddy, & Lombardi, 2015), and its role in learning and socio-emotional development is evident (e.g., Finn & Zimmer, 2012). The theory of flow has been used to understand human performance in a wide variety of task domains, including human learning (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990). ...
... Briefly, the theory of flow involves the argument that humans are more engaged in tasks when they find them to be challenging and interesting. For example, the literature shows that engaged students have better learning outcomes (Finn & Zimmer, 2012) and experience learning as more positive (Beymer, Rosenberg, Schmidt, & Naftzger, 2018;Schneider et al., 2016). Also, in a higher education context, the importance of engagement has been addressed. ...
... Inisiatif siswa dapat juga diamati sebagai kondisi belajar lebih dari yang dibutuhkan, mengekspresikan ide-ide, mencari informasi, kooperatif dalam kelompok, berinteraksi dalam menyelesaikan masalah, dan dapat mengusulkan topik (Peko & Varga, 2016). Inisiatif adalah kondisi keterlibatan siswa dalam mengikuti aturan kelas dan merupakan potensi yang harus dikembangkan karena tidak bersifat bawaan (Finn & Zimmer, 2012). ...
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In the learning process, students are expected to show initiative as a form of their active involvement. Initiative is related to self starting, namely students are involved in learning actively based on their wishes, not just because of the teacher's stimulus and orders. Observations from one of the Tangerang private schools showed a lack of initiative by class XI IPA students in learning biology. This study aims to describe the application of the think pair share learning model to develop student initiatives in learning. The research method used is descriptive qualitative with an instrument in the form of a Field Experience Program portfolio 2 which consists of observation sheets, Teaching Implementation Plans, and teaching reflections. The results of the study show that the application of the think-pair-share learning model can develop student initiative in the learning process through the stages of thinking, discussing in pairs, and presenting or sharing the results of discussions in class (sharing). As for indicators of student initiative that developed after the implementation of think-pair-share, namely self-starting, proactive and persistent. The self-starting aspect of students is achieved through students' awareness to act independently in class, such as actively discussing and being involved in learning. Furthermore, the development of students' proactive aspects is shown through the real participation of students in the learning process such as initiatives to ask questions and respond to teachers. Student contributions in the process of solving problems will develop students' persistent aspects. Abstrak. Dalam proses pembelajaran, siswa diharapkan dapat menunjukkan inisiatif sebagai salah satu bentuk keterlibatan mereka secara aktif. Inisiatif berkaitan dengan self-starting yaitu siswa terlibat dalam pembelajaran secara aktif berdasarkan keinginan mereka bukan sekedar karena stimulus dan perintah guru. Hasil observasi si salah satu sekolah swasta Tangerang menunjukkan kurangnya inisiatif siswa kelas XI IPA dalam pembelajaran biologi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan penerapan model pembelajaran think pair share untuk mengembangkan inisiatif siswa dalam pembelajaran. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah deskriptif kualitatif dengan instrument berupa portfolio Program Pengalaman Lapangan 2 yang terdiri atas lembar obsenrvasi, Rencana Pelaksanaan Pengajaran, dan refleksi mengajar. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penerapan model pembelajaran think-pair-share dapat mengembangkan inisiatif siswa dalam proses pembelajaran melalui tahapan berpikir (thinking), berdiskusi secara berpasangan (pairing), dan mempresentasikan atau berbagai hasil diskusi dalam kelas (sharing). Adapun indikator inisiatif siswa yang berkembang setelah penerapan think-pair-share yaitu self-starting, proactive dan persistent. Aspek self-starting siswa tercapai melalui kesadaran siswa untuk bertindak mandiri dalam kelas, seperti aktif berdiskusi dan terlibat dalam pembelajaran. Selanjutnya, perkembangan aspek proactive siswa diperlihatkan melalui partisipasi nyata siswa dalam proses belajar seperti inisiatif untuk bertanya maupun merespons guru.Kontribusi siswa dalam proses menyelesaikan masalah akan mengembangkan aspek persistent siswa.
... Emotional or affective engagement refers to learners' emotional reactions to learning activities and environments (Salas-Pilco, Yang, and Zhang 2022). Students may form positive (e.g., interest, confidence and willingness to communicate) and/or negative (e.g., frustration, boredom and anxiety) feelings towards teachers, peers, tasks and school experiences (Zhao, Sun, and Gong 2024), which consequently influences the sense of belonging (Dixson 2015;Finn and Zimmer 2012) and the valuing of learning (Fredricks, Hofkens, and Wang 2019;Wang et al. 2016). Given that emotion is implicit and less observable, self-report is considered more appropriate to capture emotional/affective engagement (Hoi and Hang 2021). ...
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Background Student engagement has been conceptualised and operationalised in various learning environments. However, there is currently a lack of established scales to measure student engagement in synchronous online learning. One possible reason is the existence of the conceptual and structural ambiguity regarding student engagement. Objective With its context situated in Saudi Arabian students' synchronous online learning of Chinese as a foreign language (L2 Chinese), this study attempts to find out the best representation and measure of synchronous online engagement based on four competing statistical modelling methods, including confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM), bi‐factor CFA (B‐CFA) and bi‐factor ESEM (B‐ESEM). Methods A total of 167 Saudi Arabian students voluntarily participated in this online questionnaire‐based study. A 19‐item online questionnaire was adaptively developed to measure students' engagement in synchronous online learning of L2 Chinese from behavioural, cognitive, affective and social dimensions. CFA, ESEM, B‐CFA and B‐ESEM were employed to determine the optimal structure model for representing students' synchronous online engagement in L2 Chinese learning. Results and Conclusion The results revealed that the B‐ESEM model was the best structure model for both measuring and accounting for the generality and specificity of students' engagement in synchronous online learning of L2 Chinese. More specifically, student online engagement was found to be a general unity with four distinctive subdimensions including behavioural, cognitive, affective and social engagement. This study not only reconciles the construct inconsistency of student engagement in the literature from the synchronous online learning perspective but also provides an optimal representation for measuring students' synchronous online engagement in L2 learning.
... Además, también se puso de manifiesto que los grupos MEF, mostraron mayor compromiso que los MER, lo cual destaca positivamente la influencia de las PRE fomentando la responsabilidad en los procesos cognitivos (Foster & Ambrose, 2023). Podemos asegurar que los estudiantes percibieron que en sus escuelas se impulsa a un mejor futuro (Finn & Zimmer, 2012) y por ende un mejor clima escolar. Por otro lado, se evidenció que las niñas piensan más en su futuro que los chicos, debido a que en contextos de conflicto los niños viven más los flagelos de la guerra como puede ser: el reclutamiento forzado, deserción escolar y desplazamiento forzado (UNICEF, 2024). ...
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Las prácticas restaurativas escolares son cada vez más utilizadas en entornos educativos; sin embargo, no hay suficiente evidencia del impacto en los estudiantes. Este estudio de caso se propone preguntarles mediante el instrumento del Compromiso Estudiantil (SEI) y utilizando metodología cuantitativa. La muestra (N = 204) estudiantes: mujeres (49.1%) y hombres (50.9%), pertenecían a dos modelos: flexibles (55.8%) y regulares (44.1%) de las escuelas de Cali. Los resultados nos muestran como las prácticas restaurativas de las escuelas tienen un impacto directo en el compromiso psicológico y cognitivo. En concreto, en el psicológico destacar el fortalecer el vínculo profesor-estudiante en edades tempranas y la incidencia positiva del apoyo familiar en estas etapas. En cambio, para el compromiso cognitivo se destaca que la motivación externa decrece a medida que se hacen mayores y que las chicas tienen aspiraciones a objetivos futuros en parte, provocados por las prácticas que se realizan en las escuelas. Finalmente, se aporta la idea de personalizar las prácticas restaurativas escolares y adaptar un enfoque según las variables sociodemográficas, educativas y familiares del entorno para maximizar el impacto en el compromiso escolar y en la construcción de paz.
... This method also addresses common barriers to speaking, such as anxiety, lack of motivation, or unfamiliarity with conversational contexts, by encouraging active participation and promoting a hands-on, experiential learning process (Finn & Zimmer, 2012). Through this structured, task-oriented approach, TBL equips students with practical communication skills that are directly applicable to real-world interactions, making it a valuable tool for language development (Feng & Hong, 2022). ...
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This study aims to determine whether the Task-based Learning (TBL) strategy can improve the speaking skills of 11th-grade students at MAN 2 Palu City. Using quantitative methods with a quasi-experimental design, the study involved 428 students as the population. The sample was selected purposively, with XI MIPA 1 serving as the experimental group and XI MIPA 3 as the control group. The research instrument consisted of pre-tests and post-tests. The results indicate a significant improvement in students' speaking skills after implementing TBL, as the t-value (4.092) exceeded the t-critical value (1.996) at a significance level of 0.05 with df=67. The hypothesis was accepted, confirming that TBL is effective in enhancing students' speaking abilities. Thus, this strategy can be applied as a teaching approach to foster speaking skill development.
... Several measures have been advanced based on conceptual and theoretical backgrounds to evaluate student engagement during e-learning, and each one has its own limitations and strengths. According to Finn and Zimmer [58], the concept of "student engagement" was used in the 1980s as a tool to reduce student dropout rates, boredom, and alienation. Scholars have provided different models to measure student engagement in learning contexts with Soffer and Cohen [59]. ...
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This study examined the relationship between institutional support and student engagement in e-learning, with time efficiency as a potential mediator among Saudi university students. This study employed a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based research design. A sample of 752 Saudi university students from different provinces in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia completed an online questionnaire. The results of the measurement model showed good reliability and validity for all constructs. The results of the structural model and hypothesis testing showed that this study partially supported the hypotheses. Notably, there was a significant positive relationship between student support during e-learning and student engagement. In addition, student support was found to be a predictor of student’s time efficiency (short-term planning, long-term planning, time attitude). Furthermore, the results revealed that long-term planning and time attitude, both components of time efficiency, act as mediators between support provided to students by a higher education (HE) institution during e-learning and their level of engagement. The findings shed light on the underlying mechanisms that explain students’ e-learning engagement.
... Towards this issue, scholars also have their own views on the dimensional division of learning engagement, hence, expressing their respective viewpoints. Finn and Zimmer (2012) classified learning engagement into four levels, with Level I learning engagement characterized by students simply complying with the basic requirements posed by school, e.g., attending classes. Level II learning engagement is characterized by enthusiasm and initiative input for academic tasks. ...
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Introduction As we all know, learning engagement is a key indicator for measuring the quality of students’ learning outcome and assessing their learning effectiveness. However, the relationship among personality traits, emotion regulation, and learning engagement has not been thoroughly studied. Methods This study aims to investigate the relationship among personality traits, emotion regulation and learning engagement. A questionnaire survey was conducted on some college students in Shandong Province, China. Results The results show that: (1) there are no significant differences in Big Five Personality Traits, learning engagement, and emotion regulation by gender, grade level, and subject category to which the major belongs. (2) The personality traits of college students can directly affect learning engagement. (3) Emotion regulation partially mediates the relationship between personality traits and learning engagement. Discussion The study reveals the importance of personality traits and emotion regulation on students’ learning. It has a significant meaning in enhancing students’ learning engagement level.
... Cognitive engagement refers to the extent to which student engages in thinking and using learning strategies in the virtual classroom (Fredricks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004). Behavioral engagement focuses on student's behavior during learning activities, such as active participation in discussions (Finn & Zimmer, 2012). Affective engagement refers to student's emotional response to the learning activity (Reeve, 2012). ...
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As trends in education evolve, personalized learning has transformed individuals' engagement with knowledge and skill development. In the digital age, state-of-the-art technologies have been increasingly integrated into classrooms to support intelligent education and foster personalized learning experiences. One promising approach is the use of eye-tracking technology to evaluate student engagement in intelligent virtual classrooms. This paper explores the assessment of personalized learning in the virtual classroom and its impact on student engagement through the eye movement paradigm. The study aims to provide insights into how personalized learning approaches can enhance student participation, motivation, and academic performance in the online learning environment. Through a comprehensive literature review, case study, and data analysis, the paper examines the key elements of personalized learning, the methods of assessment, and the resulting effects on student engagement. The findings suggest that the eye movement paradigm has the potential to assess student engagement and promote better educational outcomes.
... However, students need to be engaged with that instruction to benefit (Wigfield et al., 2008). Student reading engagement is a multidimensional construct incorporating task attendance, commitment to and persistence in task completeness, acceptable social interaction, and motivation and affect related to self-regulation processing during reading (Finn & Zimmer, 2012). These dimensions of student engagement in reading are defined differently. ...
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Student engagement during reading instruction, including during small group and individualized intensive reading instruction, is critical for student success. If students are not engaged with instruction, they are not learning. This study examined student reading engagement during individualized intensive literacy tutoring in a summer reading program using a direct observational protocol called the Student Reading Engagement Observational Coding System (SREOCS). Twenty in-person individualized tutoring videos, representing eight students nested within eight tutors, were randomly selected. The videos were coded and analyzed using a series of repeated measures within-subject ANOVA. The results suggest that students exhibit high levels of reading engagement during intensive tutoring. However, statistically significant differences were found in student initiation and responding to initial requests across four different tutoring activities. Specifically, student initiation increased, while responding to initial requests decreased significantly during the spelling activity. Increases in student initiation were also found during the auditory drill and blending drill compared to the visual drill. The implications for future research, professional development opportunities, and practitioners' instructional practices to improve student reading engagement are discussed.
... On the other hand, there are also studies that suggest that engagement has a significant impact on learning outcome. Finn and Zimmer (2012) suggest that engagement is critical to learning. McClenney et al. (2012) also suggest that higher levels of engagement are more likely to lead to the attainment of academic goals. ...
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The study investigates the role of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and engagement in the context of English language learning among Chinese students, emphasizing the significance of positive emotions in enhancing academic success. Utilizing a sample of 249 students majoring in international trade, the research employs the foreign language enjoyment scale to count their enjoyment level and foreign language engagement scale to assess various dimensions of student engagement, including cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and social engagement. By conducting regression analysis, the findings reveal that FLE positively influencing learners’ learning outcome while engagement doesn’t pose significant impact on their learning outcome. The study highlights the importance of fostering positive emotions in educational settings to improve language learning outcomes and suggests that understanding the interplay between FLE and other affective factors can lead to more effective teaching strategies in foreign language education.
... This type of engagement is linked to several important issues in higher education, such as participation in educational activities, learning outcomes, and student achievement. In this regard, Marks (2000), Finn and Zimmer (2013), Skinner and Pitzer (2013), Linnenbrink and Pintrich (2003), for instance, discuss the academic engagement of students in terms of behavioral engagement (i.e., effort, persistence, instrumental help-seeking), cognitive engagement (i.e., strategy use, metacognition), and motivational engagement (i.e., interest, value, affect). Bearing this in mind, due attention needs also to be paid to other definitions of the concept. ...
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Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic in the middle of the spring 2020 semester, many high education institutions were forced to move from face-to-face (FTF) teaching to remote instruction. The purpose of this study is to investigate students' attitudes and perceptions towards their learning of English for academic purposes mandatory courses and their engagement in learning these courses in comparison to FTF learning. The subjects of the research consisted of 712 students from two engineering higher education institutions (one from Romania and one from Israel) and one general higher education institution from Israel. Data were collected using a 5-point Likert-type survey. The results indicated that students had a positive attitude towards the remote learning of English and perceived it as having a positive effect on their learning experience and engagement. The results of the research can help educators in terms of adopting appropriate decisions regarding online teaching as a routine mode of learning (not in the emergency) and to make appropriate modifications and adaptations to the EAP courses. Thus, a better understanding of how this transition impacts students' attitudes toward learning could have important implications for instructional design, curriculum development, and teacher training.
... ‫و‬ ‫يتم‬ ‫لن‬ ‫وأنه‬ ‫طوعية،‬ ‫المشاركة‬ ‫أن‬ ‫على‬ ‫تنص‬ ‫مستنيرة‬ ‫موافقة‬ ‫على‬ ‫مشارك‬ ‫كل‬ ‫وافق‬ ‫يمكن‬ ‫وأنهم‬ ‫المشاركين،‬ ‫هوية‬ ‫لتحديد‬ ‫استخدامها‬ ‫يمكن‬ ‫شخصية‬ ‫معلومات‬ ‫أي‬ ‫طلب‬ ‫في‬ ‫البحث‬ ‫من‬ ‫االنسحاب‬ ‫هم‬ ‫العالج‬ ‫أو‬ ‫للتشخيص‬ ‫نية‬ ‫بها‬ ‫يوجد‬ ‫وال‬ ‫بحتة‬ ‫أكاديمية‬ ‫الدراسة‬ ‫وأن‬ ‫وقت‬ ‫أي‬ . ‫بأن‬ ‫المشاركين‬ ‫طمأنة‬ ‫تم‬ ‫كما‬ ‫مجمع‬ ‫إحصائي‬ ‫تحليل‬ ‫في‬ ‫إال‬ ‫عرض‬ ُ ‫ت‬ ‫لن‬ ‫البيانات‬ ‫مع‬ ‫الثانية،‬ ‫الدرجة‬ ‫من‬ ‫عامل‬ ‫نموذج‬ ‫اختبار‬ ‫اا‬ ‫أيض‬ ‫تم‬ ‫العوامل،‬ ‫بين‬ ‫المعتدلة‬ ‫باالرتباطات‬ ‫المدعوم‬ ‫القوي‬ ‫الثبات‬ ‫دليل‬ ‫تقييم‬ ‫تم‬ ‫ألفضل‬ ‫للقياس‬ 15 ‫مفردة‬ ‫عينة‬ ‫على‬ ‫التحليل‬ ‫من‬ ‫بها‬ ‫االحتفاظ‬ ‫تم‬ ‫التحقق‬ ‫االعتراضات‬ ‫ومتوسطات‬ ‫العوامل‬ ‫أوزان‬ ‫على‬ ‫متزايدة‬ ‫قيود‬ ‫فرض‬ ‫خالل‬ ‫من‬ ‫المجموعات‬ ‫متعدد‬ ‫تحليل‬ ‫باستخدام‬ ‫من‬ ‫مكونة‬ ‫لجنة‬ ‫قبل‬ ‫من‬ ‫العناصر‬ ‫مالءمة‬ ‫مدى‬ ‫تقييم‬ ‫أشار‬ 20 ‫أن‬ ‫إلى‬ ‫التربويين‬ ‫النفس‬ ‫علماء‬ ‫من‬ ‫لل‬ ‫عليها‬ ‫الحصول‬ ‫تم‬ ‫التي‬ ‫لتلك‬ ‫مماثلة‬ ‫القيم‬ ‫هذه‬ ‫وكانت‬ ‫أن‬ ‫األبحاث‬ ‫من‬ ‫متنامية‬ ‫مجموعة‬ ‫أظهرت‬ ‫لقد‬ ‫اندماج‬ ‫الطالب‬ ‫ي‬ ‫المدرسة‬ ‫عن‬ ‫ورضاهم‬ ‫الطالب‬ ‫برفاهية‬ ‫نبئ‬ ‫وال‬ ‫واألقران‬ ‫تحصيل‬ ‫اإل‬ ‫معدالت‬ ‫وانخفاض‬ ‫األكاديمي‬ ‫نهاك‬ ‫الدراسة‬ ‫عن‬ ‫واالنقطاع‬ ( ‫المثال‬ ‫سبيل‬ ‫على‬‫انظر‬ Chen & Astor, 2011;Finn & Zimmer, 2012;Kuh 2009;Salmela-Aro et al., 2008) .‫و‬ ‫قياس‬ ‫تم‬ ‫الجامعات،‬ ‫طالب‬ ‫على‬ ‫أجريت‬ ‫التي‬ ‫الدراسات‬ ‫في‬ ‫االندماج‬ ‫باستخدام‬ ‫أساسي‬ ‫بشكل‬ ‫أوتررخت‬ ‫مقياس‬ ‫العمل‬ ‫في‬ ‫لالندماج‬ UWES-SS ‫و‬ ‫أوروبا‬ ‫في‬ ‫الجامعة‬ ‫في‬ ‫المستجدين‬ ‫الطالب‬ ‫اندماج‬ ‫مسح‬ Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement: BCSSE ‫األمريكية‬ ‫المتحدة‬ ‫الواليات‬ ‫في‬ . ...
... Axelson and Flick (2011) challenge this perspective in their studies on students' connection to their learning, classes, and institutions, arguing that it downplays the significance of less visible forms of engagement, particularly in the cognitive and emotional domains. Finn and Zimmer (2012) further emphasise that engagement is related to students' learning, multifaceted, and must be adapted through school policies and practices to enhance student outcomes and those at risk. ...
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Student engagement has emerged as a critical factor influencing academic achievement, persistence, and overall well-being. Despite its importance, many students remain unmotivated, distracted, and disengaged in classrooms, often due to technology and external pressures. This literature review critically examines the construct of student engagement, exploring its definitions, dimensions, and implications for teaching and learning. Student engagement is multifaceted, encompassing behavioural, cognitive, and emotional aspects, as well as interactions between learners, instructors, and content. The review highlights how contextual, institutional, and motivational factors influence engagement, emphasising the role of self-determination, collaboration, and environmental supports. Furthermore, it underscores the evolving nature of engagement, shaped by digital learning, socio-cultural dynamics, and institutional practices. Key outcomes of engagement include improved academic performance, reduced dropout rates, and enhanced emotional well-being. By synthesising existing research, this review identifies gaps and provides a foundation for future studies on fostering meaningful and sustainable engagement in educational contexts.
... The previous literature indicates that there is a positive relationship between learner involvement and academic success (Aubrey et al., 2020;Finn & Zimmer, 2012). More specifically, a number of research in L2 context acknowledge that task involvement is strongly linked to heightened focus and involvement in a learning activity (Aubrey, 2017;Farsad & Modarresi, 2023;Modarresi, 2021;Philp & Duchesne, 2016). ...
... Student engagement is defined as "the student's psychological investment in an effort directed toward learning, understanding, or mastering the knowledge, skills, or craft that academic work is intended to promote" (Newmann, 1992, p. 2). The concept of student engagement was initially developed in the 1980s as a proactive approach to reducing the number of students who drop out of school (Finn & Zimmer, 2012). Since its inception in the 1980s, the concept of student engagement has been the subject of extensive research, which has consistently demonstrated its crucial role in various developmental and educational outcomes (Appleton, Christenson, & Furlong, 2008;Fredricks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004;Kahu, 2013). ...
Article
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To promote positive education in the Philippines and contribute to the understanding of online learning, this study aimed to investigate the predictive influence of dispositional hope on the online student engagement of Filipino pre-service teachers at a university in northern Luzon. The participants of this study comprised 279 Filipino pre-service teachers. Two scales were used: The Online Student Engagement Scale and the Adult Hope Scale. Moreover, for the main analysis, simple regression was used. Based on the overall statistical results of all the regression analyses conducted, dispositional hope consistently emerged as a positive predictor of the four domains of online student engagement: skills engagement, emotional engagement, participation engagement, and performance engagement. Consequently, this may indicate that hopeful pre-service teachers are more likely to be actively engaged in their online learning. This research contributes further to the understanding of how dispositional hope influences student engagement, showing that its positive effects apply to both face-to-face and online learning contexts.
... Course. Twelve (12) or about 2.9% of the student respondents are in Artificial Intelligence, fourteen (14) or about 3.4% of the student respondents are in Automatization, six (6) or about 1.5% of the student respondents are in Chemical Engineering And Technology, six (6) or about 1.5% of the student respondents are in Civil Engineering, twentyone (21) or about 5.2% of the student respondents are in Computer Science And Technology, eighteen (18) or about 4.4% of the student respondents are in Data Science And Big Data, twenty-one (21) or about 5.2% of the student respondents are in E-Commerce, forty-three (43) or about 10.6% of the student respondents are in Electrical Engineering And Its Automation, twenty-two (22) or about 5.4% of the student respondents are in Electronic Information Engineering, seventeen (17) or about 4.2% of the student respondents are in Energy Chemical Engineering, eight (8) or about 2% of the student respondents are in Environmental Science, six (6) or about 1.5% of the student respondents are in Food Science And Engineering, twenty-one (21) or about 5.2% of the student respondents are in International Economics And Trade, four (4) or about 1% of the student respondents are in Legal Studies, nineteen (19) or about 4.7% of the student respondents are in Materials Science And Engineering, seven (7) or about 1.7% of the student respondents are in Mechanical Design And Manufacturing And Its Automation, twenty-five (25) or about 6.1% of the student respondents are in Mechatronics Engineering, six (6) or about 1.5% of the student respondents are in Modern History, thirty-seven (37) or about 9.1% of the student respondents are in Music Education, fifteen (15) or about 3.7% of the student respondents are in Network Engineering, seventeen (17) or about 4.2% of the student respondents are in Pre-School Education, fifteen (15) or about 3.7% of the student respondents are in Product Design, nine (9) or about 2.2% of the student respondents are in Public Administration, fifteen (15) or about 3.7% of the student respondents are in Secretarial Science, seven (7) or about 1.7% of the student respondents are in Security Engineering, and sixteen (16) or about 3.9% of the student respondents are in Web And New Media. The result indicates that most of the student respondents are undertaking Electrical Engineering and Its Automation as their course. ...
Article
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This document investigates the impact of the learning environment on students' academic performance at Guangdong University of Technology in China. It underscores the crucial role of teachers in creating a supportive, inclusive, and engaging atmosphere that enhances student collaboration, motivation, and overall academic success. Key components of a positive learning environment—student cohesiveness, support, involvement, cooperation, and equity—are thoroughly examined. The study demonstrates how these elements contribute to a sense of belonging and academic achievement among students. By fostering strong relationships and promoting fairness, teachers can significantly influence students' academic experiences and outcomes. Using a descriptive-comparative-correlational design, the research collected data from 407 student respondents across various courses and year levels through survey questionnaires. The study identifies that while age significantly influences perceptions of student cohesiveness, other factors such as sex and course do not show significant differences in perceptions of support, involvement, cooperation, and equity. These findings highlight the importance of considering age-related dynamics in fostering a cohesive student community. The findings reveal that a well-established learning environment, characterized by strong teacher-student relationships and equitable practices, is crucial for fostering academic success and well-being. The study highlights the importance of teachers' feedback, classroom dynamics, and the educational context, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, in shaping the learning environment. Recommendations for enhancing the learning environment include increasing teacher awareness and training, promoting collaborative learning, and ensuring consistent support and engagement opportunities for all students. The study emphasizes the need for continuous improvement and adaptation to meet the diverse needs of students, creating an environment conducive to their academic and personal growth. By implementing these strategies, universities can better support students in achieving their academic goals and preparing for future career success.
... This finding aligns with existing literature that highlights the importance of academic engagement in promoting students' mental well-being. For example, Finn and Zimmer (2012) found that higher levels of academic engagement are associated with better mental health outcomes, including reduced anxiety and depression. Similarly, Dumford and Miller (2018) reported that students who are more engaged in their academic pursuits tend to have higher levels of psychological well-being. ...
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Introduction Academic engagement of Chinese college students has received increasing research attention due to its impact on Students’ Mental health and wellbeing. The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies marked the beginning of a new era in education, offering innovative tools and approaches to enhance learning. Still, it can be viewed from positive and negative perspectives. This study utilizes the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a theoretical framework to analyze the mediating role of students’ attitudes toward AI, perceived social norms, perceived behavioral control, and their intention to use AI technologies in the relationships between Students’ academic engagement and Mental health. Methods The study involved a total of 2,423 Chinese college students with a mean age of approximately 20.53 ± 1.51 years. The survey was conducted through Questionnaire Star, using a secure website designed specifically for the study. The Hayes’ PROCESS Macro (Version 4.2) Model 80 with SPSS 29.0, a multivariate regression analysis with a chain mediation model that allows for multiple mediators to be tested sequentially, has been used. The statistical test explored the direct and indirect effects of students’ engagement (X) on mental health (Y) through a series of mediators: attitude toward AI (M1), subjective norm (M2), perceived behavioral control over AI use (M3), and AI use behavioral intention (M4). Results The direct positive relationship between engagement and mental health (β = 0.0575; p < 0.05), as well as identifying key mediating factors such as perceived behavioral control (β = 0.1039; p < 0.05) and AI use of behavioral intention (β = 0.0672; p < 0.05), highlights the potential of AI tools in enhancing students’ well-being. However, the non-significant mediating effects of attitude toward AI (β = 0.0135), and subjective norms (β = –0.0005), suggest that more research is needed to understand the nuances of these relationships fully. Discussion Overall, the study contributes to the growing body of literature on the role of AI in education and offers practical implications for improving mental health support in academic settings.
... This concept has been supported by a survey conducted on high school students, which found a direct positive relationship between student engagement and academic performance, as the more the student engaged in the study material, the higher grades they get. [3] As the definition of engagement has become more complex, it has been divided into various components. One model, according to Fredric Categorization of learners engagement [4], divides engagement into three components: behavioral, cognitive, and emotional. ...
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Student disengagement in online learning has become a critical challenge, particularly post-pandemic. This review explores deep learning techniques used to detect disengagement, emphasizing computer vision and affective computing as effective approaches. We examine recent studies focusing on facial expressions, eye movements, and posture to assess student attention, along with non-face-based indicators like mouse activity. A systematic review of 38 selected studies outlines the indicators, methods, and models employed in this field, providing insights for future research on real-time engagement monitoring in online classrooms
... Research indicates the negative trajectory for students with ID who exhibit low levels of on-task behaviors, including increased risk of exclusion from general education settings (Briesch & Daniels, 2013;Wood et al., 2002) and increased dropout rates (Finn & Zimmer, 2012). The challenge is compounded for these students by a behavioral deficit in ontask engagement, making them more reliant on individualized attention and intervention compared to their typically developing counterparts (Sulu et al., 2023a). ...
Article
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Research indicates that students with intellectual disability (ID) frequently engage in off-task and disruptive behaviors, which may lead to the exclusion of these students from general education classrooms and school dropouts. In the current study, researchers implemented self-monitoring to improve the on-task behaviors of four participants with ID in inclusive classrooms in Turkey. A concurrent multiple-baseline design across participants was used. Self-monitoring was implemented across three settings (i.e., Turkish-language art, math, social studies), and generalization data were collected in English-language art classes. Additionally, an average of 16-week maintenance data were collected from all the intervention settings. Results of this study indicated that the efficacy of self-monitoring in improving on-task behaviors was immediate, generalized across settings, and maintained over a long time period (i.e., 16 weeks). Implications for practice are discussed.
... Meanwhile, psychological or affective engagement signifies feelings and perceptions of connectedness to the school or to the group (e.g., academic department, school organization, and class organization); attachment to the teachers, peers, and family members; and benefits and value of education, significance of school, and support in assisting students reach their goals (Betts et al., 2010). Connectedness to the school, and attachment to mentors, peers and family members is collectively regarded as "relatedness," while benefits of education, significance of school, and support to students is collectively regarded as "valuing" (Finn & Zimmer, 2012). ...
Article
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This study explores what motivates students to engage with their learning by examining key factors like autonomy (the ability to make their own choices), competence (feeling capable and skilled), and relatedness (feeling connected to others). Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), we found that these needs, along with support from teachers, peers, and family, play a significant role in how students experience their education. Drawing from Self-Determination Theory, this research highlights the importance of understanding the unique challenges and motivations of Filipino university students, a group that has been underrepresented in global studies. Findings reveal that students generally feel moderately satisfied with their autonomy, competence, and relatedness. They see their instructors, peers, and the university as supportive, fostering a sense of belonging. While their emotional (psychological) engagement is moderate, their intellectual (cognitive) engagement is notably strong. These results show that when students feel supported and their needs are met, they are more likely to invest effort and stay motivated in their studies. To enhance student engagement, teachers can focus on creating meaningful, relevant learning opportunities that build stronger connections to the school community and help students see the value in their studies and career goals. However, this study has some limitations, such as relying on self-reported data and focusing on a single university. Future research should expand to other institutions, include more voices like family and mentors, and explore how culture shapes students’ motivation and engagement over time.
... As reviewed by Home Office (2005), much of the current literature on immigration pays particular attention to language proficiency since it could accelerate progress towards involvement and to successful integration in the areas such as health, education and employment has been acknowledged by the two UK Government national refugee integration strategies. Indeed, there is a large volume of published studies describing the role of learner engagement in desirable academic outcomes, such as higher academic success (e.g., Finn & Zimmer, 2012;Fredricks et al., 2004). More exactly, in the language classroom setting, Ellis (2018) acknowledged that examining engagement through task-based instruction is informative because it galvanizes learning cognitive processes like noticing. ...
Book
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This book foregrounds silenced voices by correlating refugee experiences with educational practices, while questioning how we address the educational rights of individuals affected by conflicts and wars. Accordingly, the book presents a novel perspective within the field of education. Within the context of the most prevalent educational instruments, textbooks, this work endeavors to highlight the muted perspectives of immigrants in education and make significant advances towards resolving this problem. Through extensive research and analysis of the relevant literature, the authors shed light on the challenges refugee students face in their educational trajectories and offer innovative suggestions for adopting more equitable and inclusive approaches within our educational systems. The book not only addresses an educational dilemma, but also emphasizes humanity's shared responsibility. Supporting the educational rights of refugees promotes not only their personal growth, but also more tolerant, compassionate, and sustainable societies. At the same time, this work promotes a critical comprehension of refugee experiences in education by presenting both problems and solutions to the readership. In this way, it demonstrates how a more equitable and egalitarian approach to education can be adopted and it ultimately encourages readers to adopt a broader perspective on the world, embracing humanitarian values and social responsibility.
... Gamification positively influences affective engagement by making learning more enjoyable and motivating. Affective engagement relates to a level of emotional response characterised by feelings of involvement in the institution as a place and a set of activities worth pursuing (Finn & Zimmer, 2012). Research into the significance of affective connections at school has examined students' sense of belonging, identification with school and sense of relatedness, which are factors influential to student motivation and participatory behaviours (Appleton et al., 2008). ...
Article
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This study explores the impact of gamification on student engagement in a first-year Managerial Communication unit at a large Australian university. Gamified elements such as points and leaderboards were integrated into online and classroom activities, aiming to enhance academic, cognitive, social, and affective engagement. Using a quasi-experimental design, the study employed pre- and post- gamification surveys and thematic analysis of student reflections. Results indicated significant improvements in cognitive engagement and social engagement with teachers, with students reporting increased motivation and satisfaction. While academic and social engagement with peers showed no significant differences, qualitative data revealed that competition and rewards fostered a sense of achievement and collaboration. These findings align with existing literature, suggesting that gamification can create a more interactive and supportive learning environment. This study contributes to the growing evidence on the efficacy of gamification in education.
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Social cognitive theory suggests that social persuasion is essential in promoting self-efficacy. However, the existing research on the relationship between social persuasion and self-efficacy has been inconsistent. Moreover, there is still a limited understanding of the connection between teacher persuasion, students’ math self-efficacy, and the underlying mechanisms. This study aimed to address these gaps by exploring the direct and indirect (multiple mediation of intrinsic value and math anxiety) effects of teacher persuasion on students’ math self-efficacy. A total of 2590 Chinese junior high school students completed the questionnaires on teacher persuasion, intrinsic value, math anxiety, and math self-efficacy. The results indicated that boys gained more teacher persuasion and showed higher math self-efficacy. The structural equation model revealed the following results: (1) intrinsic value and math anxiety played a mediating role between teacher persuasion and math self-efficacy, respectively; (2) intrinsic value and math anxiety exerted multiple mediation effects between teacher persuasion and math self-efficacy; (3) intrinsic value is a crucial factor that mediates the relationship between teacher persuasion and self-efficacy in math. The study provides insights into the factors influencing math self-efficacy and suggests approaches for improvement.
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The present research investigates how information literacy (IL) drives student engagement in Pakistan's higher-learning business institutions by examining its effect on student engagement. Data were collected via a survey-based questionnaire from 390 business students enrolled in thirteen Higher Education Commission (HEC) ranked business institutions, selected using non-proportional stratified sampling, and analyzed using SPSS-24. The analysis revealed high perceived information literacy and student engagement, encompassing academic, online, cognitive, social (with teachers peers), beyond-class, and affective engagement. Correlation analysis indicated a significant positive correlation between IL and student engagement, including their sub-dimensions. The results also demonstrated a significant positive effect of IL on overall student engagement. Theoretically, this study contributes to the literature by exploring the connection between IL and student engagement comprehensively. Practically, the findings highlight the importance of IL and offer insights for business educators, librarians, information professionals, and accrediting bodies in developing and integrating a need-based, credit IL course and time-to-time IL sessions across all levels of business education.
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Background Schools are widely considered important agents of social control for young people. Consequently, school engagement, disengagement and the school environment are key to understanding behavioural outcomes during adolescence. This study addresses an empirical gap in longitudinal research by examining new types of school engagement, as well as school‐level environmental factors. Aims To understand the role that school engagement and the school environment play in shaping trajectories of antisocial behaviour. Methods Using longitudinal survey of Australian children (LSAC), this study employed trajectory analysis to identify trajectories of ASB over 4 waves. We tested the influence that early high school engagement and the school environment had on ASB trajectories through a series of multinomial logistic regressions. Results Of the 2983 Australian school students included in the study, three trajectory groups were identified: no ASB ( n = 1599), low‐level ASB ( n = 1158) and moderate‐level ASB ( n = 88). The influence of truancy, suspension/expulsion and school avoidance were all particularly strong, and student–teacher relationships were found to both directly and indirectly influence levels of ASB. Conclusions This longitudinal study provides a comprehensive overview of trajectories of antisocial behaviour during adolescence and how they are influenced by experiences at school. It confirms the strong influence of behavioural disengagement and offers new insights into the role of affective school engagement and the school environment.
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One of the effective strategies to improve writing skills is Collaborative Writing (CW). In the CW process, group members will engage and interact in the process of writing a text. Hence, student engagement becomes an important point that needs to be studied. Based on the EWT (Engagement with the Task) model from Philip and Duchesne, there are 4 dimensions of student engagement, namely cognitive, affective, attitudinal and social engagement. This research aims to analyze students' cognitive, affective, behavioral and social engagement in learning academic writing using collaborative writing method. Based on this objective, the appropriate research design is qualitative research using observation as a data collection technique and the instruments used are observation sheets and field notes supported by video recording during the learning process. From the results of the analysis conducted, it was found that during Collaborative Writing with peers the majority of participants in this study were involved cognitively, affectively and attitudinally. In terms of social engagement, the patterns of all pairs were collaborative and expert/novice relationship
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Este trabajo analiza la contribución del compromiso escolar (CE) y la tolerancia a la frustración (TF) para la predicción del desempeño en matemáticas, e indaga si su valor explicativo varía según el tipo de medida utilizada (pruebas estandarizadas versus calificaciones escolares). Adicionalmente, estudia si la relación del CE con el desempeño en matemáticas difiere según la capacidad de TF. Participaron 233 estudiantes de 4.°, 5.° y 6.° año de nivel primario. Los resultados indican que tanto el CE como la TF predicen el desempeño en matemáticas, y que es mayor el porcentaje de varianza explicado cuando se utilizan las calificaciones escolares. No se halló una interacción entre el CE y la TF en la predicción del conocimiento de matemáticas. Estos hallazgos indican un problema metodológico en la evaluación del conocimiento de matemáticas y sugieren que el CE puede ser utilizado para la predicción de los logros en esta asignatura.
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This longitudinal study examines the role of psychological control on adolescents' school engagement over time, addressing the critical role of parental influence in shaping students' academic experiences. The research, conducted in Italy with 100 adolescents aged 13-18, employs the Self-Determination Theory framework to explore the relationships between psychological control and school engagement. Findings reveal that parental psychological control at Time 1 is negatively associated with school engagement at Time 2. Using a cross-lagged model, the study reveals a long-term effect of psychological control on student school engagement, consistent with existing literature. The results emphasize the detri-mental impact of parental psychological control on adolescents' engagement and highlight the importance of autonomy-supportive parenting practices for fostering students' academic success and psychological well-being. This study contributes to the understanding of pa-rental influences on school engagement and emphasizes the need for interventions and sup-port systems that promote positive parental involvement in adolescents' educational devel-opment.
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Bu araştırmanın amacı ortaokul öğrencilerinin matematik dersine olan bağlılık düzeylerinin cinsiyet, sınıf düzeyi ve okul dışı matematik dersi alma değişkenlerine göre incelenmesidir. Bu amaçla çalışmada, betimsel nitelik taşıyan tarama modeli kullanılmıştır. Çalışmanın evreni, Ordu ilinde öğrenim gören ortaokul öğrencileri oluşturmakta, örneklemini ise, 2023-2024 eğitim-öğretim yılında Ordu’daki bir devlet okulunda öğrenim gören 193 öğrenci oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada veri toplama aracı olarak, araştırmacı tarafından geliştirilen “Kişisel Bilgi Formu” ile Rimm-Kauffman (2010) tarafından geliştirilen ve Akar ve diğerlerinin (2017) uyarladığı “Matematik Dersine Bağlılık Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır. Veriler, ikili karşılaştırmalarda Student-t testi, çoklu kıyaslamalarda ise tek yönlü varyans analizi (ANOVA) ve Tukey çoklu karşılaştırma testleri ile değerlendirilmiştir. Araştırmada, cinsiyet değişkenine göre herhangi bir anlamlı farklılık bulunmamıştır. Ancak, sınıf düzeyi değişkeninde, duyuşsal bağlılık ve bilişsel bağlılık alt boyutları ile matematik dersine bağlılık ölçeği toplam puanında; okul dışı ders alma durumu değişkeninde ise, sosyal bağlılık ve bilişsel bağlılık alt boyutlarında anlamlı farklılık olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgularda, 5. sınıf öğrencileri ile okul dışı matematik dersi alan öğrencilerin puan ortalamalarının yüksek olduğu saptanmıştır. Buna göre, her sınıf düzeyinde ve okul dışı ders almayan öğrenciler için matematiği daha ilgi çekici ve erişilebilir hale getirecek etkileşimli öğretim yöntemleri ile okul içi destek programları geliştirilmesi önerilebilir.
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This chapter undertakes a thorough and exhaustive exploration of the crucial and multifaceted role that students play in the intricate accreditation processes that govern higher education institutions, thereby illuminating the complexities and nuances inherent in this significant undertaking. By recognizing students as essential and influential stakeholders within this framework, the chapter seeks to clarify and elaborate on the various dimensions of their active participation, while simultaneously highlighting the myriad benefits that such involvement provides not only to the students themselves but also to the educational institutions they represent, and ultimately to propose a series of pragmatic and actionable strategies that can effectively foster meaningful student engagement in the critical initiatives surrounding accreditation.
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This article investigates the dynamics of student engagement in higher education against the backdrop of multifaceted challenges—including the Covid-19 pandemic, socioeconomic crises, and political instability—within the context of Lebanon. Using data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), the article spans three distinct periods: the onset of an economic slowdown and political instability (2013–2014), the profound deepening of the economic crisis and political turmoil (2017–2018), and the tumultuous period of the Covid-19 pandemic and the devastating explosion of August 4, 2020 (2020–2021). It addresses three key research questions examining differences in student engagement over time and exploring the influence on engagement of sociodemographic characteristics, particularly the difference between first-year and senior students. The findings shed light on the intricate relationship between external crises and student engagement, offering insights into the adaptability and resilience of higher education in challenging circumstances. The study contributes to our understanding of student engagement within turbulent contexts and provides a basis for enhancing the quality of education delivery in similar settings.
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The concept of imagined communities has been overlooked by researchers in second language acquisition in the Iranian context. Actually, imagined communities can establish a policy framework for the consideration of desire, hope, and creativity in identity construction in English as a foreign language (EFL) settings. The present study, following a mixed-methods design, mainly aimed at: (1) examining the association between the students’ imagined communities and engagement in writing tasks and (2) exploring the students’ perspectives of the role of imagined communities in elevating their engagement to learn English. In doing so, a number of 112 homogeneous English-major students participated in the quantitative phase of the study based on convenient sampling, and a pool of six students were participated in the qualitative phase of the study based on purposive sampling. A number of instruments were used to measure the imagined community and engagement in writing tasks. The results of Pearson product-moment correlation showed that there was a large positive association between imagined communities and engagement in writing tasks. Having measured the intercoder reliability and intercoder agreement, the results emerged from the content analysis of the students’ responses revealed 12 common codes. Finally, the study offers some practical implications for EFL students and teachers.
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A sample of 1,803 minority students from low-income homes was classified into 3 groups on the basis of grades, test scores, and persistence from Grade 8 through Grade 12; the classifications were academically successful school completers (''resilient'' students), school completers with poorer academic performance (nonresilient completers), and noncompleters (dropouts). Groups were compared in terms of psychological characteristics and measures of ''school engagement.'' Large, significant differences were found among groups on engagement behaviors, even after background and psychological characteristics were controlled statistically The findings support the hypothesis that student engagement is an important component of academic resilience. Furthermore, they provide information for designing interventions to improve the educational prognoses of students at risk.
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This article provides an overview of definitions and measures related to school engagement. The intent herein, is to explore the construct and measurement of school engagement and related terms and provide a summary of previous literature, in an effort to offer a foundation to advance related scholarship and practice. Previous articles exploring school engagement, school bonding, and other associated terms (e.g., school attachment, school commitment, motivation) include a variety of definitions and measures. Items used in previous research addressing school engagement and related terms were classified into five contexts: a) academic performance, b) classroom behavior, c) extracurricular involvement, d) interpersonal relationships, and e) school community. Based on this review, it is suggested that school engagement is a multifaceted construct that includes affective, behavioral, and cognitive dimensions. Conceptualizing school engagement as a multifaceted construct has implications for both research and practice.
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Social control theory hypothesizes that ties to conventional institutions control or inhibit most people most of the time from acting on deviant motives. Our research examines the relationship between juvenile delinquency and ties to conventional institutions, defined by recent researchers as attachment to parents and school. Assuming a recursive causal structure, extant research regresses delinquency on social attachment. The findings, showing a negative effect of attachment on delinquency, have been used to support social control theory. We question the recursiveness assumption. It seems reasonable to assume that delinquency is as likely to affect attachment as attachment is to affect it. Our research estimates a nonrecursive model using OLS crosslag and simultaneous equation methods. The findings suggest that the effects are reciprocal and contingent on social status and, thus, raise serious questions about the validity of extant research as a test of social control theory.
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Students' subjective sense of school belonging recently has been identified as a potentially important influence on academic motivation, engagement, and participation, especially among students from groups at risk of school dropout. Students' friends also influence their academic motivation, sometimes negatively. In this study, the relationship among early adolescent students' sense of school belonging, perceptions of their friends' academic values, and academic motivation was investigated among 301 African-American, White/Anglo, and Hispanic students in two urban junior high schools. School belonging was significantly associated with several motivation-related measures—expectancy of success, valuing schoolwork, general school motivation, and self-reported effort. Students' beliefs about their friends' academic values were more weakly related to these outcomes. The correlations between school belonging and the motivation-related measures remained positive and statistically significant even after the effects of friends' academic values were partialled out. School belonging was more highly associated with expectancy for success among Hispanic students than among African-American students, and among girls than among boys.
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Academic dishonesty is a significant problem among students from elementary school through college. The desire to succeed in school through dishonesty is increased when there is a breakdown in the norms associated with conventional academic attitudes. The authors conducted a survey research study to examine the relationship between academic performance and cheating. They hypothesized that the inverse relationship between academic performance and cheating is moderated by school identification and academic self-efficacy. The results show that cheating is more likely among lower achieving students when they do not identify with school, and among higher achieving students with low levels of academic self-efficacy.
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This article considers the practical, conceptual, and empirical foundations of an early identification and intervention system for middle-grades schools to combat student disengagement and increase graduation rates in our nation's cities. Many students in urban schools become disengaged at the start of the middle grades, which greatly reduces the odds that they will eventually graduate. We use longitudinal analyses—following almost 13,000 students from 1996 until 2004—to demonstrate how four predictive indicators reflecting poor attendance, misbehavior, and course failures in sixth grade can be used to identify 60% of the students who will not graduate from high school. Fortunately, by combining effective whole-school reforms with attendance, behavioral, and extra-help interventions, graduation rates can be substantially increased.
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The authors investigated how students’ (N = 233) perceptions of the social environment of their eighth-grade classroom related to changes in motivation and engagement when they moved from seventh to eighth grade. In general, prior motivation and engagement were strong predictors of subsequent motivation and engagement, whereas gender, race, and prior achievement were not related to changes in motivation or engagement. A higher-order classroom social environment factor accounted for significant changes in all motivation and engagement outcomes. Four distinct dimensions of the social environment were differentially important in explaining changes in various indices of motivation and engagement. In general, however, students’ perceptions of teacher support, and the teacher as promoting interaction and mutual respect were related to positive changes in their motivation and engagement. Students’ perceptions of the teacher as promoting performance goals were related to negative changes in student motivation and engagement. Implications for recent educational reform initiatives were also discussed.
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The present study was designed to investigate the relationships between role strains following the transition to secondary school and academic achievement. Academic engagement was hypothesized to mediate between role strain and achievement. The sample consisted of 749 students in their first year of secondary school. Four types of role strain were investigated: parent, teacher, school and peer. Parent and teacher role strains appeared to be negatively associated with academic achievement, as mediated through academic engagement. Parent and school role strain were directly and negatively associated with achievement. Results are discussed in the light of parenting practices and the developmental mismatch hypothesis.
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The rote of psychosocial risk and protective factors in successful adolescent development under circumstances of socioeconomic disadvantage was investigated among 1,638 high school students in a large, urban school district. Success referred to 2 important developmental tasks: engagement in school and avoiding more than minimal involvement in problem behavior. Significant negative effects on success were found for disadvantage and for risk factors, whereas protective factors had significant positive effects. In addition, protection moderated the effects of risk, especially for more disadvantaged youth. Further, in longitudinal analyses, both risk and protective factors accounted for significant variance in change in successful outcomes over time and development. Key risk factors are Low Expectations for Success, Low Self-Esteem, Hopelessness, and having Friends as Models for Problem Behavior. Key protective factors are Attitudinal Intolerance of Deviance. Positive Orientation to Health, and having Friends as Models for Conventional Behavior. Strengthening protective factors, as well as reducing risk, may enhance successful development, especially in disadvantaged life circumstances.
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Early adolescents'sense of classroom belonging and support-of being liked, respected, and valued by fellow students and by the teacher-was investigated among 353 sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade middle school students. Focusing on one academic class, students completed scales of classroom belonging and support, expectancies for success, and intrinsic interest and value; course grades and effort ratings were obtained from English teachers. Each of three belonging/support factors identified by principal components analysis contributed significantly to explaining variance in expectancies and value, with teacher support having the most consistently substantial influence across student subgroups. The strength of association between support and motivation dropped significantly from sixth to eighth grade. Teacher support was more closely related to motivation for girls than for boys. Expectancy was the primary predictor of class effort and grades. These findings underscore the importance of belonging and interpersonal support in fostering academic motivation and achievement.
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Defining sense of community as a feeling of belongingness within a group, this article reviews research about students' sense of acceptance within the school community to address three questions: Is this experience of belongingness important in an educational setting? Do students currently experience school as a community? And how do schools influence students' sense of community? Conceptually, the review reflects a social cognitive perspective on motivation. This theoretical framework maintains that individuals have psychological needs, that satisfaction of these needs affects perception and behavior, and that characteristics of the social context influence how well these needs are met. The concern here is how schools, as social organizations, address what is defined as a basic psychological need, the need to experience belongingness. The findings suggest that students' experience of acceptance influences multiple dimensions of their behavior but that schools adopt organizational practices that neglect and may actually undermine students' experience of membership in a supportive community.
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This study assessed the impact on 10th-grade students of attending high schools whose practices are consistent with the school-restructuring movement Using data on a sample of 11,794 sophomores in 830 high schools from the first two waves of the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988, the authors evaluated restructuring effects on students' gains in engagement and achievement in four subjects and the social distribution of those gains. High schools with several practices consistent with restructuring and those with none of the 30 practices that were considered were contrasted with schools that engaged in only traditional reforms. School size was evaluated as an independent structural feature. The results revealed that students' gains in achievement and engagement were significantly higher in schools with restructuring practices and lower in schools without reforms. Higher and more socially equitable engagement and achievement were consistently associated with smaller high schools.
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In this collection of chapters, leading scholars of adolescent risk behavior present the most recent ideas and findings about the variety of behaviors that can compromise adolescent development, including drug use, risky driving, early sexual activity, depression, and school disengagement. In particular, the volume emphasizes new perspectives on development and on person-centered analysis.
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Arguing that educators have little control over a dropout's background characteristics, Gary Wehlage and Robert Rutter probe the High School and Beyond data for insights into the characteristics of students' school experiences that may contribute to dropping out and that might be altered through policy interventions.
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Research on dropping out of school has focused on characteristics of the individual or institution that correlate with the dropout decision. Many of these characteristics are nonmanipulable, and all are measured at one point in time, late in the youngster’s school career. This paper describes two models for understanding dropping out as a developmental process that may begin in the earliest grades. The frustration-self-esteem model has been used for years in the study of juvenile delinquency; it identifies school failure as the starting point in a cycle that may culminate in the student’s rejecting, or being rejected by, the school. The participation-identification model focuses on students’ “involvement in schooling,” with both behavioral and emotional components. According to this formulation, the likelihood that a youngster will successfully complete 12 years of schooling is maximized if he or she maintains multiple, expanding forms of participation in school-relevant activities. The failure of a youngster to participate in school and class activities, or to develop a sense of identification with school, may have significant deleterious consequences. The ability to manipulate modes of participation poses promising avenues for further research as well as for intervention efforts.
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Although student engagement with the intellectual work of school is important to students' achievement and to their social and cognitive development, studies over a span of two decades have documented low levels of engagement, particularly in the classroom. Examining several theoretical perspectives that attempt to explain engagement through comprehensive frameworks, this study evaluates the effect on engagement of school reform initiatives that are consistent with the theories. The study also investigates whether patterns exist in students' engagement, whether the patterns are consistent across grade levels, and whether class subject matter (mathematics or social studies) differentially affects engagement. The sample includes 3.669 students representing 143 social studies and mathematics classrooms in a nationally selected sample of 24 restructuring elementary, middle, and high schools. Because of the nature of the nested data (students nested within classrooms nested within schools), the analysis is conducted using hierarchical linear modeling in its three-level application (HLM3L). The reform initiatives, which are consistent with the theories, eliminate personal background effects. Together with classroom subject matter, they substantially influence engagement. The results are generally consistent across grade levels.
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This chapter provides a framework for understanding the integral role of school identification in shaping students’ social and learning behavior. In the first part of this chapter, the components of identification (belonging and valuing) are described from a theoretical perspective. Next, the development of identification in students is described, and contextual factors that affect the development of identification are highlighted. These contextual factors are: association with similar others, feelings of safety, being treated fairly, and teacher supportiveness. A model is forwarded that relates identification to student behavior and learning. Finally, behavioral correlates of school identification that explain the direct and indirect relationships of identification with students’ academic success are presented. Three assumptions underlie the position taken in this chapter. First, identification with school is “affective”; that is, it involves emotion more than cognition, and it is comprised of a particular set of attitudes toward school and school work. Second, these attitudes shape student behavior and vice versa. Third, identification with school develops over time so that its precursors may be seen in the early grades.
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We examined the potential benefits and risks associated with participation in five types of activities: prosocial (church and volunteer activities), team sports, school involvement, performing arts, and academic clubs. Our sample included 1,259 mostly European American adolescents (approximately equal numbers of males and females). First, we explore the link between involvement in these activities and our indicators of positive and negative development. Involvement in prosocial activities was linked to positive educational trajectories and low rates of involvement in risky behaviors. In contrast, participation in team sports was linked to positive educational trajectories and to high rates of involvement in one risky behavior, drinking alcohol. Then, we explore two possible mediators of these associations: peer associations and activity-based identity formation. The evidence supported our hypothesis that group differences in peer associations and activity-based identities help explain activity group differences.
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In this investigation we examined the relation between teachers' ratings of the classroom behavior of 1,013 fourth graders and student achievement. Students were identified whose behavior was frequently inattentive and withdrawn, and others were identified who were disruptive. Norm-referenced and criterion-referenced achievement tests indicated that inattentive-withdrawn behavior was associated with depressed academic performance, at least to the extent that disruptive behavior was. These results have strong implications for research and practice. Disruptive students tend to draw far more attention from teachers, whereas teachers may overlook inattentive students in spite of the potentially profound effects of nonparticipation in class.
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Highlights: Dropping out is more of a process than an event—a process that, for some students, begins in early elementary school. Poor academic achievement, as early as elementary school, is one of the strongest predictors of dropping out. Preschool improves school readiness and early school success, positively affecting student outcomes, including high school completion. Grades are more consistent than test scores in predicting which students will leave school without graduating. Several behaviors both in and out of school— including absenteeism, delinquency, and substance abuse—are strong indicators of dropping out. A stable home environment and access to social and financial resources strongly influence the likelihood that a student will graduate. ► ► ► ► ► ► C alifornia and the nation are facing a dropout crisis. About one-quar-ter of all students who enter the ninth grade fail to earn a diploma four years later. To address this crisis requires a better understand-ing of why students drop out. Dropouts themselves report a variety of reasons for leaving school (see CDRP Statistical Brief 2), but these reasons do not reveal the underlying causes. Multiple factors in elementary or middle school may influence stu-dents' attitudes, behaviors, and performance in high school prior to drop-ping out. To better understand the underlying causes behind students' decisions for dropping out, we reviewed the past 25 years of research on dropouts. The review was based on 203 published studies that analyzed a variety of national, state, and local data to identify statistically significant predictors of high school dropout and graduation. Although in any particular study it is difficult to demonstrate a causal relationship between any single fac-tor and the decision to quit school, a large number of studies with similar findings does suggest a strong connection. The research review identified two types of factors that predict wheth-er students drop out or graduate from high school: factors associated with individual characteristics of students, and factors associated with the in-stitutional characteristics of their families, schools, and communities. ► Individual Predictors Individual factors that predict whether students drop out or gradu-ate from high school fall into four areas: (1) educational performance, (2) behaviors, (3) attitudes, and (4) background. Educational Performance. Several aspects of educational performance have been widely identified in the research literature as strong predictors of dropping out or graduating: test scores and grades in high school; academic achievement in both middle and elementary school (with grades a more consistent predictor than test scores); non-promotional school changes (student mobility) during middle and high school; and, retention (being held back one or more grades), in elementary, middle, and high school. • • • • Behaviors. A wide range of behaviors both in and out of school have been shown to predict dropout and gradu-ation. One of the most important is student engagement, which includes students' active involvement in aca-demic work (e.g., coming to class, do-ing homework) and the social aspects of school (e.g., participating in sports or other extracurricular activities). Research consistently finds that high absenteeism—one specific indi-cator of engagement—is associated with higher dropout rates. Misbe-havior in high school and delinquent behavior outside of high school are both significantly associated with higher dropout and lower graduation rates. In addition, drug or alcohol use during high school is associated with higher dropout rates. Teenage par-enting and childbearing increase the odds of dropping out. Having friends who engage in criminal behavior or friends who have dropped out also increases the odds of dropping out, with such associations appearing as early as the seventh grade.
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The primary purpose of the present study was to better understand the roles of motivation and self-regulated task behavior for early school achievement differences among young, economically at-risk and not-at-risk children. Of the at-risk participants, 43 were 5-6-year-olds and 42 were 7-8-year-olds. Of the not-at-risk participants, 21 were 6-year-olds, and 21 were 8-year-olds. Results of the study showed that child-and-teacher-reported motivation levels were comparable among the at-risk and the not-at-risk children. However, the at-risk children showed poorer abilities to regulate their task attention than the not-at-risk children did. In addition, younger at-risk children's achievement scores were predicted by their levels of attention-regulation abilities. Results are discussed in relation to the importance of at-risk children's attention-regulation skills.
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Despite the fact that misbehavior in school is a pervasive problem to educators and despite its adverse consequences, few researchers have examined the range of misbehaviors by students, their antecedents, or their consequences. The authors used data from the National Education Longitudinal Survey of 1988 (NELS:88) conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to examine immediate and long-term educational sequelae of misbehavior in high school. The authors constructed an extent of serious misconduct (ESM) measure based on classroom and school misbehaviors, ranging from classroom disruption to fighting and gang membership. The authors first examined relationships among specific misbehaviors and the relationship of ESM to student and school demographic characteristics. Second, the authors studied relationships of ESM with high school and post-high school academic outcomes. Misbehavior was related to high school grades, test scores, and graduation and dropout rates. Misbehavior also was related to entering a postsecondary program of study and completing a postsecondary program. In both cases, well-behaved students were more likely to participate in postsecondary education than were moderately misbehaving students, but moderately mis-behaving students did not participate more than did seriously misbehaving students. The authors discussed results in terms of the need to understand more about the structure of school-related misbehavior and the antecedents of misbehavior, including characteristics of classrooms and schools that may exacerbate student misconduct.
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This short-term longitudinal research examined the relationships among middle school students’ perceptions of school environment, school engagement, and academic achievement. Participants were from a representative, ethnically diverse, urban sample of 1,046 students. The findings supported the theoretical conceptualization of three different, but related, dimensions of school engagement: school participation, sense of identification with school, and use of self-regulation strategies. The results also indicated that students’ perceptions of the distinct dimensions of school environment in seventh grade contribute differentially to the three types of school engagement in eighth grade. Finally, the authors found that students’ perceptions of school environment influenced their academic achievement directly and indirectly through the three types of school engagement. Specifically, students’ perceptions of school characteristics in seventh grade influenced their school participation, identification with school, and use of self-regulation strategies in eighth grade that occur therein and, in turn, influenced students’ academic achievement in eighth grade.
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This study investigated students’ reports of attention, understanding, cognitive processes and affect during mathematics instruction. Two classes of fifth grade students (N = 38) were taught a 9-day mathematics unit on measurement by one of their teachers. Students were videotaped during instruction and interviewed subsequently using a stimulated-recall procedure. Students completed an achievement test and questionnaires about their attention, cognitive processes, motivational self-thoughts, and attitudes toward mathematics. Results suggest that students’ reports of attention, understanding, and cognitive processes were more valid indicators of classroom learning than observers’ judgments of students’ time on task. Findings also indicate that students’ reported affect as well as cognitions mediated the relationship between instructional stimuli and student achievement and attitudes.
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The concept of school engagement has attracted increasing attention as representing a possible antidote to declining academic motivation and achievement. Engagement is presumed to be malleable, responsive to contextual features, and amenable to environmental change. Researchers describe behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement and recommend studying engagement as a multifaceted construct. This article reviews definitions, measures, precursors, and outcomes of engagement; discusses limitations in the existing research; and suggests improvements. The authors conclude that, although much has been learned, the potential contribution of the concept of school engagement to research on student experience has yet to be realized. They call for richer characterizations of how students behave, feel, and think—research that could aid in the development of finely tuned interventions
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Urban African American first-year high school students' absenteeism was found to be negatively related to grade point average (GPA) and avoidance as a means of coping (use of substances as a way to escape—food, alcohol, smoking, caffeine, etc.) and positively related to use of social support as a means of coping (efforts to stay emotionally connected with people through reciprocal problem solving and expression of affect). Nonattenders tend to have lower GPAs, report using avoidance less often as a means of coping, and report using social support more often. In other words, those students who attend school most frequently tend to have higher GPAs, use avoidance more often as a means of coping, and use members of their social support less often than do those who have more absences. Implications are discussed for educational reform, school counseling service delivery, and future research.
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From a life course perspective, high school dropout culminates a long-term process of disengagement from school. The present paper uses data from a representative panel of Baltimore school children to describe this unfolding process. Over 40% of the study group left school at some point without a degree, but this high overall rate of dropout masks large differences across sociodemographic lines as well as differences involving academic, parental, and personal resources. A sociodemographic profile of dropout for the study group shows how dropout rates vary across different configurations of background risk factors including family socioeconomic status (SES), family type, and family stress level. Dropout risk factors and resources in support of children's schooling then are examined at four schooling benchmarks: the 1st grade, the rest of elementary school (years 2-5), the middle school (years 6-8), and year 9 (the 1st year of high school for those promoted each year). Academic, parental, and personal resources condition dropout prospects at each time point, with resources measured early in children's schooling forecasting dropout almost as well as those from later in children's schooling. Additionally, evidence is presented that resources add on to one another in moderating dropout risk, including risk associated with family SES. These patterns are discussed in terms of a life course view of the dropout process.
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Using education survey data from 6,883 Grade 6 students in 148 schools and from 6,868 Grade 8 students in 92 schools in New Brunswick, Canada, the author applied student and school characteristics to explain differences among students and schools regarding students' sense of belonging to school. Results of hierarchical linear modeling showed that in Grades 6 and 8, discrepancies in students' sense of belonging were mainly within schools, rather than between schools. At the student level, sense of belonging in both grades was affected more by students' mental and physical conditions and less by their individual and family characteristics. Students' self-esteem was the single most important predictor of their sense of belonging, followed by their health status. At the school level, school climate (academic press or expectation in Grade 6 and disciplinary climate in Grade 8) was more important than school context in shaping students' sense of belonging.
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This research examines the extent to which individual- and school-level factors explain variation in school misbehavior among a nationally representative sample of high school students. The results reveal that higher levels of school attachment, school commitment, and belief in school rules are associated with lower levels of misbehavior in school, net of family and peer influences. With regard to school climate, larger schools in urban areas explain variations in school misbehavior. Overall, the results suggest that individual- and school-level covariates should be included in the study of school misbehavior.
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This article describes the development of a student rating scale that assesses the degree to which students identify with or disidentify from school and whether there are gender or racial group differences in identification. The Identification with School Questionnaire was tested on a sample of 3,539 eighth-grade pupils. Confirmatory factor analyses of the data provided evidence that a unidimensional scale may better reflect the degree to which students identify with school than do separate measures of belonging and valuing. Analyses of variance of the scale indicated that female students exhibited higher degrees of identification with school than did their male peers, African American students were more identified with school than were White students, and White male youngsters had the lowest levels of identification with school.
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Research on children at risk for school failure emphasizes the need to understand the ways in which pupils are engaged or disengage from class and school activities. This paper describes the development of a teacher rating scale that assesses the form and extent of participation among elementary grade pupils. The Student Participation Questionnaire was tested with a large sample of Grade-4 teachers and their pupils. Three reliable scales were obtained and labeled (a) Effort, (b) Initiative, and (c) Nonparticipatory Behavior, along with a short scale that reflects the extent to which the student values school achievement. Analysis of variance of the subscales indicated that females, pupils from homes with higher incomes, and nonminority pupils generally participate in the classroom more than their peers, although there is some confounding of the race and SES effects. The instrument should prove particularly useful in further research on student involvement.
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Long-standing critiques of large “factory model” high schools and growing evidence for the benefits of small schools, especially for the achievement of low-income and minority students, have stimulated initiatives in many cities to redesign secondary education. This seven-year study of the Coalition Campus Schools Project in New York City documented a unique “birthing” process for new, small schools that were created as part of a network of reform-oriented schools in a context of systemwide reform. The study found that five new schools that were created to replace a failing comprehensive high school produced, as a group, substantially better attendance, lower incident rates, better performance on reading and writing assessments, higher graduation rates, and higher college-going rates than the previous school, despite serving a more educationally disadvantaged population of students. The schools shared a number of design features, detailed in this study, that appeared to contribute to these outcomes. The study also describes successful system-level efforts to leverage these innovations and continuing policy dilemmas influencing the long-term fate of reforms.
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Using four wave panel data, a theoretically informed structural model of junior high school antecedents of high school dropout behavior is estimated, using LISREL VII. The model specifies a linkage between negative school experiences, both academic and disciplinary, and later dropout behavior that is mediated by self-derogation in a school context and contranormative behavior including both avoidant/withdrawal and deviant acting out behavior. Subjects (n= 1,714) were tested three times as junior high school students and were later interviewed as adults. Results provided strong support for the predicted relationship between students' feelings of self-rejection in a school setting, stimulated by negative academic experiences reported during junior high school, and their likelihood of dropping out of high school with truancy behavior during junior high school as a mediating variable. Implications for future research and dropout prevention programs are explored.
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Student aggression against peers, school staff, and property is a popular topic in the media and a great concern of the public. However, analysis of crime statistics suggests the problem of school violence is vastly overstated. This results in reliance on inappropriate or inadequate policies aimed at preventing and remediating problems. Further, there is a side of school violence that receives relatively little attention. Victimization of students by teachers, administrators, and other school staff, most often in the name of discipline, is seldom recognized for its potential to contribute to student misbehavior, alienation, and aggression. Included in this type of victimization are recently introduced, intrusive, and sometimes abusive, law enforcement procedures, such as strip searches and the use of undercover agents; and historically accepted or tolerated disciplinary procedures, such as corporal punishment, still allowed in 23 states, and teachers’ verbalizations that constitute psychological maltreatment. How these practices may contribute to school violence is documented in survey data, anecdotal evidence, and clinical studies. School psychologists should become more involved in prevention programs and in the implementation of a suggested research agenda.
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Focusing primarily on urban males, Hirschi (1969) presents research findings which are generally consistent with the propositions of his control theory. In an effort to examine the extent to which Hirschi's basic research results can be replicated, groups of rural male and female students in grades six through 12 of one school were asked to respond to a self-report delinquency questionnaire and a series of items which Hirschi used to test propositions of his control theory. Indicators of “attachment” to parents and the school; “commitment” to, and “involvement” in, conventional activities; and “belief,” were found to be related to reported delinquent involvement among these rural respondents to about the same extent as among Hirschi's urban males. However, his findings that attachment to peers and attachment to parents are positively related (to each other) and attachment to peers and reported delinquent involvement are negatively related, were not replicated; rather, the former relationship was found to be nearly orthogonal and the latter variables were found to be positively related.
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In tracking the educational progress of a sample of Baltimore school-children from entrance into first grade in fall 1982 through early spring 1996, the authors examined the children's personal qualities, first-grade experiences, and family circumstances as precursors to high school dropout. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify predictors of dropout involving family context measures (stressful family changes, parents' attitudes, and parents' socialization practices), children's personal resources (attitudes and behaviors), and school experiences (test scores, marks, and track placements). These various measures were found to influence dropout independently of sociodemographic factors and account for much of the difference in the odds of dropout associated with family socioeconomic status, gender, family type, and other "risk factors." The authors take a life-course perspective on dropout, viewing it as the culmination of a long-term process of academic disengagement.