Three Dimensions Student Engagement

These three dimensions work together to influence individual engagement on a given task (Chapman, 2002)

  • Behavioral ​: the extent to which students are making active responses to the learning tasks presented (e.g., active student responding to an instructional antecedent, such as asking relevant questions, solving task-related problems, and participating in relevant discussions with teachers/peers)

  • Cognitive​: the extent to which students are attending to and expending mental effort in the learning tasks encountered (e.g., efforts to integrate new material with previous knowledge and to monitor and guide task comprehension through the use of cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies)

  • Emotional​: the level of students’ investment in, and their emotional reactions to, the learning tasks(e.g., high levels of interest in or positive attitudes towards the learning tasks).

Student Engagement in Blended Learning Environments

Blended Learning integrates synchronous and asynchronous modes to facilitate differentiated and personalized instruction. Heilporn et al. (2021) classified teachers’ strategies to foster student engagement in blended learning environments into three meta-categories:

  • Course structure and pace

    • presenting a clear, continuous, and unified course structure

  • Selection of teaching and learning activities

    • proposing active or interactive teaching and learning activities

      • synchronous: polling (you can try tools like Poll Everywhere and Wooclap), problem-solving, case studies, roleplays, debates, discussions, etc.

      • asynchronous: using supportive digital tools (e.g., commented slides, interactive videos, game-based learning applications, online quizzes, discussion forums); longitudinal assessment with several deliverables during the semester

    • selecting activities, topics, and resources that are relevant for students

    • providing choices in topics, resources, or assignment formats

  • Teacher’s role and course relationships

    • At the beginning of the semester, clearly communicating course organizational aspects, objectives, and expectations for both asynchronous and synchronous modes

    • Establishing trusting relationships between students and with the instructor from the beginning of the semester

    • Guiding students throughout the semester, both synchronously and asynchronously

Engaging Introverted Students

That Harvard Business School article “Stop Assuming Introverted Students Aren’t Passionate About Your Class” offers some useful reminders for fostering engagement among quieter students:

  • Introverted students may engage deeply through listening, reflecting, and writing rather than frequent verbal participation.

  • Measuring passion only by how much a student talks in class risks overlooking meaningful engagement.

  • Use small-group discussions, online forums, reflective journals, or polling tools to give introverted students ways to contribute without the pressure of speaking up in large groups.
  • If participation grades rely heavily on speaking frequency, introverted students can be unfairly penalized.

  • Consider quality over quantity and include alternative evidence of engagement.

  • Introverts are more likely to speak up when they feel safe from judgment and have time to prepare their thoughts.

  • Providing discussion questions in advance can boost participation.

  • Acknowledging thoughtful written responses or insightful one-on-one conversations sends the message that all forms of engagement matter.
DKU Faculty Sharing

  • Prof. Joohyun Lee

Prof. Lee introduced the Course Ambassador Program he developed for his biology class, an ownership-encouraging approach through combining group and individual learnings to maximize student’s motivation using social media platform.

Here’s an interview with Prof. Lee with regards to this program: Professor tackles lack of engagement with blended learning strategy – News | Duke Kunshan University

To learn more about this program, please check out the recording of his presentation.

  • Prof. Zhaojin Zeng

  • Planned activities or programs

    • Short lecture and more time for “fun” activities: Games, group discussion, debates, role-play, etc

    • Utilize multi-media sources and materials

    • digital technologies 

    • guest speakers: sense of refresher, new perspectives; UG office has resources for inviting guest speakers

  • Respect their voices

    • importance of addressing student name: when student engage, ask their name first 

    • create comfortable moments of silence for students

  • direct:  formally encourage students to interact: offer incentive, structure, formalized component in syllabus

    • grade requirement

    • structure participation into formal class activities as incentive

    • extra credit/bonus: ask students to show their ideas in front of the class; cautious with this   

  • indirect:  Make the students like the course so they want to participate and know more

    • Make every lecture excellent

    • Leave more time for students to prepare/digest before or after class: reminder email, help them prepare better; after class: estimate their time, workload mental capacity to digest the knowledge, balance this with their course load 

    • have student understand our expectation, we are expected to participate; when to talk, frequently update students what will be the next by weekly schedule 

References

Chapman, E. (2002). Alternative approaches to assessing student engagement rates. Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation, 8(1).

Mandernach, B. J. (2015). Assessment of student engagement in higher education: A synthesis of literature and assessment tools. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 12(2).

Heilporn, G., Lakhal, S., & Bélisle, M. (2021). An examination of teachers’ strategies to foster student engagement in blended learning in higher education. International journal of educational technology in higher education, 18(1), 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-021-00260-3

Additional Readings