Improving student engagement: Ten proposals for action

By N. Zepke, L. Leach. 2010

731 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Since the 1980s an extensive research literature has investigated how to improve student success in higher education focusing on student outcomes such as retention, completion and employability. A parallel research programme has focused on how students engage with their studies and what they, institutions and educators can do to enhance their engagement, and hence success. This article reports on two syntheses of research literature on student engagement and how this can be enhanced. It first synthesizes 93 research studies from ten countries to develop a conceptual organizer for student engagement that consists of four perspectives identified in the research: student motivation; transactions between teachers and students; institutional support; and engagement for active citizenship. Secondly, the article synthesizes findings from these perspectives as ten propositions for improving student engagement in higher education. It concludes by identifying some limitations with the conceptual organizer and one suggestion for developing a more integrated approach to student engagement.

Subfields: Education

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In Education

Citations in the corpus

How Emotion Matters in Four Key Relationships in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (2016, background): “Many theories of learning, as well as the now-copious literature on student engagement (e.g., Kuh et al. 2005; Zepke and Leach 2011), recognize that relationships are vital to the learning process in higher education.”
Student engagement: students' and teachers' perceptions (2014, background): “This understanding informed this project, which was funded by the Teaching and Learning Research Initiative in Aotearoa New Zealand.”
Student retention and engagement in higher education (2020, background): “As with student retention, a number of literature reviews have been published (e.g. Trowler 2010; Trowler and Trowler 2010; Wimpenny and Savin-Baden 2013; Zepke and Leach 2010), as well as special issues of journals (e.g. Macfarlane and Tomlinson 2017).”
The positive relationship between flipped and blended learning and student engagement, performance and satisfaction (2018, background): “…of my study/learning time (Hagel et al., 2012; Kahu, 2013; Zepke and Leach, 2010) Q7 Put me in control of my learning (Hagel et al., 2012; Kahu, 2013; Zepke and Leach, 2010) A seven-item factor emerged from EFA explaining 48.24% of the total variance, and sufficient loadings to suggest the…”
Meaningful learning in teacher education (2018, background): “Consequently, programmes that are based on learners’ characteristics and promote learners’ high engagement and agency are likely to provide surroundings for meaningful learning (e.g. Brookfield, 1986; Zepke & Leach, 2010).”
An assessment arms race and its fallout: high-stakes grading and the case for slow scholarship (2015, background): “Yet, the view was also expressed that graded assessment could gradually move students towards autonomy, partly by ensuring they were engaged in study (see Zepke and Leach 2010).”
Fostering self-efficacy and self-regulation in higher education: a matter of autonomy support or academic motivation? (2019, background): “This is required in a student-centred learning environment to promote student engagement (Zepke & Leach, 2010).”
The student voice in higher education curriculum design: is there value in listening? (2015, background): “The outcomes also support the importance of improving student to teacher interaction regarding curriculum development as highlighted by Zepke and Leach (2010).”
Students’ perceptions of their preparedness for transition to work after graduation (2018, background): “Students’ awareness of skills development and the attributes expected of graduates are needed in order to be able to recognize the benefits of curricular strategies and develop the ability to obtain skills when required (Pegg et al., 2012; Zepke and Leach, 2010).”
The influence of motivation and adaptation on students’ subjective well-being, meaning in life and academic performance (2016, background): “Zepke and Leach (2010) suggested that learning environments that are active, collaborative and foster learning relationships as well as challenging and enriching educational experiences for students that extend their academic abilities lead to enhanced student engagement and motivation – and…”
From saying to doing interdisciplinary learning: Is problem-based learning the answer? (2017, positive): “The principles of PBL are generally in line with propositions made to foster student engagement in higher education (Zepke and Leach, 2010).”