Running head: ENGAGE STUDENTS 1

Engaging Students Learning Project

Shalimar Tart
Central Piedmont Community College

Author Note
This activity is submitted to meet the requirements of ENG 114.
ENGAGE STUDENTS 2

Introduction
When the thought of student engagement is heard, it is often portrayed to think it is

engagement with a certain activity. It is also convenient, that it is to take the place of good

behavior, encouraging or positive feelings, and skills. This is because students may partially be

interested in the activity through behavior and actions however, not understanding the complete

message behind what the activity promotes. Although some teaching methods are understood, it

can be hard to receive credible feedback and engagement from a student. Current and historical

instructional techniques leave students less engaged and prepared to take ownership of their

learning. The main crucial ordinance that is known to teaching is knowing who the audience is. It

is demonstrated that engaging students to the learning methods not only help increase their focal

point and awareness but encourages them to practice thinking and responses at a higher level

according to Marandos, (2012). Getting all students focused, prepared and on task from start to

finish each class is already challenging enough. Two ways to help engage students with learning

are creating working groups within education organizations with the aim of helping to advance

students, leverage other types of resources that offer innovative teaching strategies to capture

student’s attention.

Background

Context in a classroom and engagement from the students are significant factors to academic

achievement. These predictors are important especially for the at-risk students. School

engagement, teenagers in school behaviors received a huge amount of attention because of the

adolescent’s well-being based on Dotterer and Lowe (2011). Dotterer indicated that the mental

and the school-related behavioral activity did not moderate between the objectives learned in the

classroom and the academic attainment. However, increasing learning strategies changes the

mental and behavioral activity.

 ENGAGE STUDENTS 3

It is almost obvious that the same traditional instructional methods are still being taught for

the same reasons. Finding a solution to all of students learning is vain. However, some teachers

create innovative ways to help students connect more with the learning objective but that doesn’t

help a big enough group.

Solutions

There are many ways to involve engagement in a classroom to students. In Figure 1 it shows

creating and repurposing is second at its steps. The two solutions that can be common for

engagement are creating working groups to help advance the student and leverage other types of

resources that offer innovative teaching strategies to capture student’s attention.

Creating Work Groups

In many cases, teams and

work groups are of use to collect new

information not learned and to feed

off one another’s capabilities.

According to Brent, Elhajj, Felder and

Oakley, (2004). Ones who are taught

in a method which includes a small-

group accomplish with higher grades,

Figure 1 The Engagement Pyramid. Pyramid indicates the steps to engage
students with learning. From Steve Wheeler, University of Plymouth 2017, learn in depth, and also are unlikely to
Engaging students in Their Learning,Palliser Beyond.

drop out of school. Goatley and Johnston mentions (2013) they are the ones who create great

teamwork skills and acquire better communication, have a better understanding of the work that

is being taught and gain a better understanding of the environment.

Leverage Other Resources

ENGAGE STUDENTS 4

Types of learning styles can be defined and comprehended in various ways. In Figure 2 it is

explained adding visual aids increase students power to recall from 14 percent to 18 percent.

Learning style can be understood as the best technique for a child to learn. According to Hartlaub

(2001) they mention, some fail to realize its not always tending to students learning methods

doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll lead to

efficient learning. However, taking

some of the newest culture of learning

style and mixing it with some of the

traditional instructional methods can

grab student’s attention. Finding

innovative ways isn’t just the simple

way of saying “let’s use technology.”

It’s bigger than technology. Kuo

(2011) states building some type of Figure 2 The Active Learner. The Brain indicates statistics referring to
students learning. From Jess (n.d)
culture where taking an innovative

stance to teaching is valued. Creating alternate ways to help students take pride in learning is

strategy to expand significant techniques.

Comparison Criteria

There are three strong options to explore for engaging a student and helping them take

ownership in their learning. However, how can we know which is best for the student? The three

criteria that can help with making that decision are the relations to the student, the cost to the

student and lastly the recommendation to training.

Criteria 1: Relations
ENGAGE STUDENTS 5

The involvement with others to help influence better learning. Creating and receiving

feedback from objectives being learned and also taught. Communicating the different types of

instructional method, not only hearing others but visually seeing the strategy.

Criteria 2: Cost to Student

How it might these solutions affect the student. With the solutions what could be the

possible outcome for the student. Will the student have to pay to be involved in these

engagement outcomes.

Criteria 3: Recommendation to training

In order to create these solutions will new and more teachers need to be hired. Will teachers

have to go through training. What knowledge can be attained or developed. Is there practical

instruction and would there be a period of duration for the course.

Comparison of Options

In this section, each engagement option will be compared on the basis of all three

criteria.

Creating Work Groups

Creating working groups can be established to better enhance students learning. How does this

fare with the three criteria?

Criteria 1: Relations

Application of criterion - In the

working groups, relations would be

formed by being exposed to others with

seeing different viewpoints but to also

gathering information like described in

Figure 3 Skills feedback techniques. Four steps to give feedback.
SlideShare.
ENGAGE STUDENTS 6

figure 3. When in working groups, a strong communication is formed by feeding off of other

individuals learning methods and gaining others understanding on the same concept. In work

groups data is shared, thoughts are invented, new learning curves are created. Visually, there is a

change in what is now though due to what was learned and attained.

Criteria 2: Cost to Student

Application of criterion- The cost to the student in working groups may affect the student.

The outcome for the student would be successful whether little was learned, or a lot was learned.

With the solution of creating work groups the student would benefit from the learning

experience, especially that its not just from the teacher with the same traditional instructional

talk, but from their peers who relate with the same experience.

Criteria 3: Recommendation of training

Application of this criterion- With the creation of work groups to help advance the student,

there wouldn’t be much of a need to hire more teachers. However, knowledge would be attained

and developed due to the exposure of others in the group. For work groups there would be a

source for instructions because its all based upon others feedback and personal views of

instructional methods.

Leverage Other Resources

Leverage to other resources have their own benefits but also have their setbacks to them.

How do they fare with the three factors?

Criteria 1: Relations

Application of criteria- Seeking to use other resources relations are formed however, not as

much as it would be for working groups. With this, depending on the type of resource a relation

may or may not encounter. With each type of resource on the other hand, feedback still would be
ENGAGE STUDENTS 7

provided. A different type of viewpoint and learning style will be attained. The engagement of

the student should be enhanced, and the understanding of the context is exerted. With different

leverage of resources, the student will be exposed to new learning heights and will experience

new criteria.

Criteria 2: Cost to Student

Application of criteria- The cost to the student with the leverage of resources might be

affected financially due to technology and improvements. The outcome of the student would be

impacted whether little was learned, or a lot was learned. With the solution of creating new

innovative ways to learn, the student would benefit from the learning experience, especially that

it’s not just hearing from the teacher with the same traditional instructional talk, but from new

technology, new teacher strategies, and others experience.

Criteria 3: Recommendation to training

Application of criteria- In figure 4 with

the creation of innovative ways to teach to help

advance the student, there would be a requirement

for hiring more teachers. With that its another way

to have fresh eyes and thoughts to teaching. There

would be a requirement for training. However,

knowledge would be attained and developed due Figure 4 Innovative Teachers Network. It indicates ways to be
innovative. From 2008. Microsoft.
to the exposure of training. Leverage other resources, there would be a source for instructions

because it’s all based innovative ways and personal views of instructional methods.

Table I. Comparison of Engaging Students

ENGAGE STUDENTS 8

Criteria 1: Relations Criteria 2: Cost to Criteria 3:

Student Recommendation to

Training

Creating Work Worked well Worked well Didn’t work well

Groups

Leverage Other Didn’t work so well Didn’t work so well Worked well

Resources

Conclusion

Engaging students learning to help students take ownership has its benefits. Both solutions

have great benefits to help but also have their downfall. With work groups the cost to the

students is amazing. However, the recommendation to training there is not structure. With the

leverage of other resources, the recommendation to training had great structure. On the other

hand, the relations with student didn’t work as well as the work groups. With either solution, the

criteria that needs to be applied to help students will be a process.

Recommendations

The best option is applying working groups because of the relations to the students, growth

that will be experience and it’s an effective cost to the student.

ENGAGE STUDENTS 9

References
Brent, R., Elhajj I., Felder, R., M., Oakley, B. (2004). Turning student groups into effective

teams. Retrieved from

http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Papers/Oakley-paper(JSCL).pdf

Dotterer, A. M., & Lowe, K. (2011). Classroom context, school engagement, and academic achievement

in early adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 40(12), 1649-60. https://search-

proquest-

com.ezproxy.cpcc.edu/central/docview/902263317/E81690C5AF474E2DPQ/1?accountid=10008

Goatley, V. J., & Johnston, P. (2013). Innovation, research, and policy: Evolutions in classroom

teaching. Language Arts, 91(2), 94-104. Retrieved from

http://ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1448509108?acc

ountid=10008

Hartlaub, S. (2001). "Active" teaching & research: Engaging students in the classroom and

engaging the classroom in research. International Politics, 38(3), 429-436. Retrieved

from

http://ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/203115390?acco

untid=10008

Innovative teachers network (2008), Microsoft.

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/teachers/?p=4703

Jess (n.d). The active learner.

https://jess3.com/blackboard-active-learner-video/
ENGAGE STUDENTS 10

Kuo, C. (2011). A STUDY ON ORGANIZATIONAL INNOVATION'S POSITIVE EFFECTS ON THE CULTIVATION

OF YOUNG CHILDREN'S REASONING ABILITIES. International Journal of Organizational

Innovation (Online), 3(3), 119-142. Retrieved from

http://ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/905945189?accountid

=10008

Marandos, S. A., & Randall, I. (2012). Engaging and motivating students: Five research based

models/approaches for engaging students to be productive! Paper presented at the , 19(1)

539-544. Retrieved from

http://ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1445142361?acc

ountid=10008

Skills feedback techniques. (2010) SlideShare.

https://www.slideshare.net/amorrock/coaching-skills-feedback-techniques

Wheeler, S. (2013). Engaging students in their learning, Palliser Beyond.

http://hub.rockyview.ab.ca/mod/book/view.php?id=2690&chapterid=2379
ENGAGE STUDENTS 11