Engagement - the key to successful Learning?

Introduction

One of the most significant challenges facing educators today is a lack of learner engagement. Engagement is often thought of as the level of interest or excitement that learners feel towards their learning experiences. However, engagement is much more than just a feeling – it’s a state of being actively involved in the learning process. When we are fully engaged in something, our brains are working at their highest level. We are taking in new information, processing it, and making connections to what we already know. This state of focused attention and mental effort allows us to learn more effectively and remember what we’ve learned for the long term.

The Neuroscience of Engagement

In his book "The Psychology of Engagement” Dr. Jason Jones professor of psychology at the University of Southern California defines engagement as "a state of being in which people are cognitively and emotionally invested in what they are doing."

He proposes that engagement is essential for both individual and organisational success.

The instructional designer Julie Dirksen says that engagement is "the bridge between knowing and doing.” She sees it as "a state of mind in which we're interested, curious, and absorbed in what we're doing." When we're engaged, our attention is fully focused on the task at hand. We're not thinking about anything else. We're not bored. We're not anxious. We're in the moment, and we're enjoying ourselves."

She goes on to say that engagement has both cognitive and emotional benefits. It's not just about increasing performance, it's also about making people happier and more productive. In other words, when we are engaged, we feel good, both mentally and emotionally.

When we feel emotionally invested in something, we are more likely to pay attention to it and be motivated to learn more about it. This is because our emotions trigger the release of chemicals in the brain that increase alertness and focus. When we care about what we’re learning, we are more likely to engage with it fully and absorb the information.

In addition to invoking an emotional response, there are other things that activate and engage the brain such that information is absorbed. These include: curiosity, novelty, challenge, variety and suspense.

One of the best ways to ensure that your learners are fully engaged is to create a learning environment that invokes curiosity. When we feel curious about something, our brains are more engaged and we are more likely to explore it further. This is because curiosity triggers the release of dopamine, a chemical that increases focus and attention. Dopamine is also associated with pleasure, so when we experience it we feel motivated to continue the behaviour that led to its release.

To create a learning environment that is conducive to curiosity, you can introduce novelty into the mix. This could be in the form of new information, a different perspective on familiar material, or unexpected challenges. By introducing something new, you pique learners’ curiosity and encourage them to explore further.

In addition to curiosity, challenge is also a powerful engagement tool. When we are challenged, our brains are forced to work harder and this leads to greater focus and attention. Studies have shown that when learners are given problems to solve that are just outside their comfort levels, they learn more effectively.

Suspense is another element that can increase engagement. When we are in suspense, we feel compelled to find out what happens next. This sense of anticipation heightens our focus and attention, making us more likely to remember what we’ve learned. It should be noted however that you need to strike a balance between challenge and support. If learners are constantly feeling stressed or overwhelmed, they will disengage. On the other hand, if they are not challenged enough, they will become bored and their brains will switch off

The importance of the learning Environment

The learning environment has a significant impact on learner engagement. The ideal learning environment is one that is stimulating and challenging, yet supportive and respectful. It should provide opportunities for learners to explore, experiment, and take risks. Most importantly, it should be designed to meet the needs of individual learners.

Factors such as the physical environment, the presence of technology, and the pedagogical approach can all contribute to an engaging learning experience. The physical environment should be comfortable and inviting, with adequate lighting and ventilation. The use of technology can enhance engagement by providing interactive and engaging content and an engaging pedagogical approach that is learner-centric and interactive should be a priority.

Strategies for Increasing engagement

• Make learning interactive: By incorporating interactive elements into lessons, instructors can encourage learners to participate actively in their own learning. This might include using collaborative learning tools like Google Docs or Padlet, incorporating video or audio clips into presentations, or using polling apps to gather real-time feedback.

• Use a variety of instructional methods: Encouraging learners to use different modalities (e.g., visual, auditory, kinesthetic) will help to keep them engaged.

• Make connections to real-world applications: Showing learners how the material they are studying relates to real world scenarios will help them see the value in what they are learning.

• Encourage collaboration: Group work can help learners stay engaged by providing opportunities for social interaction and cooperative learning.

• Give Feedback: When you give feedback, it shows that you are paying attention to what learners are doing and that you value their input. Additionally, it gives learners a sense of accomplishment and encourages them to continue participating.

How can you measure Engagement?

There are a variety of ways to measure learner engagement. Perhaps the most basic is simply to ask learners how engaged they feel in the learning process. However, this method can be skewed by a variety of factors, such as social pressure or the desire to please the instructor. Other common measurements include:

• Time spent on task (this information can be collected by observation or through learning platforms)

• Observation of learner behaviour such as asking questions in class or participating in discussion forums.

• Assessments of learning outcomes If learners are able to complete a task or demonstrate knowledge of a concept, this can be taken as an indication that they were engaged in the learning process.

Is learner engagement the golden bullet?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the effects of learner engagement will vary depending on the individual and the specific learning environment. However, in general, it seems clear that learner engagement is a key factor in successful learning. This is supported by research which has shown that learners who are engaged in their studies are more likely to achieve better results. On the other hand, if learners are distracted or disengaged, this can lead to a range of negative outcomes, including poor performance and lower retention rates. Ultimately, it appears that learner engagement is one of the most important factors when it comes to successful learning.

References:

Julie Dirksen, "The Power of Engagement" (blog post), accessed October 10, 2017, https://www.udemy.com/blog/engagement-power/.

Jason Jones. " "The Three Types of Motivation." The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 01 Mar. 2017, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-jones-phd/the-three-types-of-moti_b_5667390.html.