A Teacher’s Guide on How To Keep Students Engaged in the Classroom

Imagine walking into a classroom full of students. Instead of the usual chatter, you’re met with silence. The students are staring blankly at their desks, and you can practically hear the crickets chirping. This was not the scene you imagined for your lesson. What happened? How did you go from excited students eager to learn to an unresponsive class? You may have lost your students' interest. How to Provide Feedback to Students? When students disengage, it can be tough to get them back on track again. So, how do you keep students engaged in the classroom? Instead of letting their disengagement derail your lesson, you can use effective strategies to boost their interest and participation. This article will explore how to keep students engaged to improve learning outcomes and create a dynamic classroom environment.

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What is Student Engagement and Why is it Important?

Student engagement is the degree to which students are interested, interacting, and curious about learning. Picture a classroom filled with students interested in what their teacher is saying, engaged with the material, and eager to problem solve. This is student engagement. Scholars who study college learning define student engagement as, “the mental state students are in while learning, representing the intersection of feeling and thinking.” (Barkley & Major, 2020, p. 6). 

Engaged students are not just absorbing content. They try to make meaning of what they are studying by putting in intellectual effort and working through challenging ideas. Engaged learners: 

• Care about the subject
• Feel motivated or excited to learn
• Take ownership of their own learning

While teacher and classroom faculty are heavily involved in student engagement, school leaders help set the tone and standard for student learning. All faculty and staff must commit to increasing student engagement to achieve maximum student success.

The Three Dimensions of Student Engagement

Student engagement is not a single dimension issue; there are three strands of engagement involved in students’ academic journeys and success:

1. Cognitive Environment Engagement
2. Behavioral Environment Engagement
3. Emotional Environment Engagement

1. Cognitive Environment Engagement

Cognitive engagement refers to a student’s psychological investment in their learning, or willingness to learn the material presented. The environment a learner is in plays a major role in their ability and willingness to learn. Cognitive environment engagement refers to the intellectual stimulation and challenge students experience in the classroom. Many factors contribute to cognitive environment engagement, including:

Intellectual Rigor

The cognitive demand required for students to complete tasks and assignments.

Relevance

Connection between the curriculum and students’ real-world experiences.

Feedback

The quality and frequency of feedback students receive on their work.

Differentiation

Provision of instruction tailored to students’ individual needs and learning styles.

Fostering Cognitive Engagement: Applying Knowledge Through Real-World Problem Solving in the Classroom

Cognitively engaged students become actively involved in learning, seeking to understand and apply new knowledge. Because students are cognitively challenged by material does not mean they are cognitively engaged. Cognitive engagement comes into play when students are given opportunities to apply their knowledge to real-world problems and think critically about mathematical concepts. 

Rather than drilling fraction problems, a teacher may present students with a real-life application of fractions such as pizza slices. The teacher explains to the class that a pizza is cut into eight slices. They then ask the students how many slices would be left if 3/4 of the pizza is eaten. For group or independent work, the teacher may ask students to think of other real-world objects that relate to fractions and create their own word problem. This provides students with real-world situations and a cognitive challenge.

2. Behavioral Environment Engagement

When you see students actively participate in an assignment or activity, they are more likely to be behaviorally engaged. Behavioral environment engagement relates to the physical and organizational aspects of the classroom that can impact student engagement. Behaviorally engaged students are:

• Attentive
• Participate in class discussions
• Complete assignments with enthusiasm

Creating a behavioral engagement in a classroom environment requires heavy organization and structure on the teacher’s part. This includes establishing and maintaining:

Classroom Layout

The arrangement of desks and furniture influences student interaction and collaboration.

Classroom Management

Consistent and effective teaching strategies to maintain order and discipline.

Routines and Procedures

Clear and consistent routines and procedures that create a predictable and organized learning environment.

3. Emotional Environment Engagement

Emotional, or affective, environment engagement refers to the emotional climate of the classroom and students’ feelings about their learning experience. Emotionally engaged students feel connected to the learning process and find it meaningful and rewarding. There are many components to emotional environment engagement, including:

Relationships

The quality of relationships among students and between students and teachers.

Sense of Belonging

Students need to feel accepted and valued in the classroom community. This also pertains to the overall school climate.

Motivation

Students’ intrinsic motivation to learn and achieve.

Positive Reinforcement

Praise and rewards to encourage positive behavior and effort.

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How to Keep Students Engaged in the Classroom

Begin lessons with an engaging fact to wake up students' brains and jump-start their thinking. Look for information related to the topic, but don’t worry if it’s not a perfect match. The point is to get students to think, “Wait, what?” and pique their curiosity. 

For example, if you’re teaching about the ocean, you could start with an attention-grabbing tidbit like, “Did you know that we have explored more of the moon’s surface than the ocean floor?” 

Interactive Learning and Questioning Can Boost Student Engagement

Research shows that interactive learning and effective questioning strategies are essential tools for fostering critical thinking and active participation in the classroom. Educators can help students develop their: 

• Analytical skills
• Evaluate information critically
• Express their ideas confidently

They engage: 

• In meaningful discussions
• Problem-solving activities
• Thought-provoking questions

These strategies also create a more dynamic and engaging learning environment where students feel empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. Common examples of interactive learning and questioning include: 

• Asking open-ended questions
• Using think-pair-share activities
• Creating interactive games and simulations
  

Use Technology to Foster a Dynamic Learning Environment

From interactive simulations and virtual field trips to personalized learning tools, technology offers a variety of opportunities for students from elementary to higher education to explore, create, and connect with the world around them. Effectively leveraging these digital resources, educators can foster a more dynamic, inclusive, and effective learning environment. Common uses of technology in the classroom include integrating technology such as interactive whiteboards into lessons and creating multimedia presentations.

Real-World Applications Make Learning Meaningful

Creating learning experiences that apply to students' lives outside of the classroom helps students see the long-lasting impact of what they are learning while making the work more meaningful. Often, these go hand in hand and provide additional levels of student autonomy. 

Educators could include real-world applications to class by:

• Connecting learning to real-life experiences, such as current events in their town or upcoming milestones
• Using authentic formative and summative assessments, such as asking students to apply their knowledge of money to a real-world situation to assess students' understanding of concepts in real-world scenarios
• Allowing students to choose their projects or topics within a given framework. 

Build Relationships to Foster Engagement

Developing and nurturing relationships with students is a powerful tool in a teacher’s tool belt. Getting to know students as individuals and creating a supportive and welcoming classroom environment lowers their affective filter and encourages them to be open to learning. It is also important to nurture relationships among peers. Having students work together on projects and assignments through virtual or in-person interactions is an easy way to incorporate nurturing relationships into the curriculum.

Cultivate Self-Efficacy to Boost Engagement

Meeting students where they are in their learning and building them up is key to helping them develop self-efficacy. Students who believe in their abilities are the ones who can perform their best. While self-efficacy relies mostly on the student’s beliefs, teachers and school leaders can help facilitate and increase it by providing students with positive feedback and encouragement. 

This feedback must be genuine. When students reach a difficult point, rather than falsely building them up, help them set achievable goals. Break down complex, or daunting tasks into smaller, manageable steps. For example, they are mapping out the steps to complete a unit project rather than trying to meet one final deadline.

Turn Lessons Into Games to Keep Students Engaged

Students learn best and are most engaged when they are having fun. With this concept in mind, more attention has been given in recent years to the benefits of playing games in the classroom. There are many ways to gamify a lesson, ranging from student-picked avatars to yearlong class quests. 

Use Ungraded Assignments to Reduce the Pressure of Performance 

Short reflections on class material or participation in classroom discussions can easily be turned into credit-upon-completion components of a course. These informal assignments hold students accountable for doing work. They can prepare students to think critically before more important graded assessments without presenting a significant intellectual risk or a grading burden for instructors. 

Offer Choices to Foster Student Engagement and Autonomy

Information is only accessible to students when it engages their cognition, so it is essential to give students both autonomy in choosing how to engage with the material and a diversity of methods for learning and assessing their skills. 

Consider utilizing information from multiple sources or modalities when giving lectures or allowing students to choose different types of projects for a final assessment.

Remove Barriers to Learning to Promote Engagement

A key factor in increasing student engagement is ensuring there are no barriers to learning. Barriers can take many forms, from physical impediments such as desks arranged too close together or a lack of accessible materials to psychological barriers involving feelings of alienation or stigma due to cultural differences. Identifying and removing these barriers is essential for creating an environment that fosters learning. 

Here are some strategies educators can use: 

• Create a comfortable and inviting classroom atmosphere by providing comfortable furniture in an aesthetically pleasing layout. This will help students feel welcome and relaxed, leading to improved learning. Ensure all materials are easily accessible to students with physical or sensory impairments. This can be achieved by providing: some text
  • Large print materials
  • Braille materials
  • Audio-visual aids and other assistive technology

Reduce feelings of isolation and alienation by fostering cultural awareness in the classroom. Educators should strive to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all students, free from: 

• Stereotypes
• Biases
• Prejudice

Encourage students to take risks and express their ideas without fear of reprisal. This can be done by providing a supportive environment, allowing for open discussion, and reinforcing that everyone’s opinions are valued. 

By removing physical and psychological barriers to learning, educators can create an environment that fosters engagement and encourages students to reach their full potential. With a bit of creativity, every educator has the power to make a positive difference in their student’s academic performance.

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Can Teachers Measure Student Engagement?

You can observe student behavior to assess academic engagement. This includes showing up for class, participating in learning activities, keeping up with administrative tasks like managing financial aid paperwork, and submitting high-quality work.

There are a variety of different strategies you can use to elicit and survey classroom participation:

• Asking questions
• Testing comprehension with in-class quizzes
• Leading class discussions
• Asking volunteers to present their projects
• Taking attendance and noting who completes tasks

Participation in Small Groups: An Effective Approach to Measuring Student Engagement

Only some students feel comfortable participating in big group discussions or sharing their work in front of the classroom. This is especially true for your more introverted students.

To better assess engagement, divide your students into pairs or small workgroups. You’ll likely see many of your quieter students blossom during group work, and you’ll also have the freedom to observe who comprehends the course material and who might be struggling.

Gamifying Engagement

Some students rise to the occasion when they feel challenged. Teachers can measure learners’ intellectual engagement by gamifying certain aspects of the classroom. This could include awarding points for certain types of activities:

• Attending class
• Answering questions
• Completing extra credit work
• Spotting real-world examples of concepts learned in class

By offering awards for various types of participation, teachers can encourage engagement in every type of learner. For those students who crave a sense of healthy competition, teachers can share a points leaderboard at the start and end of class.

Checking for Understanding with Pop Quizzes

Most students hate pop quizzes, but hear us out—they can be one of the best tools for determining who’s absorbing class material and who needs more personalized assistance.

There’s nothing like a pop quiz to get students to share what they’ve learned. Teachers can quickly see who’s struggling and could benefit from re-engagement strategies. Similarly, a pop quiz can help teachers see whether those re-engagement strategies have helped struggling students.

Surveys: Ask Your Students Directly How They Feel

As obvious as it seems, one of the best ways to determine if your students are connecting with your lessons is to ask them simply. Many students are surprisingly forthright if you give them a short engagement survey—especially if you explain that the survey is meant to help you improve your teaching methods and lesson plans.

You don’t have to wait until the end of the semester to hand out student surveys. You can ask students to fill out questionnaires regarding: 

• Recent assignments
• Class activities
• Lecture notes

Gathering Meaningful Student Feedback: Crafting Surveys to Improve Future Engagement and Learning Experiences

Invite them to share their feedback using open-ended questions instead of yes or no. This additional feedback can benefit teachers by providing insight into students’ perceptions and engagement levels. You might also consider allowing students to answer anonymously.

Inviting feedback after your course is completed can also help you measure student engagement, albeit with a bit of delay. While you can’t use this feedback to help the students providing it, you can apply it to future classes.

We’ve curated some helpful questions to consider asking your students in a survey, but you can always customize your survey as needed. 

• How did this course help you develop professionally?
• What did you like most/least about the class?
• Which topics would you have liked to cover more content?
• How easy was it to approach the instructor with questions or concerns?
• Was the class material well-suited to the level of the class?
• How would you describe the level of effort you put into this class?
• What improvements would you suggest for this class?
• What advice would you give a student considering this class?

Five Signs of Student Engagement to Look For

Along with the five strategies for measuring student engagement, other indicators can help teachers check student engagement. Some examples of these metrics include: 

1. Grades

Noting how many of your students earned a passing grade or high test scores can indicate whether your class inspired engagement. It can also show you whether individual students retained the information you presented in class.

But don’t disregard students who earned Bs or low As, as they may be engaged intellectually rather than academically. High school teacher and author Esther Wojcicki recently said schools need to de-emphasize the importance of grades and focus more on creativity and innovation. 

2. Class Drop-Out Rate

While students may drop out of a class for multiple reasons, it’s helpful to analyze the attrition rate to see if low engagement is a primary reason.

Suppose students experience other factors outside of school that lead to disengagement, such as course material accessibility or family situations. In that case, you might consider developing a personalized learning plan to re-engage and assist them with learning. 

3. School Attrition

It can also be helpful to note whether the institution has a high dropout rate. Conversely, you can also look at graduation rates to see if college students are delaying their graduation dates or not graduating at all.

If your school experiences either of these problems, student engagement may affect more than just your classroom. 

4. Communication

Communication between students and teachers sends a clear signal about whether they’re engaged. Communication between students and their peers can also indicate whether they feel social-emotional engagement.

There are a few specific things you can look for in terms of communication and engagement: 

• Email open rate (and responses): Do students open your emails or let them sit in their inbox? If a response is required, do they send a reply? Additionally, engaged students are more likely to reach out to their teacher if they encounter a problem with their coursework. 
• Participation in discussions: In addition to live discussions during class, note who’s participating in forum discussions or chats on apps like Slack. 
• Logged-in time: If your learning management system (LMS) allows you to track how long students spend logged in and viewing course materials, this can help you identify disengaged students. Keep an eye out for students spending less time logged in than anticipated and those spending more time logged in. Both can indicate a struggling or disinterested student. 
• Collaboration: Do students eagerly engage in activities with their peers or help others? Their motivation to collaborate reflects their interest and engagement in the class.

5. Appearance and Attention

Taking note of students’ appearance is possibly the easiest way to check engagement, especially if you’re teaching a virtual class. Engaged students will likely be focused on their screens and not seem distracted by things happening off-screen during class time. You could ask fellow teachers to sit in for a classroom observation exercise. This allows you to focus on your students’ learning environment while gaining valuable engagement data.

Of course, don’t make assumptions about how students feel if you think they look bored or inattentive. It’s best to check in with them and ask whether they feel engaged first to ensure they’re not having an off day. Students’ well-being can greatly affect their engagement.

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