{"id":19380,"date":"2025-01-31T17:00:34","date_gmt":"2025-01-31T22:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.xello.world\/blog\/student-engagement-strategies-give-your-students-a-say\/"},"modified":"2025-05-26T15:42:38","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T20:42:38","slug":"student-engagement-strategies-give-your-students-a-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.xello.world\/en-ca\/resources\/blog-posts\/student-engagement-strategies-give-your-students-a-say\/","title":{"rendered":"Assessing Student Engagement Strategies? Give Your Students a Say"},"content":{"rendered":"

Student engagement is universally acknowledged as essential, leaving educators to focus on how to foster it authentically. There have been numerous studies that highlight the benefits of engagement in both <\/span>traditional<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>online <\/span><\/a>classrooms. Giving students a voice in their learning seems to be the most effective strategy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As Zac Malamed noted in a<\/span> MindShift<\/span><\/a> article, \u201cStudents want to achieve in school. They want to find purpose in school. They want to discover their talents. Without students having a voice, we cannot collectively ensure that this will all happen for every student.\u201d Students want to be participants in the learning process, not just recipients.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What does this look like in a modern classroom?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Today\u2019s students are not content to passively absorb information while a teacher lectures at the front of the classroom. Strategies that foster passivity are outdated and should be limited in today\u2019s classrooms.<\/span><\/p>\n

In order to prepare students for success in the modern world, schools must employ strategies that help students to develop critical thinking skills.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These skills offer real-world benefits beyond school and work. <\/span>Scientific American<\/span><\/a> describes critical thinking as \u201ca collection of cognitive skills that allow us to think rationally in a goal-orientated fashion and a disposition to use those skills when appropriate.\u201d They also note it \u201cpredicts a wide range of life events\u201d and studies \u201chave found that critical thinkers experience fewer bad things in life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Students cannot develop critical thinking skills in classrooms that lack engagement. Educators must provide opportunities to cultivate these skills through actively involving students in their learning. Students should be participants in their learning and have opportunities to think about their goals and reflect on their past experiences. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Building life experience through learning\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n

Professor Russell Quaglia told MindShift, \u201cthat the student voice in education is \u2018the elephant in the room\u2019\u2014the missing piece to the puzzle of how to reform schools.\u201d Although Quaglia noted that school reform is the end goal, student engagement was an important part of reform.<\/span><\/p>\n

Education experts Arthur Chickering and Zelda Gamson reinforced this idea, <\/span>stating<\/span><\/a> \u201cStudents do not learn much just by sitting in class listening to teachers, memorizing prepackaged assignments, and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write about it, relate it to past experiences, and apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, ensuring that students have a voice in the classroom is critical to motivation and engagement. This approach not only enhances their educational experience but also equips them with critical thinking skills that will benefit them throughout their lives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Good student \/ teacher relationships<\/b><\/h4>\n

Just as employees are more motivated when their opinions are valued and respected by management, students are more engaged when their efforts and perspectives are appreciated by their teachers. A strong teacher-student relationship is the foundation for a successful learning environment. <\/span><\/p>\n

Part of developing this relationship and, ultimately motivating students, is giving students a voice. Doing so can create a more productive classroom with stronger relationships. It\u2019s important to note that empowering students doesn\u2019t diminish a teacher\u2019s authority. It rather shifts the educator role to more of a guide or facilitator.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If teachers and students function as partners in the classroom, both sides are expected to contribute, and this creates an optimal learning environment for students.\u00a0<\/i><\/b>
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Motivating Students<\/b><\/h4>\n

For educators, motivating students is one of the biggest challenges in a classroom. According to <\/span>FutureEd<\/span><\/a>, \u201cMotivation is \u2026 an important predictor of learning and achievement. Students who are more motivated to learn persist longer, produce higher quality effort, learn more deeply, and perform better in classes and on standardized tests.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, a<\/span> Gallup poll<\/span><\/a> found that motivation declined as students moved into high school, with only 53% of students engaged and 19% actively disengaged. This highlights the need for a fresh approach.<\/span><\/p>\n

The solution? Give students a voice.\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n

When students believe their opinions matter, they take ownership of their learning. A classroom that values student input fosters deeper, more authentic engagement. Real-world topics and applications that resonate with students\u2019 interests and futures make lessons more relevant and meaningful.<\/span><\/p>\n

To create this environment, educators must ask their students about their concerns and interests. When students are empowered, motivation grows, learning thrives, and essential real-world skills develop.<\/span><\/p>\n

Using project-based learning<\/b><\/h3>\n

Project-based learning<\/span><\/a> (PBL) is a great way to involve students in their learning process, which in turn, increases their engagement. Through PBL, students can explore academic concepts and interdisciplinary skills to solve real-world problems. This not only is an engaging way to interact with concepts learned in class, it often directly connects students to projects they find important. <\/span><\/p>\n

PBL will look differently in different classrooms, but it can:<\/span><\/p>\n