Transcript Student Engagement

Student Engagement
Amy Reschly, Ph.D. & James Appleton,
Ph.D.
 A ‘meta-construct’

Brings together many separate lines of
research (e.g., belonging, behavioral
participation, motivation)
Fredericks, Blumenfeld & Paris, 2004
 Antidote to conditions noted by many
educators…

Students are characterized as bored,
unmotivated, and uninvolved
Student Engagement
 Engagement is the primary theoretical model for
understanding dropout and is, quite frankly, the
bottom line in interventions to promote school
completion.
 Student engagement has emerged as the
cornerstone of high school reform initiatives.
 Both academic and social aspects of school life are
integral for student success; engagement at school
and with learning are essential intervention
considerations.
Christenson et al., 2008
3
Engagement is the primary theoretical model
for understanding dropout and is, quite
frankly, the bottom line in interventions to
promote school completion.
Finn (1989)
 Participation-Identification Model

Indicators of withdrawal and engagement over
several years

Belonging, Identification, Relationships
Finn’s Participation Identification Model
Participation in
Successful
Identification
School Activities
Performance
with school
Engagement is the primary theoretical model
for understanding dropout and is, quite
frankly, the bottom line in interventions to
promote school completion.
Finn (1989)
 Participation-Identification Model

Indicators of withdrawal and engagement over
several years

Belonging, Identification, Relationships
Dynarski & Gleason (2002)


Provided extra personal support for students
Created smaller and more personal settings
 McPartland (1994)
 Provide opportunities for success in
schoolwork
 Communicate the relevance of education to
future endeavors
 Create a caring and supportive environment
 Help students with personal problems
Student engagement has emerged as the
cornerstone of high school reform initiatives.
 National Research Council publication,
“Engaging schools: Fostering high school
students’ motivation to learn”


I can, I want to, I belong
Competence, Autonomy, Belonging
 The other “ABCs”
 URL:
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10421.html
Baumeister & Leary, 1995; Connell & Wellborn,
1990; NRC, 2004; Ryan & Deci, 2000
A common theme among effective practices is that they have a
positive effect on the motivation of individual students because
they address underlying psychological variables such as
competence, control, beliefs about the value of education, and a
sense of belonging. In brief, effective schools and teachers
promote students’ understanding of what it takes to learn and
confidence in their capacity to succeed in school by providing
challenging instruction and support for meeting high standards,
and by conveying high expectations for their students’ success.
They provide choices and they make the curriculum and
instruction relevant to adolescents’ experiences, cultures, and
long-term goals, so that students see some value in what they are
doing in school. Finally, they promote a sense of belonging by
personalizing instruction, showing an interest in students’ lives,
and creating a supportive, caring social context.
National Research Council, 2004, p. 212
Both academic and social aspects of school life are
integral for student success; engagement at school and
with learning are essential intervention considerations.
 McPartland (1994); Dynarski & Gleason
(2002)
 More than….

Academic performance, behavior
Engagement Theory
 4 subtypes
Antidote to: students
characterized as bored,
Academic
unmotivated, and uninvolved
“the student’s psychological
investment in and effort Affective
directed toward learning,
understanding, or mastering
the knowledge, skills, or
crafts that academic work is
intended to promote”
Behavioral
Cognitive
“Energy in action, the
Dropping out is the most
connection between person
and activity”
extreme form of disengagement
Christenson & Anderson, 2002; Newmann, 1992;
Russell et al., 2005
CONTEXT
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
Student Engagement Model
Family
 Academic and motivational
support for learning
 Goals and expectations
 Monitoring/supervision
 Learning resources in the
home
Context
Peers
 Educational expectations
 Shared common school values
 Attendance
 Academic beliefs and efforts
 Peers’ aspiration for learning
Academic
 Time on task
 Credit hours toward graduation
 Homework completion
Behavioral
Student
Engagement
 Attendance
 Classroom participation
(voluntary)
 Extracurricular participation
 Extra credit options
OUTCOMES
Academic
 Grades
 Performance on
standardized tests
 Passing Basic Skills
Tests
 Graduation
Student
Outcomes
Social
 Social awareness
 Relationship Skills
with peers and adults
Cognitive
 Self-regulation
 Relevance of school to future
aspirations
 Value of learning (goal setting)
 Strategizing
School
 School climate
 Instructional programming and
learning activities
 Mental health support
 Clear and appropriate teacher
expectations
 Goal structure (task vs ability)
 Teacher-student relationships
Emotional
Affective
 Identification with school
 Sense of belonging
 School membership
 Self-awareness of
feelings
 Emotion regulation
 Conflict resolution
skills
ies
teg
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ali
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ivi
Ind
Un
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al
St
rat
eg
ies
Intensive
Targeted
Universal
Academic Engagement
Universal Strategies
 Ensure the instructional match is appropriate for the
students and clear directions of what is expected are
provided
 Use mastery learning principles to guide instructional
planning and delivery
 Use principles of effective instruction (e.g., direct
instruction, scaffolding, guided practice; informed
feedback; pacing of lessons)
 Ensure that there is both academic press (high
expectations, well structures learning environment)
and support for learning (caring environment)
Christenson, Reschly, Appleton, Berman,
Spanjers, & Varro, 2008
Academic Engagement
Universal Strategies
 Maximize instructional relevance (e.g., clearly
stated purpose, graph progress toward goals)
 Attend to the effect of the
organization/structure of the school on
learning (e.g., smaller learning communities,
Academies)
 Allow students to have choices within course
selection and assignments (Skinner et al.,
2005).
Christenson et al., 2008
Academic Engagement
Universal Strategies
 Increase time on task and substantive interaction
through cooperative learning, whole class or group
instruction (Greenwood et al., 2002) and peer
assisted learning strategies (Boudah, Schumacher, &
Deshler, 1997; Lee & Smith, 1993)
 Provide home support for learning strategies to fit
content area
 Enhance critical thinking through project work and
ungraded writing assignments
Christenson et al., 2008
Academic Engagement
Universal Strategies
 Use supplemental program within school, i.e.,
Academic Coaching Team (Hansen, Cumming, &
Christenson, 2006)
 Increase opportunities for success in schoolwork
 Encourage parents to volunteer in the classroom
(Lee & Smith, 1993)
 Enhance teacher-student relationships and/or
teacher-student support (Hughes & Kwok, 2006)
Christenson et al., 2008
Academic Engagement
Universal Strategies
 Reinforce students frequently and base it on
the amount of work completed (Skinner et al.,
2005).
 Utilize a variety of interesting texts and
resources (Asselin, 2004; Guthrie & Wigfield,
2000)
 Incorporate projects that take place in the
community (Lewis, 2004)
Christenson et al., 2008
Academic Engagement:
Individualized Strategies
 Utilize after school programs (tutoring, homework help)
 Increase home support for learning – such as home-
school notes, assignment notebooks, and academic
enrichment activities
 Implement self-monitoring interventions
 Ensure adequacy of educational resources in the home
 Help parents to understand and set expectations (Klem
& Connell, 2004)
Christenson et al., 2008
Academic Engagement:
Individualized Strategies
 Help parents to understand and set expectations (Klem &
Connell, 2004)
 Foster positive teacher-student relationship for
marginalized students
 Utilize Behavior Education Programs: Have students check
in with the teacher each hour to ensure they have pens,
notebooks, etc. Check in with teacher each hour, check-out
at the end of the school day (Hawken & Horner, 2003).
 Seek out and utilize college outreach programs and tutors
for students (Rodriquez et al., 2004)
Christenson et al., in press
Behavioral Engagement: Universal
 Examine suspension policies; strive to eliminate out-
of-school suspension
 Examine discipline policies; ensure they are
considered fair, nonpunitive and understood by
students. End reliance on negative consequences as
a means of managing student behavior.
 Encourage social interactions and planning for the
future though smaller learning communities that
target vocational interests (e.g., Academies)
Christenson et al., in press
Behavioral Engagement: Universal
 Offer developmentally appropriate social skills training
to all students as part of the curriculum
 Implement school-wide positive behavioral support
systems that include positive reinforcement and group
contingencies
 Use coordinated, collaborative home-school
interventions to address attendance
 Involve students in hands-on-learning that is directly
related to future career paths or interests
Christenson et al., 2008
Behavioral Engagement: Universal
 Create an orderly routine environment that promotes
consistency
 Offer professional development on classroom
management strategies
 Gather student input about classroom rules, school
climate and evaluation of coursework/assignments; use
feedback to make appropriate changes
 Encourage participation in and provide extracurricular
activities; actively seek to involve uninvolved students
Christenson et al., 2008
Behavioral Engagement: Universal
 Consider ways of having multi-level sports teams
 Ensure that the school climate, school culture is
respectful to all students
 Systematically monitor student population on key
variables (attendance, academics, behavior) for
signs of disengagement from school and follow up
with students showing signs of withdrawal.
Christenson et al., 2008
Behavioral Engagement:
Individualized
 Provide additional, supplemental supports for students
not responding to positive behavioral support systems
implemented school-wide
 Devise an individualized approach to addressing
attendance or participation issues at school; strive to
understand student perspective and unique family
circumstances
 Implement programs that work to build specific skills such
as problem solving, anger management or interpersonal
communication
Christenson et al., 2008
Behavioral Engagement:
Individualized
 Provide an adult mentor who works with students and
families on a long term basis to foster engagement in
school and deliver the message that school is important
(i.e., Check & Connect)
 Develop specific behavior plans or contracts to address
individual needs
 Provide intensive wrap-around services
 Provide alternative programs for students who have not
completed school
Christenson et al., 2008
Behavioral Engagement:
Individualized
 Encourage parents to monitor and supervise
student behavior
 Implement student advisory programs that
monitor academic and social development of
secondary students (middle or high)
 Implement school-to-work programs that foster
success in school and relevant educational
opportunities
Christenson et al., 2008
Cognitive Engagement: Universal
 Guide students in setting personal goals in courses and
monitoring their progress
 Provide student with choices when completing
assignments
 Enhance or explicitly identify relevance of schoolwork to
future goals (see six year plan for St. Paul Public schools
ninth graders at http://studentresources.spps.org.)
 Focus on necessary steps to reach/pursue personal goals
and career aspirations
Christenson et al., 2008
Cognitive Engagement: Universal
 Set learning/mastery goals over performance goals –
ensure mastery goals permeate the philosophy of the
classroom/school culture
 Provide students with challenging and motivating
assignments that relate to life outside of school
 Model learning strategies when teaching specific
concepts
 Provide feedback that emphasizes self control and the
link between effort/practice and improvement
Christenson et al., 2008
Cognitive Engagement: Universal
 Provide professional development training to teachers
(e.g., goal setting and self-regulation combined with
informed feedback that focuses on improvement and
enhancing intrinsic motivation)
 Encourage students who are “on the cusp” to put forth
effort to earn credits by calculating a graduation
achievement rate (e.g., number of credits earned divided
by number of credits possible, compared with % needed
to graduate) (Hansen et al., 2006)
 Encourage parents to deliver messages related to
motivational support for learning (high expectations, talk
to students about school and schoolwork)
Christenson et al., 2008
Cognitive Engagement: Individualized
 Enhance student’s personal belief in self through repeated contacts, goal
setting, problem solving and relationship (e.g., Check & Connect)
 Implement self monitoring interventions (e.g., graph progress toward
goals)
 Explicitly teach cognitive and metacognitive strategies (e.g., mnemonic
strategies) and teach effective note-taking and study skills
 Discuss the link between student’s effort and the
outcome/behavior/success achieved to increase the student’s perceived
self control, self-efficacy, and self-determination
 Design tasks that have the characteristics of open tasks (e.g., student
interests, autonomy, collaboration with peers) (Turner, 1995).
Christenson et al., 2008
Affective Engagement: Universal
 Systematically build relationships/connections for all students -
Educators identify students who may not have a connection with a
staff member (i.e., list all students names at grade levels and
determine who knows the student) and match staff members and
alienated students for future regular “mentor like” contact
 Address size through implementation of smaller learning communities
 Enhance peer connections through peer assisted learning strategies
 Implement a mentoring program (use of college age students)
Christenson et al., 2008
Affective Engagement: Universal
 Increase participation in extracurricular activities
 Combine social support for students (from
teachers, peers, parents, and community) with
high levels of academic press (i.e., teacher
belief that they are challenging students and
student perception that they are being
challenged (Lee & Smith, 1999).
 Create a caring and supportive environment
(ethos) (Baker, 2001)
Christenson et al., 2008
Affective Engagement: Universal
 Intervene early, persistently, and across the
contexts of school peers, school adults, and
the home and community to change student
developmental trajectories.
 When evaluating results, be sure to check for
delayed outcomes associated with early
interventions
Christenson et al., 2008
Affective Engagement: Individualized
 Build personal relationship with marginalized students –
enhance relationship with one caring adult
 Personalize education (e.g., alter assignments to match
personal interests and goals)
 Assist students with personal problems
 Provide extra support for students in a timely fashion
 To improve generalizabilty, intervene across peer, family,
and community contexts when possible
Christenson et al., 2008
Intensive Intervention Example:
Check & Connect
 A model designed to promote student engagement at
school and with learning
 Approach is based on enhancing strengths and
connections between home, school, and community
through relationship building, problem solving, and
persistence
 Drawn from the literature on resiliency, cognitive-
behavioral interventions, systems theory to address
complex social problem, person-environment fit,
motivation
The “Why” of Check & Connect
 Drawn from the literature on resiliency,
cognitive-behavioral interventions, systems
theory to address complex social problem,
person-environment fit, motivation
 Dropout literature:
 Status vs. alterable variables
 Early signs of withdrawal & engagement
 A model designed to promote student
engagement at school and with learning
 Approach is based on enhancing strengths
and connections between home, school, and
community through relationship building,
problem solving, and persistence
Check & Connect Components
 Check….continuous assessment of student
levels of engagement


Monitored on a daily-to-weekly basis
Alterable risk factors: Attendance, Behavior,
Academics
 Connect….basic and intensive levels


Basic: feedback, discussion, problem solving
Intensive: problem solving, academic support,
community service/recreation
Role of the Mentor/Monitor
 Person responsible for helping a student stay
connected to school.

Described as a mentor, case manager, advocate
 Relationship is built over time, based on trust and
familiarity:


ongoing efforts (e.g., checking grades and attendance)
informal connections (e.g., checking in with the student)
Social Capital
 Develop individualized intervention
strategies.
 Promote access to services for
students/families.
 Assist students and families in navigating
secondary school system.
Monitoring is essential for students at-risk
of dropping out for two reasons . . .
 Provides a systematic and efficient way to
connect students with immediate
interventions
 Provides an essential link to students’
educational performance
Check…..
Student Levels of Engagement
 Risk factors monitored regularly
 Increased risk leads to interventions to
reconnect.
Connect…
Basic and Intensive Interventions
 General information about monitoring system.
 Monthly problem solving around different topics
related to the importance of staying in school (e.g.,
economics of staying in school, how to ask for help).
 Regular feedback.
 Problem solving around risk factors.
We have hypothesized that:
 The unique feature of the Check & Connect
procedure is not the specific interventions per
se, but the fact that interventions are
facilitated by a person, the mentor, who is
trusted and known by the student and who
has demonstrated his or her concern for the
school performance of the youth persistently
and consistently over time.
Check & Connect – Secondary Level
Pilot Study: Quasi-experimental design, students with Emotional or
Behavior Disorders.
 C&C students were significantly more likely to..



be currently enrolled in school
Never have dropped out
Be on track to graduate
 Sinclair, Christenson, Evelo, & Hurley, 1998
 Quasi-experimental study – High school students with EBD were
significantly
 less likely to dropout,
 more likely to persist in school,
 and more likely to access educational services (alternative
programs, transition planning).
 They were more likely to be on track to complete school in
four years; and more likely to have completed school at the
end of five years.
 Sinclair et al., 2005
 Chronically truant students in grades 6-12 with and
without disabilities in suburban schools on the School
Success truancy prevention initiative (N=363) have
shown improvement in attendance, skipped
classes, out-of-school suspensions, and
academic performance.


About 65% of Check & Connect students (N=91) are
successfully engaged (equivalent of 0-1 day absent per
month), with no incidences of class failures.
More effective if students are referred before absences
exceed 25% of the school year.
Check & Connect – Elementary Level
 Pre-post intervention results for elementary students with and
without disabilities (N= 147 with 2 years of intervention) in
suburban settings reveals that tardies to and absences from
school have declined, and overall attendance has improved.

86% of students who received intervention for at least two years (N =
147) showed increased levels of student engagement as evidenced by
significant increases in the percentage of students who were absent or
tardy less than 5% of the time, an improvement of 104% over baseline
behavior.
 Also, over 90% of the school staff (N = 123) perceived students were
showing improvement in homework completion, attendance, and interest
in school.
 87% of school staff reported parents were more supportive of their child’s
education

(Lehr, Sinclair, & Christenson, 2002).
Other Applications
 Early Risers I: Implemented with students in Kdg and
1st grade who were highly aggressive. Students in
C&C displayed significantly fewer problem behaviors
during the 2-years of intervention
 Early Risers II: 1st and 2nd graders who were highly
aggressive and poor readers living in poverty

Combined with Reading Interventions. Significant
differences in phonological awareness; no differences
in ratings of aggressive behavior
 Project ELSE (Early-Literacy School Engagement
Project) 2000-2004
 Implemented Check & Connect with Kindergarteners
at-risk for learning to read. 6 Schools randomly
assigned to treatment and control


Statistically significant differences in early literacy skills
and engagement (attendance and tardies) for students
in C&C with EL as compared to control
Positive changes in teachers’ perceptions of children’s
behavior and academic competence
 O’Shaughnessy, Draper, Christenson, Militch, Waldbart, &
Gabriel (2004)
 www.ici.umn.edu/checkandconnect/
 whatworks.ed.gov/PDF/Intervention/techappendix06
_312.html
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
INSTRUMENT (SEI)
Instrument Blueprint
Urban Midwest
Instrument Validation Study
 8th graders (Think Aloud)
 2,577 of 3,104 diverse, urban 9th graders
 1,931 (~75%) in analyses
 51% female, 40% Afr Amer, 35% White, 11%
Asian, 10% Hispanic, 4% Amer Ind
 61% FRL; 8% Sped Services
Conclusions
 Based on actual student responses, the six
survey Themes and the overall instrument
were valid and reliable.
 When checked against student’s academic
and behavioral records, the SEI themes
aligned as expected.
Replication Studies
 Urban Midwest, Rural South Carolina, and
Rural Midwest studies
 Instrument measurement characteristics were
supported
 Construct (Theme) validity evidence is strong
GCPS Data and Reports
(For Advisors and Schools)
Advisor
Report—Side
1
Advisor
Report—Side
1
School
Teacher
Student
Student
Names
Names
Theme
Theme
Key
Key
Subscale
Subscale
(Theme)
(Theme)
Averages
Averages
Class
Class
Averages
Averages
33
Advisor Report Sample—Side 2
Interpretive Guide:
Reminders about how
to read and use the
report
SEI Themes and Item
Text
Dynamic Data Views – “Who”
Student
Name 1
Trend
Last (Date)
Last School Year
Last Semester
This Semester
!
Prior 5 days
Recent 5 days
!
Name 2
Name 3
!
Name 4
!
Name 5
Name 6
Name 7
!
Name 8
!
Name 9
Name 10
Name 11
!
Name 12
Name 13
Name 14
Name 15
Example Student
!
!
!
!
!
!
Name 17
Name 18
Name 19
Name 20
Name 21
Name 22
Name 23
Name 24
Name 25
!
!
!
Low Risk
Moderate Risk
High Risk
Dynamic Data Views – “What, When,
Where”
Student Engagement
Indicator
Academic
Last School Year
Last Semester
This Semester
Assignment Completion Rate
Assignment Success Rate
Class Grades (Count)
GPA
Class Completing Rate
Graduation Achievement Rate (GAR)1
AKS Benchmark Assessments
GOM Benchmark Assessments (e.g., GCPS
CBM, DIBELS Benchmarks)
Behavioral
Class Attendance (Skips)
School Punctuality (Tardies)
School Attendance (Absences)
Extracurricular Activity Participation
Number of Disciplinary Incidents
In-School-Suspension Days
Out-of-School-Suspension Days
Panel Assignment
Cognitive
Affective
TOTAL: Student Cognitive & Affective
Engagement
!
!
!
Last School Year
!
Last Semester
!
!
!
Trend
Last (Date)
Trend
Last (Date)
Control and Relevance of School Work
Future Aspirations and Goals
Intrinsic Motivation
Family Support for Learning
Peer Support for Learning
Teacher Student Relationships
Prior 5 Days Recent 5 Days
This Semester
!
Prior 5 Days Recent 5 Days
!
References & Resources
 Anderson, A. R., Christenson, S. L., & Lehr, C. A. (2004). School completion and
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student engagement: Information and strategies for educators. In A. S. Canter, L.
Z. Paige, M. D. Roth, I. Romero, & S. A. Carroll (Eds.), Helping children at home
and at school II: Handouts for families and educators (pp. S2-65–S2-68).
Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists. Retrieved October
25, 2006 from http://www.naspcenter.org/principals/nasp_compleducators.pdf
Appleton, J., Christenson, S.L., Kim, D., & Reschly, A. (2006). Measuring
cognitive and psychological engagement: Validation of the Student Engagement
Instrument. Journal of School Psychology, 44, 427-445.
Christenson, S.L., & Anderson, A. R. (2002). Commentary: The centrality of the
learning context for students’ academic enabler skills. School Psychology
Review,31(3), 378-393
Christenson & Thurlow (2004). School dropouts: Prevention, considerations,
interventions, and challenges. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 13(1),
36-39.
Christenson, S.L., Reschly, A.L., Appleton, J.J., Berman, S., Spanjers, D., &
Varro, P. (2008). Best practices in fostering student engagement. In A. Thomas &
J. Grimes (Eds). Best Practices in School Psychology (5th Ed). National
Association of School Psychologists.
References & Resources
 Finn, J.D. (1989). Withdrawing from school. Review of Educational Research, 59,
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117-142.
Fredericks, J.A., Blumenfeld, P.C., & Paris, A.H. (2004). School engagement:
Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of Educational Research,
74, 59-109.
Lehr, Sinclair, & Christenson (2004). Addressing student engagement and
truancy prevention during the elementary school years: A replication study of the
Check & Connect model. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk,
9(3),279-301.
National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine (2004). Engaging
schools: Fostering high school students’ motivation to learn. Washington, DC:
The National Academies Press
Reschly, A. & Christenson, S.L. (2007). Reading and School Completion: Critical
Linkages Among Reading Performance, Grade Retention, Special Education
Placements and High School Dropout. Manuscript under review.
Sinclair, Christenson, Evelo, & Hurley. (1998). Dropout prevention for high risk
youth with disabilities: Efficacy of a sustained school engagement procedure.
Exceptional Children, 65(1), 7-21.
Sinclair, Christenson, & Thurlow (2005). Promoting School completion of urban
secondary youth with emotional or behavioral disabilities. Exceptional Children,
71, 465-482.
Contact Information
James Appleton, PhD
Department of Research & Evaluation
Gwinnett County Public Schools
437 Old Peachtree Road NW
Suite 2.240
Suwanee, GA 30024
678.301.7090
[email protected]
Amy L. Reschly, PhD
Department of Educational Psychology & Instructional Technology
325N Aderhold Hall
University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602
706.583.5503
[email protected]