Imagine a classroom buzzing with curiosity, excitement, and deep learning. That’s the power of student engagement. We all strive for engaged learners, but sometimes, it’s a challenge to know how to spark that genuine interest and participation. To create an engaging learning environment, Professor Stephen Murgatroyd has identified four key characteristics to plan activities and lessons students will get excited about. Explore the examples below, and consider how you can apply these insights to your teaching.
1. Students’ level of interest is sufficiently high that they persist in the face of difficulty.
Example: A student struggles with a complex math problem but continues working, trying different approaches, and seeking help rather than giving up. The teacher could use the following strategies to reinforce this persistence:
- Praise effort over results
- Scaffold math problems and solutions by chunking larger pieces of the task.
- Create opportunities to collaborate with peers in problem solving
- Provide time to share stories of others’ struggles with the problems.
2. Students’ emphasis is on optimum performance and on “Getting It Right”
Example: A student revises their essay multiple times, implementing feedback to improve clarity and coherence. To strengthen this attention to detail, the following strategies can be helpful:
- Use a framework that allows for revision and improvement.
- Provide explicit directions and rubrics so students understand expectations.
- Build in space, time, and a method for students to assess their own progress.
- Beyond grades, offer specific and productive feedback on the writing.
3. Students find the task sufficiently challenging that they believe they will accomplish something of worth by doing it.
Example: A student engages in a science fair project about a polluted stream near their house, challenging them to apply multiple skills. The student is very proud when they present their findings. Teachers can do the following to encourage a sense of purpose and worth:
- Concentrate on tasks that require higher-order thinking and creativity.
- Ensure challenges are “just right” for the student—not too easy, not too hard.
- Carve out specific times to celebrate milestones to motivate more progress.
- Students should set their own goals (with guidance) and track their progress toward them.
4. Students see the activity as personally meaningful.
Example: A student passionately researches local history for a social studies project because it connects to their own family’s experiences in the Great Depression. Teachers can emphasize personal connection by:
- Give students voice and choice in assignments to connect learning to students’ interests.
- Ensure real-world applications are used, through project-based learning.
- Seek out ways to relate content to students’ personal experiences and cultural backgrounds.
- Reflect specifically on how the learning connects to future goals.
About the Author
Betsy Butler (she/her) is a Professional Learning Specialist at Teaching Channel. She holds a B.A. in English, a Master’s in Education, and has been teaching since 1992. Betsy uses her three decades of teaching experience to write and revise our courses while selecting the perfect accompanying texts. Her specialty areas include ELA, special education topics, behavior management, and mental health.
Fun Fact: Betsy’s daily conquest is solving the New York Times crossword puzzle!
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