Student engagement is a pivotal concept in today’s educational landscape. Fostering student engagement in the real world is much easier said than done. How can district administrators and other district staff coordinate to produce remarkable outcomes for students and schools alike? Keep reading to find out.
What is student engagement?
Student engagement is the degree to which a student is willingly involved in their academic requirements and pursuits.
A student who is holistically engaged in their school community is more likely to be successful in school and life than a student who is not. Engaged students are also less likely to see school as a burden and more likely to see it as an opportunity to get better at what they care about.
Engaged students are more likely to better understand the material taught in each of their classes. They’re more likely to ask questions and participate in classroom discussions, which further fosters their understanding of the subject matter.
Engaged students are also more likely to remain in school and graduate on time. They’re more likely to develop skills that will help them in the future, like communication, follow-through, and reciprocity.
Why does student engagement matter?
One reason student engagement has become an increasingly popular topic today is that it’s viewed as a metric and leading indicator of educational success. Beyond the benefits of serving students and communities, academic institutions that can foster more engagement and motivation in their students have higher graduation rates, and schools with higher graduation rates tend to win more grants and funding.
Student engagement itself has numerous sub-metrics, such as classroom attendance and participation, persistence toward achieving good grades, and how well various operations are coordinated with one another.
What strategies enhance student engagement?
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Offer specialty programs
One effective strategy for enhancing student engagement is to provide personalized learning opportunities that cater to each student’s unique needs and interests. This can be achieved through data-driven approaches and the use of a technology vendor.
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Offer accessible ways for families to engage with your school or district
Requesting for families to visit an office on-site for registration or relying on students to keep paper documents secure is unfair and easily solved with an online system like Scribbles that can be accessed from anywhere, 24/7. Scribbles customers report high activity on platforms after business hours proving families are not always free to complete tasks during school or district hours.
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Provide meaningful feedback
One of the most powerful student engagement techniques is a daily classroom practice–offering meaningful, personalized feedback. Many students underperform at school because they have a different learning style or simply struggle with the material. Individualized feedback from teachers and other staff (where relevant) is the most effective way to address this issue.
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Use appropriate forms of technology in the classroom
All kinds of technology can be assets in the world of education. A teacher may develop dynamic lesson plans that introduce a topic with online modules and take students offline to build real-world projects. Administration may implement new cloud-based solutions for their students and staff freeing up valuable time and creating further engagement for everyone.
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Create a supportive environment inside and outside the classroom
Creating a supportive environment for school district families with online access to processes is essential to ensure student success. One of the many challenges families face is keeping up with the various requests from the school or district beyond the classroom. By providing easy and quick access to district processes, such as student enrollment or lottery/choice applications, the district can demonstrate its commitment to supporting families and being understanding of their many responsibilities. This approach can help keep families engaged and involved in their child's education, leading to better academic outcomes and a more positive school experience.
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Make it easier for staff to engage with families
Processing hundreds if not thousands of student applications at the start of every school year is enough to overwhelm even the most organized individual. And finding student files once the year has started can present its own set of challenges for teachers, counselors, nurses, McKinney-Vento staff, and more. When district staff have piles of paperwork to organize, process, search for, and file, that slows their ability to offer the support and services a child or family may need. A secure, cloud-based solution can lessen the amount of paperwork to manage and provide easier access to authorized staff.
Supporting engagement with technology
Student engagement is essential for the success of students in today’s world. By taking the steps outlined above or using them as a guidebook for a student engagement plan, you foster the greatest probability of ongoing development for your students.
Scribbles is pioneering online solutions that can make it easier for staff and families to foster student engagement. Our technology helps districts and charter schools manage student enrollment, school choice program applications, and student records.
If you'd like to learn more about our solutions, fill out the form below.
