Factors Affecting Student Engagement: A Case Study Examining Two Cohorts of Students Attending a Post-1992 University in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Issues relating to student retention and student engagement remain high on the agendas of higher education institutions worldwide. This case study considers the factors that impact on student engagement within a sample of first year undergraduate sports students attending a post 1992 university in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom. These participants had started their three-year degree courses at the beginning of either the 2011/12 or the 2012/13 academic years. It should be noted that this meant that data collection straddled the introduction of higher student fees for students attending English universities. Data for the study were collected using a quantitative questionnaire and follow up focus groups. Although a number of different factors were found to encourage student engagement the quality of student relationships with their teachers was found to be the most important. Although it was beyond the scope of this study to draw definite conclusions about the impact of higher student fees in this area our data did suggest the possibility that these higher fees might result in staff-student relationships becoming even more important in encouraging student engagement. It is recommended that future research examines the impact of student fees in this area in more detail.

Teacher and student interactions in the first year of university

“…Astin (1999) points out that students who are engaged in their learning, spend time on academic activities, interact with teachers and peers, and are more likely to improve their academic performance and personal growth. Research on students' engagement has concluded that teacher-student interactions are the most significant factor related to satisfaction with college and academic performance (Astin, 1999;Groves, Sellars, Smith, & Barber, 2015). In fact, some studies show that students who perceive their teachers as available and interested in their learning are more likely to be engaged, motivated and satisfied with their educational experience (Groves et al, 2015;Richardson & Radloff, 2014).…”

“…According to Astin (1999), students' physical and psychological dedication on educational activities indicates their engagement in the educational experience that can have a positive impact on other academic processes. In fact, Groves et al (2015) and Richardson and Radloff (2014) suggest that students' engagement is related to satisfaction with the educational experience, motivation, learning and retention. The findings of the current research suggest that promoting positive teacher and student interactions in the first year can make a real difference in students' levels of satisfaction with the educational experience and engagement with their studies.…”

“…In fact, when teachers dedicate time, consider students' needs and give useful answers to inquiries promote their engagement in a particular subject. Based on the finding of their study, Groves et al (2015) indicate that the amount of effort that teachers put in the interactions facilitating students' learning was related to the amount of effort that students would spend in their learning. In the study of Cotten and Wilson (2006) students who perceived teachers' dedication to their learning felt responsible for succeeding and showed to teachers that the help was valuable.…”

Examining Factors Affecting Student Engagement in English Preparatory Classes According to Student Opinions

“…There are many factors that affect student engagement in classes. Interaction between teachers and students and teacher behaviors can significantly affect the engagement of students (Garci, 2008;Jang, Reeve & Deci, 2010;Russel & Slater, 2011;Groves, Sellars, Smith & Barber, 2015;DeVito, 2016). Especially, respectful professional relationships and interaction are seen as ways to improve student engagement in the classroom (Parsons & Taylor, 2011).…”

Exploring the Research Themes of Student Engagement in Higher Education Based on Co-word Analysis

“…Other authors studied the engagement from students' perspective, and pointed out that students' preparation is positively connected with the frequency of engagement (Dallimore et al, 2010) [8] and student engagement can be affected by the modes of reflexivity and co-reflexivity (Kahn, 2014) [9]. In addition, the quality of student-teacher relationship was found to be the most important factor to promote engagement (Groves et al, 2015) [10]. Although previous studies have focused on student engagement in higher education, they are limited in some specific aspects.…”