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Teachers in higher education are faced with the challenge of engaging their students. The role of the teacher is to help students interact with the content, and have them create their own knowledge. Research shows that using effective teaching methods can stimulate student engagement, and that student engagement is associated with positive learning outcomes. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to learn more about student engagement, and what can be done to increase student engagement in higher education. This study offers numerous solutions to increase student engagement including a framework of principles, and effective teaching methods.
INTRODUCTION
One of the challenges teachers face in higher education is that of engaging their students. Teaching requires not only a command of the subject matter, but just as important, effective teaching methods that are necessary to engage their students. However, some beginning teachers entering higher education are not prepared to teach (Lail, 2009). They use methods based on certain principles from what they have been exposed to, or by how they were taught, influencing the way they teach their own students. These methods are not necessarily effective for teaching and engaging students in higher education. Research has shown that using effective teaching methods can stimulate student engagement, and that engaged students are good learners (Bryson & Hand, 2007; Jang, 2008; Troisi, 2014). Knowing more about student engagement, and what can be done to increase student engagement might be useful to those individuals new to teaching in higher education.
In the spring semester of 2015, focus groups were held among college students to seek their perspective on student engagement. These groups agreed that there is more teachers can do to increase student engagement. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to understand and learn what teachers can do to influence, and therefore, increase student engagement. First, a comprehensive literature review will be provided on the concept of student engagement including instructional methods and techniques. Second, results from the focus groups will be shared. Last, an action plan for increasing student engagement in higher education will be presented based on analysis of the literature, and results from the focus groups.
AREA OF FOCUS STATEMENT
The purpose of this study is to determine effective teaching methods to increase student...