Abstract
From an initial collection of 210 studies about student engagement
published since 2010, the paper synthesized 70. The purpose was
threefold: to identify ever present themes currently informing this
complex construct; to offer suggestions of how these themes could inform
educational practice; and in the process, contribute to the construct’s
theoretical development. It used a critical interpretative synthesis
methodology (CIS) informed by grounded theory, to arrive at a conceptual
framework with three ever present higher-order themes: (i) students
invest in their own learning; (ii) quality teaching
enables engagement; and (iii) external environments impact
engagement. The themes were supported by nine catalysts for action. The
paper also discusses an emergent theme still at the margins of the
literature. While many established understandings of engagement persist,
some changes are emergent.