Active Engagement Theory 1

Theory: Engagement Theory

“Engagement theory is presented as a model for learning in technology-based environments

which synthesizes many elements from past theories of learning. The major premise is that

students must be engaged in their course work in order for effective learning to occur. The theory

posits three primary means to accomplish engagement: (1) an emphasis on collaborative efforts

(2) project-based assignments, and (3) non-academic focus. It is suggested that these three

methods result in learning that is creative, meaningful, and authentic” (Kearsley & Shneiderman,

1998).

Theorists: Greg Kearsley & Ben Shneiderman

Biography:

In 1978, Dr. Greg Kearsley earned his Ph.D. in educational psychology from the

University of Alberta. He has written many books and articles discussing technology and

education. Currently, Dr. Kearsley is the Graduate Program Director for the University of New

England’s Online Education program. Previously, he taught at a variety of universities, designed

online courses for multiple institutes and university programs, served as the Chief Executive

Officer of a publishing company, and was a scientist in training development and human

resources research (University of New England, 2009).

Dr. Ben Shneiderman received his Ph.D. from the State University of New York (SUNY)

at Stony Brook in 1973. Dr. Shneiderman is a well published author in the fields of human-

computer interaction and user interface design. He is currently a professor in the Department of

Computer Science and the founding director of the Human Computer Interaction Laboratory
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(HCIL) at the University of Maryland. Previously, Dr. Shneiderman taught for a number of

universities, has been (and is currently) an editor for multiple journal publications, held

numerous university leadership roles, and was the co-chair and founder of the Software

Psychology Society (University of Maryland, 2009).

Description of Theory:

Kearsley and Shneiderman (1998) explain that student engagement is essential to the

learning process (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1998). These theorists believe that student

engagement can happen without using technology, however, “technology can facilitate

engagement in ways which are difficult to achieve otherwise” (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1998).

Thus, this theory is meant to be used as a framework or model for teaching and learning with the

inclusion of technology. The authors of the engagement theory propose there are three basic

principles of engaged learning: (1) Relate: learning through collaboration, (2) Create: learning

using a project-based approach, and (3) Donate: learning using an outside (authentic) focus

(Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1998).

Relate. This first principle discusses the importance of collaboration in the learning

process. Kearsley and Shneiderman (1998) believe that educational activities must emphasize

“team efforts that involve communication, planning, management, and social skills” (Kearsley &

Shneiderman, 1998). The authors further explain that when students are able to discuss and

defend their ideas a student’s motivation to learn increases (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1998).

Create. The second principle describes the need for project-based learning. A “creative”

and “purposeful” activity is a critical component of engaging learners (Kearsley & Shneiderman,

1998). Through defining, organizing, and completing their own project, students establish a
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sense of ownership of the project and of their own learning (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1998).

This aids in the motivation to continue learning and to develop academic and social skills.

Donate. The third principle identifies the need for projects to have a meaningful and

realistic focus (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1998). The authors of the theory state that “ideally

each project has an outside ‘customer’” such as “a campus group, community organization,

school, church, library, museum, government agency, local business, or needy individual”

(Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1998). Through the addition of realistic projects, students can be

better prepared when they enter the workforce in a given field. However, the authors do caution

that instructors should ensure that all projects are appropriate for the students and for the time

constraints (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1998).

Theory Mearsurement/Instrumentation:

Although no instrument for testing this theory was found, the authors stated that this

theory was developed from their own teaching using a variety of existing theories as a

foundation (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1998). Marshall (2007) confirmed the relevance of the

engagement theory in a study of WebCT courses that used this theory in the development and

implementation of the course (Marshall, 2007).

To further test this theory, studies must be conducted to assess the engagement level of

the students (possibly using the National Survey for Student Engagement) as compared with the

level of understanding at the end of the course/project.

Report Prepared by:

Andrea M. Ellis
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References

Kearsley, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1998). Engagement theory: A framework for technology-

based technology-based teaching and learning. Educational Technology, 38(5), 20.

Retrieved from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm

Marshall, S. (2007). Engagement Theory, WebCT, and academic writing in Australia.

International Journal of Education and Development using Information and

Communication Technology (IJEDICT), 3(2), 109-115. Retrieved from

http://ijedict.dec.uwi.edu//viewarticle.php?id=227&layout=html

University of Maryland. (2009). Faculty Dr. Ben Shneiderman. Retrieved from the University of

Maryland’s Human Computer Interaction Laboratory website:

http://www.cs.umd.edu/users/ben/

University of New England. (2009). Meet our faculty - Dr. Greg Kearsley. Retrieved from

University of New England website: http://education.une.edu/kearsley-greg/