Key Measures of Student Engagement
There are a number of different ways to measure student engagement. Here are some key measures that can give you a good sense of whether your students are engaged or disengaged:
Class Attendance: Regular class attendance is one of the clearest indicators of student engagement. If students are skipping class, it’s a good sign that they’re disengaged. However, attendance isn’t always black and white; sometimes students have legitimate reasons for missing class (e.g., illness, work obligations). That’s why it’s important to look at attendance patterns over time rather than isolated incidents. For example, if a student who normally has perfect attendance starts skipping class regularly, that could be a sign of trouble. Grades: Another clear indicator of student engagement is grades. If students are consistently getting poor grades, it’s likely that they’re disengaged. Again, it’s important to look at patterns over time rather than isolated incidents; one bad grade doesn’t necessarily mean that a student is disengaged. But if a student who normally gets good grades starts getting poor grades, that could be cause for concern. Retention and Persistence: Retention and persistence rates are also key measures of student engagement. If students are dropping out or taking longer than expected to complete their degrees, it could be because they’re disengaged. Of course, there are many factors that can affect retention and persistence rates (e.g., financial aid), but if you see a sudden drop in retention or an increase in the time it takes students to complete their degrees, it could be because of disengagement.
As a higher education professional, you know that student success and engagement are inextricably linked. Engaged students learn more, persist more, and participate as part of the school community more — both as current students and in the future as alumni. In fact, one report found that students who report having a great university experience are 31x more likely to be proud alumni and are 51% more likely to recommend their institution to family and friends. Conversely, disengaged students tend to have poorer academic performance and are more likely to stop out — and often, schools don’t see it coming. It’s no wonder that increasing engagement is top of mind for many higher ed leaders.So how can you tell if your students are engaged? And perhaps just as importantly, how can you tell if they’re becoming disengaged? Below we outline some key measures of student engagement, as well as how you can use data to get a pulse on student engagement at your school.
As a higher education professional, you know that student success and engagement are inextricably linked. Engaged students learn more, persist more, and participate as part of the school community more — both as current students and in the future as alumni. In fact, one report found that students who report having a great university experience are 31x more likely to be proud alumni and are 51% more likely to recommend their institution to family and friends. Conversely, disengaged students tend to have poorer academic performance and are more likely to stop out — and often, schools don’t see it coming. It’s no wonder that increasing engagement is top of mind for many higher ed leaders.So how can you tell if your students are engaged? And perhaps just as importantly, how can you tell if they’re becoming disengaged? Below we outline some key measures of student engagement, as well as how you can use data to get a pulse on student engagement at your school. By monitoring these key measures on an ongoing basis, you can identify early warning signs of trouble so you can take action before it’s too late.
