Learning Engagement Theory

Kearsley and Shneiderman (1999( identified that for students to learn effectively they must be engaged in whatever it is they are learning. Students now need to have a deeper understanding and take ownership of their learning. They need to be involved in deciding what the project is will be working on, how they will communicate with others and research the topic and then present their final product to those outside of their classroom.

The learning engagement theory is based on three components:
1. Relate- students needs to work in small teams of 3+ individuals and collaborate when researching a topic
2. Create- students decide what it is they are going to work on and conduct their own project
3. Donate- students present their work to the wider community ie: local councils, local businesses etc.

The main point highlighted in Kearsley and Shneiderman's paper "Engagement Theory: A Framework for technology-based teaching and learning", is that the learning needs to be in an authentic context which will increase student motivation and satisfaction. "engagement theory places a great deal of emphasis on providing an authentic (i.e., meaningful) setting for learning, something not present in previous models" Kearsley & Shneiderman (1999, p. 2)

References:
Kearsley, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A Framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Retrieved March 14, 2010 from http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au