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Student engagement is linked to a number of academic outcomes, such as retention, grade point average, and graduation rates (Carini et al., 2006; Center for Postsecondary Research, 2016; Hu & McCormick, 2012). As a result, universities have shown a strong interest in how to increase student engagement, particularly given rising external pressures to improve learning outcomes and prepare students for academic success (Axelson & Flick, 2011; Kuh, 2009). Therefore, the primary purpose of our literature review was to explore whether technology influences student engagement. In the sections that follow, we provide an overview of the findings, an explanation of existing methodological limitations and areas for future research, and a list of best practices for integrating the technologies we reviewed into the teaching and learning process. The purpose of this paper is to provide a literature review on how computer-based technology influences student engagement within higher education settings. We focused on computer-based technology given the specific types of technologies (i.e., web-conferencing software, blogs, wikis, social networking sites, and digital games) that emerged from a broad search of the literature, which is described in more detail below.
Studies suggest that digital games positively affect student attitudes about learning, evident in student reports that games are fun, interesting, and enjoyable (Beckem & Watkins, 2012; Farley, 2013; Grimley et al., 2012; Hew et al., 2016; Liu et al., 2011; Zimmermann, 2013), which may account for higher levels of student motivation in courses that offered digital games. While voluntary participation in Facebook activities may be lower than desired or expected (Dyson, Vickers, Turtle, Cowan, & Tassone, 2015; Fagioli et al., 2015; Naghdipour & Eldridge, 2016; Rambe, 2012), students seem to have a clear preference for Facebook compared to other instructional tools (Clements, 2015; DiVall & Kirwin, 2012; Hurt et al., 2012; Hou et al., 2015; Kent, 2013).
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Finally, cognitive indicators drew the fewest amount of studies, which suggests that research is needed to determine whether technologies affect these indicators. Studies on web-conferencing and cognitive engagement are more conclusive than those for behavioral engagement, although are fewer in number. Findings suggest that students who participated in web-conferencing demonstrated critical reflection and enhanced learning through interactions with others (Armstrong & Thornton, 2012), higher-order thinking (e.g., problem-solving, synthesis, evaluation) in response to challenging assignments , and motivation to learn, particularly when using polling features (Hudson et al., 2012). There is only one study examining how web-conferencing affects emotional engagement, although it is positive suggesting that students who participated in web-conferences had higher levels of interest in course content than those who did not (Francescucci & Foster, 2013). One possible reason for the positive cognitive and emotional engagement findings may be that web-conferencing software provides many features that promote active learning.
Student Engagement
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- One set of definitions refer to student engagement as a desired outcome reflective of a student’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors about learning.
- Please submit tables as editable text and not as images.
- We focused on computer-based technology given the specific types of technologies (i.e., web-conferencing software, blogs, wikis, social networking sites, and digital games) that emerged from a broad search of the literature, which is described in more detail below.
- Overall, the findings provide preliminary support that computer-based technology influences student engagement, however, additional research is needed to confirm and build on these findings.
- The abstract should state briefly the purpose of the research, the principal results and major conclusions.
- For example, Trowler defined student engagement as “the interaction between the time, effort and other relevant resources invested by both students and their institutions intended to optimize the student experience and enhance the learning outcomes and development of students and the performance, and reputation of the institution” (p. 2).
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Web-conferencing software and Facebook also yielded the most positive findings, influencing four of the seven indicators of student engagement, compared to other collaborative technologies, such as blogs, wikis, and Twitter. Web-conferencing software was unique due to the sheer number of collaborative features it offers, providing multiple ways for students to actively engage with course content and interact with peers and the instructor (Bower, 2011; Hudson et al., 2012; Martin et al., 2012; McBrien et al., 2009); this may account for the effects on multiple indicators of student engagement. Wikis had the lowest influence on student engagement, with mixed findings regarding behavioral engagement, limited, but conclusive findings, regarding one indicator of cognitive engagement , and no studies pertaining to other indicators of cognitive engagement or emotional engagement. Facebook is a web-based service that allows users to create a public or private profile and invite others to connect.
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In addition, further research is needed to clarify findings regarding how wikis and Twitter influence interaction and how blogs and Facebook influence deep processing of information. Future research studies should include justifications for the pedagogical use of specific technologies and detailed instructions for learning activities to minimize adverse findings from poor instructional design and to encourage replication. The literature on blogs and cognitive engagement is less consistent. Some studies suggest that blogs may help students engage in active learning, problem-solving, and reflection (Chawinga, 2017; Chu et al., 2012; Ivala & Gachago, 2012; Mansouri & Piki, 2016), while other studies suggest that students’ blog posts show very little evidence of higher-order thinking (Dos & Demir, 2013; Sharma & Tietjen, 2016). The inconsistency in findings may be due to the wording of blog instructions. Students may not necessarily demonstrate or engage in deep processing of information unless explicitly instructed to do so.
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For example, whiteboards and breakout rooms provide opportunities for real-time, collaborative problem-solving activities and discussions. However, additional studies are needed to isolate and compare specific web-conferencing features to determine which have the greatest effect on student engagement. Studies that examine the influence of Facebook on behavioral engagement focus both on participation in learning activities and interaction with peers and instructors. In most studies, Facebook activities were voluntary and participation rates ranged from 16 to 95%, with an average of rate of 47% (Bahati, 2015; Bowman & Akcaoglu, 2014; Dougherty & Andercheck, 2014; Fagioli, Rios-Aguilar, & Deil-Amen, 2015; Rambe, 2012; Staines & Lauchs, 2013).
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Users may build social, academic, and professional connections by posting messages in various media formats (i.e., text, pictures, videos) and commenting on, liking, and reacting to others’ messages (Bowman & Akcaoglu, 2014; Maben, Edwards, & Malone, 2014; Hou et al., 2015). Within an educational context, Facebook has often been used as a supplementary instructional tool to lectures or LMSs to support class discussions or develop, deliver, and share academic content and resources.
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