Student engagement research 2010-2018: continuity and emergence

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.