Engagement - IHE | National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE)

Higher Education

Higher education student engagement is multi-dimensional, involving behavioral, emotional, and cognitive aspects.

Behavioral engagement is shown through actions such as consistent attendance, completing coursework, being prepared for classes, and participating in course and campus activities. Emotional engagement is demonstrated through a sense of belonging and investment in one's education. Cognitive engagement is reflected in students’ willingness to challenge themselves and think critically.

Engagement at the IHE level includes student and instructor connectedness or bonding.

Student participation in class, completion of coursework, and participation in extra-curricular activities also have strong, proven links to attendance, test scores, and graduation.

References

Featured Resources

State of Higher Education in California: Motivators and Barriers to Postsecondary Attainment

Explores the experiences of more than 1,300 Californians without a college degree, including 659 currently enrolled students, 426 adults who started but did not complete a degree or credential program, and 277 adults who have never enrolled in any kind of education after high school.

Supporting Students to and Through College: What Does the Evidence Say?

Provides an in-depth and critical review of the evidence from two-plus decades of research on interventions or programs designed to increase college access and completion. College students and would-be college students are often managing their lives and education independently for the first time, may have responsibilities outside of school, and often face personal or family challenges while pursuing their education. For these reasons, effective student support services, provided directly by high schools and postsecondary institutions or through an “intervention,” will always be needed.

Understanding Belongingness, Support, and Perseverance: An Exploratory Study of the Educational Experiences of Foster Youth in California

Aims to provide valuable insights into the educational challenges faced by students who experience foster care (SEFC) and inform strategies for improving support systems to better serve this vulnerable population. This study examined, through a survey and interviews, how these individuals persevere through the challenges of the education and foster care systems to pursue meaningful lives.

How Student Experience and Belonging Interventions Can Support Strong Postsecondary Outcomes

Provides recommendations for how federal policymakers can draw on evidence-based student experience and belonging interventions to help students complete their degrees.

Rubric for the Authentic Engagement of Student Parents: A Self-Assessment Opportunity for Partners Working with Student Parents

Guides leadership in engaging student parents in projects, initiatives, or organizations. Whether you are working on a small group project, on a program designed to support student parents, or on evaluating organizational practices for student parents, this rubric offers a flexible framework that can be adapted to guide project or organizational efforts. You may assess project, program, or organizational practices in the rubric, reviewing each principle based on any of these levels. We offer some guidance and ask you to adjust your orientation to the rubric, applying it based on your

Access and Participation in Higher Education: Perspectives of College Students with Disabilities

Presents research acquired from focus groups with college students with disabilities across the country in order to better understand their experiences in higher education and establish priorities for the work of the Center.

On a Journey for Families: Lessons Learned from Colleges Investing in Student Parents

Introduces FamilyU as a comprehensive, customized, evidence-based, two-year capacity-building experience designed to build and refine institutional competencies to improve student-parent success.