How do you track student engagement?

1 Define your goals and criteria

Before you start tracking student engagement, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you will measure it. Depending on your grade level, subject, and learning objectives, you may have different expectations and indicators of engagement. For example, you may want to track how often students complete assignments, ask questions, collaborate with peers, or use feedback. You may also want to consider qualitative aspects of engagement, such as enthusiasm, curiosity, or creativity. To define your goals and criteria, you can use frameworks such as the Student Engagement Instrument (SEI) or the Four Cs of 21st Century Learning (communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity).

2 Choose your methods and tools

Once you’ve established your goals and criteria, you need to decide how to collect and analyze data on student engagement. Depending on the context and resources available, there are various methods and tools available for this purpose. Surveys and questionnaires can be used to gather feedback from students and parents about their level of engagement and satisfaction with the learning experience. Tools such as Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, or Kahoot can be used to create and distribute surveys. Observations and rubrics can be used to assess the behavior and performance of students during class activities and assignments. Tools such as ClassDojo, Seesaw, or Flipgrid can be used to record and evaluate observations and rubrics. Analytics and reports can be used to track attendance, participation, and progress of students on online platforms and applications. Tools such as Google Classroom, Edmodo, or Schoology can be used to access and generate analytics and reports.

3 Use the data to inform your practice

The final step is to utilize the data that you have collected and analyzed to inform your practice and improve student engagement. You can use the data to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of both your students and your instruction, provide feedback and recognition to students and parents, adjust your curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment strategies, plan interventions and supports for struggling or disengaged students, and celebrate and share successes and best practices. It is essential to remember that tracking student engagement is not a one-time event, but rather an ongoing process that requires reflection and action. By utilizing the methods and tools that best suit your needs and goals, you can significantly improve your teaching and learning outcomes.

4 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?