Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 10, 2026
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Assessing the Multiple Dimensions of Engagement to Characterize Learning: A Neurophysiological Perspective
Published on: July 1, 2015
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Reconceptualizing learning engagement: evidence for a context-sensitive structure in STEM education.
Eric Trevor McChesney1, Christian D Schunn2, Gerard Dorvè-Lewis3
1Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
Frontiers in Psychology
|November 27, 2025
Summary
Student engagement in STEM is better understood through activity contexts, not just behavioral or cognitive dimensions. This challenges traditional models and suggests context-sensitive interventions for improved learning.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- STEM Education
- Learning Sciences
Background:
- Student engagement is a key psychological construct in higher education STEM.
- Traditional models of engagement (behavioral, cognitive, affective) may not fully capture its complexity.
- The influence of specific learning activities on engagement structure is often overlooked.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and test a novel, activity space-based model of student engagement.
- To investigate if engagement dimensions are organized by academic environments (e.g., lectures, exams).
- To challenge conventional engagement theory and propose a reconceptualization.
Main Methods:
- Developed and applied new, contextually meaningful engagement survey instruments.
- Conducted exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on 1,176 students from two institutions.
- Performed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on 772 students in a third course.
Main Results:
- An activity space-based model demonstrated a better fit to the data than traditional distinctions.
- The proposed model generalized effectively across different STEM disciplines.
- Findings indicate engagement is partially sensitive to the learning activity context.
Conclusions:
- Reconceptualizes student engagement as a construct influenced by specific academic contexts.
- Challenges traditional engagement theories, advocating for context-aware psychological models of learning.
- Supports the design of more precise and equitable interventions for STEM education.
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