Date of Award

Spring 2025

Language

English

Embargo Period

4-30-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

Department of Educational Policy and Leadership

Program

Educational Policy and Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Kristen Campbell Wilcox

Committee Members

Dr. Hal Lawson, Dr. Kathryn Schiller

Keywords

engagement, child engagement, elementary engagement, social perspective of engagement, engagement post-COVID-19

Subject Categories

Curriculum and Instruction | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Elementary Education

Abstract

Abstract

Background and Purpose. This study sought to investigate child engagement from the children's perspective, aiming to understand better what they perceive as factors that facilitate or constrain their academic engagement in classrooms. By centering children's voices, this research challenges traditional views of students as passive recipients of education, instead recognizing them as active participants with valuable insights into their learning experiences. This work builds on the frameworks proposed by Shirley and Hargreaves (2021) and Lawson and Lawson (2013) that utilize socio-ecological theory to better understand those factors impacting children’s learning experiences.

Method. The study was conducted at an elementary school located in a suburban neighborhood in the Northeastern United States. Data were gathered through focus group interviews with eight children from third through fifth grade, child-crafted artifacts, member-checking evaluations, and researcher interpretive memos. Focus groups provided a platform for open dialogue, while artifacts and member-checking activities deepened the validity and richness of the findings. This multi-method approach allowed for a nuanced exploration of how children experience and interpret their engagement within classroom settings.

Findings. The findings confirmed that children are capable of articulating the factors that influence their engagement, highlighting that engagement is a dynamic, social, and synergistic process rather than simply a reflection of individual traits or behaviors. Children's feedback aligned with prior research, underscoring themes of intrinsic value, importance, association, empowerment, and mastery (Shirley & Hargreaves, 2021) as key to successful engagement strategies. Specific findings revealed that: (a) feelings of engagement are linked to positive emotions and a greater desire to learn; (b) instructional choices by teachers can either sustain or

diminish engagement; (c) child engagement often declines over the academic year; (d) relationships with peers and teachers significantly affect engagement; (e) external influences such as bullying and family circumstances can impact engagement levels; and (f) assessments can negatively influence children's engagement with learning tasks.

Conclusion and Implications. This study reinforces the importance of listening to children's perspectives when designing engagement strategies and educational policies. It highlights that fostering engagement is not solely about individual student effort but about creating environments that recognize and respond to the social, emotional, and instructional contexts of learning. Future strategies should prioritize building strong, supportive relationships, creating meaningful and empowering learning experiences, and mitigating external stressors that undermine engagement. The study’s findings advocate for a more holistic, responsive approach to educational practice that treats student engagement as an interactive, evolving process.

License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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