Student Engagement - Success for Life

What carries us humans through in the everyday obstacles and trials in day-to-day life? Humans need a large amount of energy in order to work efficiently; and support from family and friends gives us the drive to accomplish our goals and aspirations. As a university student, you need a lot more than just food, sleep and support to get through the 4-plus years of what is to become the rest of your life. Students need the motivation, the ambition – the drive – to complete their schooling with much success. A tactic that is used to increase the motivation in students is trying to get the most out of what they are learning in their programs, also known as Student Engagement. Examples of student engagement include various activities like group tasks, challenging but relevant instruction. Engaged students take pride not only in earning high grades in their classes, but they actually value and incorporate the learnt material in their everyday lives (Fioriello, 2009) Student engagement does not only positively affect university and college success rates, but it is the basis of overall success in one’s lifetime.

Many studies that have been conducted in the past insist that persistence and achieving a baccalaureate degree is the prime measure of student success. But Braxton’s study (as cited in Kuh et al, 2008) suggests that there are eight domains that are in need of attention as well: academic attainment, acquisition of general education, development of academic competence, development of cognitive skills and intellectual dispositions, occupational attainment, preparation for adulthood and citizenship, personal accomplishments, and personal development. This valid point made by Braxton is a reflection of reality because learning about life is a big part of student success. As a student, as well as a young adult, I realize that there is much more to be knowledgeable about than what you are learning in school. As you are transitioning from out of school into the real