6 tips on how to boost student engagement with limited resources

Last Updated on December 18, 2024 by iSchoolConnect

There is a strong correlation between student engagement and student outcomes. Those who engage more in the course are more likely to retain information and perform better.

In higher education, student engagement has become a key focus for improving learning outcomes. Engaged students are more likely to perform better academically and have a positive overall experience.

But what exactly does student engagement mean, and how can you enhance it with limited staff and resources? Let’s explore effective strategies to boost engagement and make a lasting impact on your students’ success!

What is student engagement?

Student engagement represents the passion, attention, interest, and curiosity students show when learning at your institution. Over the years, student engagement has gained traction because of the understanding that emotional, intellectual, behavioral, and social factors play an important role in the development and success of students.

It’s important to note that what some may consider best practices for student engagement differs from place to place. Some institutions may see attending lectures and answering questions in class as engagement. Whereas others will see curiosity, motivation, and interaction with peers as engagement.

The different aspects of student engagement

Student engagement is a construct that’s better understood with its relation to a student’s learning environment, which includes-

1. Peers.
2. The educational community.
3. The curriculum, and
4. The faculty.

All these measures are interrelated. They help students thrive in a learning environment where they are motivated, allowed to be curious, and overall enjoy learning.

Student engagement generally includes 3 dimensions:

1. Behavioral engagement. This focuses on how students participate in academic and other co-curricular activities.
2. Cognitive engagement. This is the time students spend and invest in learning.
3. Emotional engagement. This talks about the positive and negative reactions or the enthusiasm/boredom students have towards the school.

Institutions today must focus on fostering engagement across all these dimensions to ensure students remain active, invested, and motivated throughout their educational journey.

Why is student engagement important?

Student engagement is crucial because it encourages students to invest more time and energy into their learning, leading to better academic outcomes and a deeper connection to their educational journey. Engaged students are more likely to take ownership of their learning, stay motivated, and actively participate in both academic and co-curricular activities.

However, challenges can arise in maintaining this engagement, especially when students face barriers such as:

1. Unprivileged students are unable to access technology as well as others.
2. Students are being withdrawn from school as many parents have lost their jobs.
3. Staff is limited on what they can teach via online classes (it’s become impossible to conduct practical classes).
4. Students and staff are facing more mental health issues.
5. There’s a decline in the quality of education due to the abrupt shift to digital and distance learning.

Despite these challenges, many institutions and educators are finding creative solutions to keep students engaged and motivated. By adapting to these changes, the education system can better prepare for the future and ensure that all students have equal opportunities for success.

How to improve student engagement with limited staff and resources

Improving student engagement doesn’t have to rely on large budgets or extensive staff. Even with limited resources, there are many effective strategies to ensure students remain motivated and actively involved in their learning.

Here are some activities to engage students even with limited staff and resources!

Using the right technology

When institutions are working with limited resources, EDMO’s innovative solutions provide an effective way to keep students engaged without overburdening staff or budget. Here’s how Edmo can help:

EDMO’s document intelligence solution automates the admissions process, sorting and analyzing applications to provide actionable insights. By reducing the manual effort involved in processing applications, institutions can focus more on personalized student engagement and less on administrative tasks.

With EDMO’s conversation intelligence solution, institutions can engage students in real-time, answer their queries, and provide guidance around the clock. The AI-driven chatbots offer personalized assistance to keep students informed and supported, fostering a sense of connection and engagement.

Today’s generation is very tech-savvy. Using AI technology is a good strategy for increasing student engagement.

Plan and divide the work

Effective planning helps ease the workload for staff, especially in institutions with limited resources. By assigning tasks and dividing the curriculum equally among teachers, the overall burden is reduced.

AI technology plays a crucial role in streamlining administrative tasks, like designing question papers, grading assignments, and answering student queries. By automating these processes, educators can focus more on engaging with students, improving the quality of teaching, and enhancing student success. This not only prevents burnout but also boosts overall student engagement.

Increase collaborations powered by AI

Some people may not like collaborating, but it’s an important part of work-life. A skill we don’t learn through teaching, but through experience. Collaboration mainly focuses on developing a higher level of thinking among students.

Understanding your students and pairing them in the right groups is the key. This will decrease the friction among some students and allow them to play to their strengths. Group projects can amplifier educational experience by allowing students to experiment, develop their social and interpersonal skills.

To incorporate the right collaborations, it’s important to have the right curriculum. AI technology can help you with just that. Building a personalized curriculum that fits the needs of your students.

Artificial Intelligence allows students and educators to study large amounts of information and provides detailed insights into their learning and teaching experiences. If this is combined with the right educators, it can help build a curriculum that increases student collaboration and participation.

Produce understandable material

One of the reasons online learning is challenging is because complicated concepts get lost in translation.

In a virtual classroom, when explaining a challenging concept, break it down and use examples to make it easier. Give the class enough time to absorb a concept before moving on to the next topic.

Group questions together and answer to save time and energy. This will decrease the chance of students losing focus if a question is repeated.

Use interactive classes

Using interactive activities to increase student engagement will benefit both students and staff. The more human and easier virtual learning becomes, the more interest will develop.

AI has shown us how the one-size-fits-all method doesn’t work with students today. Using AI-powered tools at zero cost can build better interactive sessions as they help institutions understand each student’s strengths and weaknesses.

Students can learn better when they ask more questions. This can also encourage their curiosity and build critical thinking.

Communicate with the staff

It’s essential that all faculty members communicate with one another to have a smooth workflow. Since teachers are the ones students go to they should be kept up to date with all changes that concern students.

Students get disappointed in the faculty when they are not informed in advance about exams, assignments, tasks, and so on. When there is proper communication among the staff and they are informed about things, they can pass on messages to students.

What’s next?

Since we now understand student engagement isn’t only beneficial for students but your institution as well it’s important to take measures.

Having AI in higher education will increase as today’s generation learns better through technology. A key takeaway is that the best results will come when AI technology and human abilities are combined. What do you think of this new shift to AI-assisted learning?