Momentary Student Engagement as a Dynamic Developmental System

Abstract

In this theoretical statement we answer the call for increased scientific precision in research on student engagement, by providing a conceptualization of student engagement as a dynamic developmental system occurring across momentary time in classrooms. Momentary student engagement can be summarized as the situated, embodied, affective-motivational experience of integrated mental-physical activity in a task. In the statement we describe how momentary student engagement comprises parts (emotion, motivation, mental action, and physical action), structure (coactions between parts) and process (how parts and the whole develop through a sequence of engagement triggers and non-linear action). We discuss how researchers can conceptualize and study momentary student engagement at the microlevel grain sizes of agent (individual student), task (individual academic tasks) and time (momentary), providing a contrast to research on other forms of engagement occurring at higher level grain sizes (e.g., engagement with schooling as a macrolevel process). We overview methods of studying momentary student engagement complexity, emergence and dynamics, and end the statement by discussing how researchers can use the momentary student engagement perspective to enhance student engagement interventions.