1. Student engagement as a way of enhancing student success
Erika Theron

2. Introduction – the study.
The Private Hotel School.
If the intent is to enhance student success, what role does a greater focus on student engagement play?

3. The role of student engagement in the current higher education environment

4. Changing higher education landscape.
In times of change, higher education institutions have often been at the forefront of facilitating new values and socialising members of society to conform.
Traditional lecture format no longer deemed adequate as the main approach to facilitate learning.
Major changes: technological advancements, increased competition, greater accountability, proliferation of information.

5. Millennials / Gen z – who are they?
Every new generation requires new inquiry into their learning behaviour.
“… the benefactors of society’s heightened awareness of children”
Typically:
Empowered
Ambitious
Technologically inclined
Achievement driven
Desire for constant feedback
Instant gratification
Selective attention

6. Millennials / gen z – what we need to know.
Assertive with good reasoning ability.
Self-confident and optimistic.
Think creatively about solving problems.
Able to multitask.
Comfortable with diversity.
Prone to scepticism and will try to validate information.
Tends to challenge authority.
Some resist adapting to environment, instead they expect environment to adapt to them.
Likely to quit tasks when they become uninterested, it takes too long or becomes too difficult.

7. Student success – defined
Student success is not merely reflected by students’ cognitive ability, but also includes, sustained interpersonal relationships, personal and identity development, career readiness, maintained health and wellness, being a socially responsible member of society and being aware of diversity (Koljatic & Kuh, 2001).
Non-cognitive variables of student success include positive self-concept, realistic self-appraisal, successfully handling the system, preference for long-term goals, availability of a strong support person, leadership experience, community involvement and knowledge acquired in the field (Sedlacek, 2004).

8. Student success – predictors
Academic self-sufficiency
Organisation and attention to study
Stress and time management
Involvement with campus activity
Emotional satisfaction with academics
Class communication

9. Student engagement – defined
Students’ cognitive investment in, active participation in and emotional commitment to learning (Zepke, Leach & Butler, 2014).
The time and effort students devote to activities that are empirically linked to desired learning outcomes as expected by the institution where they are enrolled as students (Henning, 2012).
Key words: “active involvement”, “active participation”, “fully immersed in the topic”, “thinking critically and creatively and sharing ideas” and “enthusiasm” (Garrett, 2011:3).
Students’ willingness, need, desire and compulsion to participate in and be successful in the learning process (Fletcher, 2014:1).
The frequency with which students participate in activities that represent effective education practice (NSSE, 2003).

10. Student engagement - explained
Students must learn to take responsibility for their own learning and be less dependant on the educator.
Various types:
Intellectual engagement
Emotional engagement
Behavioural engagement
Physical engagement
Social engagement
Cultural engagement

11. Conclusion Millennials’ basic expectations: Proposed techniques:
Variety
Significance
Autonomy
Feedback
Proposed techniques:
Start class with mind warm-up
Use movement
Teach collaboration
Use reflective practice
Give clear and strict instructions
Use questions
Eliminate ‘dead time’
Use variety of teaching styles
Incorporate technology
Connect real world to classroom
Be enthusiastic
Give students choice
Recognise student differences