A study of faculty development programs in India to improve student engagement

Abstract

Student engagement refers to the degree of awareness, curiosity and interest that students show in their formal educational environment, which also reflects their motivation for learning and academic achievements. There has been lot of research about how to build a positive climate for learning, improve student curiosity, and enhance classroom association. The research findings are unambiguous. Student learning, persistence, and attainment in educational institutes are strongly associated with student engagement. In India, a project named Mission 10x has been started by an esteemed IT Corporation Wipro as a faculty development programme (FDP) that particularly focus on elements that can lead to improvement in student engagement. This paper presents a study of these FDPs and examines (1) the parameters that affect student engagement (2) the extent to which student engagement is improved after the conduct of Mission 10x FDPs, and (3) whether institutions differ in terms of their ability to convert student engagement into academic performance via these FDPs. The sample consisted of 2,236 students at 6 four-year engineering colleges and universities that completed several FDPs during 2012-2014. Many measures of student engagement were linked positively with such FDPs, although some of the relationships were weak in strength. The results suggest that the lowest-ability students were more benefitted after conducting these FDPs and application of novel approaches in conducting classes. Also, different forms of engagement are converted into academic achievement, and certain institutions convert student engagement into higher performance on critical thinking tests more effectively.