9300 -Problem Statement & Evidence

Problem Statement: Studies show that student engagement in learning decreases the longer students are in school.
There must be some reasons why students decline in their interest and engagement in school as they get older and a way to change the instructional strategies in the classroom to increase student engagement.
Evidence of the Problem: The Georgia Department of Education conducts a student health survey each year for students from third grade through high school. The first 11 questions on the Student Health Survey are under the heading of School Connectedness and the first three questions are the perceptions of the student and his or her engagement to school. When asked if the students like school, the greatest percentage of students that answered “always” were third graders, and they declined each year from 52% in third grade to 41% in fourth grade, and 32% in fifth grade. When asked if they do well in school, a similar decline is shown with 46% in third grade, 41% in fourth grade and 38% in fifth grade (Georgia Department of Education, 2016). Students need to be actively engaged in learning if they are going to succeed in school and learn the skills needed to become productive members of society once they graduate. The Partnership for 21st Century Learning that was formed in 2002 has the goal of creating a model for teaching and learning that prepares students for the 21st century. The skills specifically mentioned are creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking (Partnership for 21st Century Learning, 2002). Teachers must find instructional strategies and designs that will engage learners, improve their motivation, and allow for the acquisition of these skills.