Student Engagement Is Not Student Learning

Credit: iStock.com/skynesher
Credit: iStock.com/skynesher
When my son was growing up, my wife and I bought memberships at the local science museum so we could take him there any time we wanted. Like many parents, we wanted him to grow up in an intellectually stimulating environment. No vacuous video games for him. The more time I spent at the science museum, though, the more I wondered whether my son was learning anything meaningful. I found that science museums excel at engagement, but they may not be that good for learning. Museum exhibits usually offer people something fun or interesting to do, like lying on a bed of spikes, creating smoke rings, or building a catenary arch of blocks. People enjoy doing the exhibit, but do they learn about the science and math being demonstrated? Usually there is a panel on the exhibit explaining what is going on, but few (children or adults) stop to read it. They are on to the next exhibit. People’s attitudes seem to be more “What does this exhibit do?” than “What can I learn from this exhibit?”

To continue reading, you must be a Teaching Professor Subscriber. Please log in or sign up for full access.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles

I have two loves: teaching and learning. Although I love them for different reasons, I’ve been passionate about...
In a 2023 article published in The Hill, Sarah Eaton, an associate professor of education at the University...
Educators play a pivotal role in shaping students’ academic journeys, and their impact in the classroom extends far...
There are a myriad of answers to this seemingly simple question. Grading probably comes to mind for many...
Fears of disingenuous work, fraudulent and stolen information, and theft of intellectual property have been swirling around education...
Students often struggle academically due to an inability to organize their lives around achievable goals. Students beyond early...

Are you signed up for free weekly Teaching Professor updates?

You'll get notified of the newest articles.

The Teaching Professor Conference 2024

June 7-9, 2024 • New Orleans

Connect with Fellow Educators at The Teaching Professor Conference!