ABSTRACT
Student engagement is an educational challenge. Educators know what students should learn and why students should learn. Our conversations about curriculum rationales and standards answer those challenges. But the more difficult questions continue to stand out: How do students learn? How do students learn differently? How do we engage students to capture their interest and imagination, while also developing their higher-order critical-thinking skills? Keeping these instructional questions at the forefront of our work reminds educators to pay close attention to the value of student engagement in relation to mandated learning standards. An active approach to learning enlivens curiosity, builds collaboration among diverse viewpoints, and fosters inquiry along with skill development.
