ABSTRACT
This chapter will outline seven key principles of good practice in student engagement. The theories that underpin student engagement have been popularised in the last 30 years, largely from educational psychology. The chapter will encompass aspects of philosophy, psychology, and sociology relating to changes in education which have influenced student engagement, the practice of educational development, and the growth of higher education communities. In addition, political and societal contexts will be examined in the belief that the contexts have fuelled alignment with such theories. The alignment between Student Engagement and Self Determination Theory (Ryan and Deci, 2000 ) will be analysed, alongside the work by Dweck ( 2012 ) and Lawson and Lawson ( 2013 ), which demonstrates the impacts of associated mind-sets and behaviours. The chapter will acknowledge, also, that even the most empowering of student engagement schemes will still struggle with the inherent power relations within their structures. The need for student empowerment within student-engaged educational development (SEED) activities is illustrated and discussed. The chapter will consider the benefits of creating openness and transparency through such schemes, for the staff who support them and for the wider university or college community.
