Sylvia SIM Swee Choo
Centre for English Language Communication
Sim, S. S. C. (2024). A balancing act: Engagement without exhaustion in an experiential learning environment [Lightning Talk]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-choo
SUB-THEME
Opportunities from Wellbeing
KEYWORDS
Constructive Engagement, Over-engagement, Burnout, Motivation
CATEGORY
Lightning Talk
EXTENDED ABSTRACT
Does participation equate to engagement? How much engagement is optimal? Is there such a thing as over-participation? What effect does this have on engagement? As educators strive to increase engagement in the class by encouraging more participation, such attempts can sometimes be counterproductive and become a barrier to deep learning. In the context of a leadership and professional communication course, this paper examines the notion of engagement and identifies factors that curriculum developers and teaching practitioners need to bear in mind when creating a learning environment that cultivates sustainable engagement without the risk of burnout.
In the era of AI, the significance of human connections in leadership communication requires interpersonal skills like empathy, active listening, and conflict resolution, which are critical for building trust and inspiring teams. To be effective, this professional communication module adopts an experiential learning approach (Kolb, 1984). Learning is contextualized in authentic scenarios provides students the opportunities to develop these workplace skills (Moore and Morton, 2017) This hands-on approach increases “communication capacity” (Litchfield et al., 2010) by bridging the gap between theory and practice, ensuring future leaders are equipped with both the technical proficiency and emotional intelligence necessary for success in a tech-driven world.
Experiential learning requires active participation that encourages students to draw upon learning experiences that shape their own values and identity. Very often, teachers look out for signs of disengagement but may overlook the possibility of over-engagement. Orosz et. al. (2023) describes over-engagement as a maladaptive form of engagement, characterised by preoccupation, emotional overwhelm, rumination, worry, and obsession, which can hinder effective learning. Balancing the benefits of engagement with the risks of overburdening participants is essential.
An examination of student feedback from this course identifies areas of concern suggesting excessive engagement among students. These areas are:
- The workload and the pace of activities and assessments were too intense
- The nature of the tasks pushing them out of their comfort zone
- Feedback and grading needed to be more effective in helping them avoid failures
Curriculum developers and teachers should focus on these areas of concerns and be mindful about improving the quality of engagement by encouraging active participation and maintaining a balanced approach. This involves helping students step out of their comfort zones without causing stress and fostering an environment where setbacks are seen as learning opportunities rather than threats. According to Orosz et al. (2023), such engagement allows individuals to be kinder to themselves and better manage their thoughts and feelings, leading to a greater motivation to engage to learn, rather than engage for grades. In a course that aims to build and hone professional communication skills, this balance is crucial for developing interpersonal skills and a growth mindset, ultimately leading to greater resilience. Constructive engagement surpasses mere active participation. While active participation aids short-term learning, sustained and lasting learning requires constructive engagement. For constructive engagement to be effective, it must be meaningful, constructive, and enjoyable, positively impacting learners.
- Meaningful: Engagement should provide meaningful value to learners. Whitton and Langan (2016) argue that students need to perceive the relevance and benefits of their involvement to remain motivated. Kyndt et al. (2014) argue that students are more motivated and perceive their workload as lighter when they find their tasks meaningful. Conversely, students lacking intrinsic motivation are likely to find even a light workload burdensome.
Whitton and Langan (2016) recommend breaking the cycle of performativity by reassessing how engagement is measured. While addressing learner disengagement is essential, the pressures of assessment can also result in excessive engagement.
- Constructive: According to Orosz et al. (2023), engagement in learning should be constructive, promoting growth and development rather than causing frustration or distraction. This involves creating activities and interactions that encourage critical thinking, problem- solving, and the application of knowledge, thus fostering a deeper understanding and skill enhancement. Constructive engagement requires a supportive environment that addresses students’ psychological needs, aligning activities with learning objectives to ensure relevance and purpose. By maintaining this balance, educators can enhance students’ motivation and involvement in their educational journey, making engagement both meaningful and productive.
- Enjoyable/Positive: Li (2022) points out that engagement should be enjoyable and positive. When students find their participation pleasurable, they are more likely to remain enthusiastic and committed to the learning process. She suggests fostering classroom enjoyment in a supportive, socially connected learning environment can reduce burnout and disengagement. Likewise, over-engagement can lead to burnout, causing stress and undermining students’ motivation.
This paper recommends that strategies for managing over-engagement such as having ungraded tasks, providing safe spaces, fostering enjoyment, promoting positive emotions will create a supportive environment that will ensure students balanced and motivated
REFERENCES
Kolb, D. A. (2014). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development (2nd ed). FT Press.
Li, H. (2022). Classroom enjoyment: Relations with EFL students’ disengagement and burnout. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.824443
Litchfield, A., Frawley, J., & Nettleton, S. (2010). Contextualising and integrating into the curriculum the learning and teaching of work-ready professional graduate attributes. Higher Education Research & Development, 29(5), 519-534. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2010.502220
Kyndt, E., Berghmans, I., Dochy, F., & Bulckens, L. (2013). ‘Time is not enough.’ Workload in higher education: a student perspective. Higher Education Research & Development, 33(4), 684–698. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2013.863839
Moore, T., & Morton, J. (2017). The myth of job readiness? Written communication, employability, and the ‘skills gap’ in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 42(3), 591–609. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2015.1067602
Orosz, G., Evans, K. M., Török, L., Bőthe, B., Tóth-Király, I., Sik, K., & Gal, E. (2023). The differential role of growth mindset and trait mindfulness in the motivation of learning from criticism. Mindfulness, 14(4), 868-879. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02117-4
Whitton, N., & Langan, A. M. (2016). Understanding learner disengagement: Why do students pay £9,000. Learning and Teaching in Action, 12(1), 56-70. http://www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/ltia/index.php