Chapter 2 – Effective Learner Engagement

Besides the wide range of areas where learners should be involved in when considering learner engagement, there is also the degree of engagement that is important to consider.

‘Engagement’, ‘involvement’, ‘participation’ are all terms that can be interpreted in different ways by different people and therefore it’s important to consider when learner engagement is really meaningful. The ladder of citizen participation, developed by Sherry Arnstein all the way back in 1969,  is still effective tool to consider the difference between ‘effective’ and ‘tokenistic’ participation, which is equally valid in the context of learner engagement:

Within the VET sector, all these different forms of ‘participation’ can be observed, sometimes even within the same institution – for example, learners may be considered ‘partners’ in topics related to the learning environment, but only ‘consulted’ in relation to quality assurance and considered as ‘passive recipients’ of their teaching & learning. This variation in engagement is sometimes the result of careful consideration, but more often ‘just the way it has always been done.’ But when you value the voice of learners and the specific  expertise they have as the recipients of everything the VET institution does, the real challenge and opportunity is to get the most out of these learners by moving to a system of true effective learner engagement.