University lessons as interaction rituals: an observational study of student engagement in a set of problem-based learning (PBL) classes

Though a considerable amount of education research has examined the various factors that shape student engagement, much of it is focused on individual characteristics. To examine the social aspect of classroom student engagement, this study uses the sociological concept of interaction rituals to consider whether the four elements (bodily co-presence, barriers to outsiders, mutual focus, and shared mood) that are claimed to make such rituals successful may also foster student engagement. To study this possibility, eighteen hours of systematic classroom observations (supplemented by a student questionnaire and discussions with facilitators) of 101 students in ten problem-based learning (PBL) classes in a British medical course were conducted. Thematic analysis of the data, guided by interaction ritual theory, shows that a number of PBL lessons resembled interaction rituals. Furthermore, results suggest that sessions with the four elements Collins states are essential to interaction rituals were more likely to have engaged students. Lastly, classes with ‘energy stars’ had a greater shared mood than those with ‘energy drains.’ These results not only extend interaction ritual theory to the experience of higher education, but suggest that designing in-class lessons to encourage interaction rituals may help foster classroom engagement among university students.