Increasing Student Engagement by Fostering Student-Teacher Relationships and Learner-Focused Classroom Strategies: An Improvement Science Research Study

Student engagement has continued to be an area of focus for teachers in the classroom for years. This study delves into the pivotal role of student engagement in fostering academic achievement and success, particularly in secondary education. Drawing upon research literature and educational policies, it underscores the significance of student engagement in improving overall student outcomes and addressing challenges and academic underperformance. The improvement initiative emphasizes the link between student engagement and nurturing strong connections. The study measured perceptions in the classroom by fostering teacher relationships and recognizing how the relationship can affect students. The Improvement Science Dissertation examined and explored different ways to increase engagement and student connectedness by surveying and investigating student and teacher perceptions, attendance, and grades. Employing improvement science as the methodological framework, the study aims to address the problem of practice surrounding student engagement by using various tools such as fishbone diagrams, driver diagrams, and PDSA cycles. The researcher utilized surveys, classroom observations, and focus groups to measure the success of implementing engagement strategies and connectedness activities within classes. The data presented in this study supports the focused need to engage students early in academic courses while continually developing a student-teacher relationship throughout academic courses