2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Teaching in higher education provides challenges with keeping the focus and attention of the students in the classroom. The growing gap between the changing generations of students and the traditional “sage on stage” educators created a need to examine the pedagogical practices used within the classroom. The purpose of this study was to examine how to improve student engagement in undergraduate STEM classrooms. The study collected quantitative survey data from participants which included 275 students from eight different classrooms at two different universities—each with different student demographics and funding streams. The data were analyzed by using statistical methods against a Student Engagement Core (SEC) model. The results revealed that there was significant dissonance between how students perceived their engagement and what instructors did in the classrooms. The students expressed a desire for a strong connection with their instructors in a classroom environment that emphasized the application of theory to practice, hands-on learning, and a variety of teaching methods. The students also valued opportunities for peer learning and intellectual discussions. In addition, students wanted instructors to gather formative feedback.