Student Motivation & Engagement

Education news, analysis, and opinion about efforts to get students involved and active in learning and classroom activities
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
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End Student Boredom: K-12 Publisher's Guide to 70% Engagement Boost
Calling all K-12 Publishers! Student engagement flatlining? Learn how to boost it by up to 70%.
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Silhouetted figures water a blooming STEM flower.
Danny Allison for Education Week
Special Report How to Motivate Students to Succeed in STEM
Students can offer teachers valuable insights into what motivates them to tackle challenging STEM subjects.
May 27, 2025
A student and parent look into a landscape of many roads and opportunities.
Danny Allison for Education Week
Student Achievement From Our Research Center Many Kids' Parents Didn't Go to College. You Can Still Motivate Them in STEM
Students whose parents did not go to college often do not feel they have the necessary support to excel STEM subjects.
Jennifer Vilcarino, May 27, 2025
6 min read
A group of students follows their role models towards a bright STEM future.
Danny Allison for Education Week
Science Q&A Teachers, Parents, or Peers: Who Motivates Students Most to Pursue STEM?
Encouragement from adults—like teachers, school counselors, and parents—is crucial for motivating students in STEM.
Arianna Prothero, May 27, 2025
4 min read
Silhouetted figures water a blooming STEM flower.
Danny Allison for Education Week
Science From Our Research Center Want to Motivate Students in STEM? The Way You Explain Things Matters
How teachers explain tricky math and science concepts can affect students' motivation in their STEM classes.
Lauraine Langreo, May 27, 2025
7 min read
A teacher and student have opposite perspectives on cellphone use in school.
Danny Allison for Education Week
Science From Our Research Center Students Don't Think Cellphones Distract Them From Learning STEM. Teachers Disagree
New surveys of teens and teachers show how far apart the two groups are on this issue.
Arianna Prothero, May 27, 2025
4 min read
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
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Mathematics Webinar
Engaging Every Learner: Strategies to Boost Math Motivation
Math Motivation Boost! Research & real tips to engage learners.
Content provided by Prodigy Education
Group of school kids playing tug of war
iStock/Getty
Teaching Does Competition Motivate Students? Teachers Weigh In
Teachers look for ways to engage students—especially at the end of the year, as motivation wanes. Is competition the answer?
Elizabeth Heubeck, April 22, 2025
4 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Mathematics Opinion Math Can Make Smart People Feel Dumb
A guide to how students and educators can tackle math in a “sensible, relevant” way while also allaying their fears.
Rick Hess, April 22, 2025
6 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Opinion Want to Up Your Teaching Game? Listen to These Students
Students explain what makes them feel connected to their teachers and learning.
Larry Ferlazzo, April 22, 2025
9 min read
Student Absenteeism Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: We Can’t Engage Students If They Aren’t Here: Strategies to Address the Absenteeism Conundrum
Absenteeism rates are growing fast. Join Peter DeWitt and experts to learn how to re-engage students & families.
April 9, 2025
Silhouette of virtual human head profile filled in with illuminating handwritten math equations from a dark blue background.
iStock/Getty
Artificial Intelligence How AI Might Be Used to Motivate and Assess Students in Math
Gates Foundation education director outlines how AI might be used to improve math instruction.
Arianna Prothero, March 26, 2025
4 min read
SOT Lamberton BS THUMBNAIL
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Teaching Profession Video Meet the Hometown Boy Turned Art Teacher (and Bus Driver, and Wrestling Coach, and ...)
Clayton Hubert is bus driver, art teacher, and coach. But even his small, tight-knit school community struggles with student engagement.
1 min read
Clayton Hubert is an art teacher who wears many hats as an educator, including driving the school bus each morning, as seen here on Jan. 16, 2025, in Lamberton, Minn.
Clayton Hubert, an art teacher, wears many hats as an educator, including driving the school bus some mornings, as seen here on Jan. 16, 2025, in Lamberton, Minn. Many teachers say the expectations of the role have grown far beyond classroom instruction.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Teaching Profession Teaching in 2025: ‘Every Day Is a Crazy Day. It’s Fine.’
The profession is changing, and it's more challenging than ever. Resilient teachers are adapting. But at what cost?
26 min read