Transforming Learner Identities Through Learner Engagement: Introducing The Engagement Funnel

Learning is a transformational process. It helps to establish and shape a learner’s identity which in turn impacts how learners perceive and engage with the learning process. The degree of engagement itself forms the basis for learning and further transformation. So a clear understanding of engagement is essential to learning and nurturing learning identities. This has been acknowledged in previous research which has identified various aspects of engagement. However, such work has been limited in scope. In this paper we present an early holistic model for evaluating learner engagement known as the Engagement Funnel. This model has been developed by reviewing and integrating the findings from current literature and identifies four key dimensions of engagement and their interrelationships. These dimensions are the learning entity, the learning environment, the learning technology and the learning outcomes. We argue that our engagement funnel offers a way to evaluate and enhance learner engagement and hence provides a means to transform learner identity.