Enhancing academic engagement: Providing opportunities for responding and influencing students to choose to respond

• Published in: Psychology in the schools Vol. 42; no. 4; pp. 389 - 403
• Main Authors: Skinner, Christopher H., Pappas, Danielle N., Davis, Kai A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01-04-2005; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Behavior Modification; Biological and medical sciences; Cognitive Restructuring; Contingency Management; Educational Opportunities; Educational psychology; Functional Behavioral Assessment; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Learning Problems; Problem Solving; Psychological Studies; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopedagogics. Didactics; Skill Development; Student Behavior; Student Participation; Student Reaction; Social environment; Human; Motivation; Personal commitment; Teacher; Personality; Psychopedagogy; Student; Occupational role; School environment; Homework
• ISSN: 0033-3085; 1520-6807
• DOI: 10.1002/pits.20065

Although educators often provide opportunities for students to engage in active academic responding, in many situations, students either cannot or will not respond. In the current article, we analyze the reasons students fail to respond. Practical procedures educators can use to prevent can't do problems are provided. Won't do problems are conceptualized as choice behaviors. Both applied and theoretical research on choice behavior provides the basis for recommendations designed to enhance the probability of students choosing to engage in active accurate academic (AAA) responding. Such procedures can increase skill development and achievement while decreasing inappropriate behaviors that are incompatible with AAA responding. School psychologists may utilize this information during the initial stages of collaborative problem solving (e.g., consultation) to help conceptualize problems. This conceptualization may then guide the assessment and intervention processes. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 389–403, 2005.