Engagement refers to the distinctly different ways in which individuals of all ages can be motivated and engaged in their learning process. There are a variety of factors that influence how someone engages with learning, such as culture, lived experiences, environment, and personal interests and significance. There are also different modalities of learning that appeal to different individuals - some enjoy highly structured approaches, others prefer spontaneity, working alone, working in groups, or a combination. Given that people are motivated to learn in different ways in different contexts, there will not be just one way to engage everyone. The positive effects of choice on intrinsic motivation, effort, task performance, and perceived competence is well documented and established in research. Thus, providing options and a high level of choice in all contexts of learning allows individuals to be purposeful and motivated with how they approach their learning objectives (CAST, 2018; Patall et al., 2008).

Click here for examples of digital tools to support the Engagement strand of the UDL Framework.