Mapping research in student engagement and educational technology in higher education: a systematic evidence map

TLDR

Digital technology has become central to higher education, influencing all aspects of the student experience and is linked to increased behavioural, affective, and cognitive engagement. The article aims to delineate the nexus of technology and student engagement by systematically mapping 243 studies from 2007–2016, thereby laying groundwork for future discipline‑specific investigations. The authors conducted a systematic evidence map of 243 studies published between 2007 and 2016 to chart the relationship between educational technology and student engagement. The map revealed that most studies (predominantly from the US and UK) focused on Arts & Humanities, Education, and Natural Sciences, used quantitative methods, rarely defined engagement or used theory, and examined undergraduate courses with blended learning and discussion forums, finding behavioural engagement most frequently identified, followed by affective and cognitive dimensions.

Abstract

Abstract Digital technology has become a central aspect of higher education, inherently affecting all aspects of the student experience. It has also been linked to an increase in behavioural, affective and cognitive student engagement, the facilitation of which is a central concern of educators. In order to delineate the complex nexus of technology and student engagement, this article systematically maps research from 243 studies published between 2007 and 2016. Research within the corpus was predominantly undertaken within the United States and the United Kingdom, with only limited research undertaken in the Global South, and largely focused on the fields of Arts & Humanities, Education, and Natural Sciences, Mathematics & Statistics. Studies most often used quantitative methods, followed by mixed methods, with little qualitative research methods employed. Few studies provided a definition of student engagement, and less than half were guided by a theoretical framework. The courses investigated used blended learning and text-based tools (e.g. discussion forums) most often, with undergraduate students as the primary target group. Stemming from the use of educational technology, behavioural engagement was by far the most often identified dimension, followed by affective and cognitive engagement. This mapping article provides the grounds for further exploration into discipline-specific use of technology to foster student engagement.