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Pupils’ Perception of Engagement in Learning: A Cross-Context Study in Australia and China
Dr Tania Blatti (Wellington College International Shanghai)
Dr Amy Berry (University of Melbourne)
Abstract
Pupil engagement is widely recognised as a key factor in academic success and wellbeing, yet most research evaluates it through teacher observations or standardised measures rather than through pupils’ own perspectives. This study addresses that gap by investigating how primary pupils in two contrasting contexts, Melbourne, Australia, and an international school in Shanghai, China, define and experience engagement in learning. Using a mixed-methods design, survey data and open-ended responses from over 1,000 pupils (Prep–Year 6) were analysed to explore attitudes toward learning and self-perceptions as learners. Findings revealed a consistent pattern across both contexts: younger pupils expressed high levels of enjoyment and confidence in learning, but these declined steadily through the later years of primary, echoing the Jenkins Curve (2021). Qualitative analysis using Berry’s Continuum of Engagement showed that most pupils associated engagement with participation, listening, following instructions, or completing tasks. Fewer described investing behaviours such as persistence and curiosity, and very few demonstrated driving their own learning through goal-setting, feedback-seeking, or self-regulation. The results suggest that many pupils equate being a “good learner” with compliance and performance, rather than curiosity and resilience. However, examples such as the Shanghai Year 6 Exhibition illustrate how authentic, inquiry-based experiences can reignite confidence and motivation. The study highlights the need for schools to be explicit and intentional in how they design learning opportunities and talk with pupils about what learning means. By fostering agency and deeper engagement, educators can help pupils carry their early enthusiasm for learning into the later years of schooling and beyond.
Introduction
Engagement in learning is widely recognised as a critical factor in pupil success, both academically and developmentally. Over the past 30 years, an increasing body of research has explored the dimensions of engagement (e.g., cognitive, behavioural, and emotional) and its relationship to pupil achievement, motivation, and wellbeing. There is considerable evidence that connects engagement with academic success, achievement, and increased wellbeing (Fredricks et.al, 2004). Yet, despite this ongoing interest and attention within the education community, one essential voice remains underrepresented in the research literature: that of the pupil.
Most existing frameworks evaluate engagement through observable behaviours or adult perspectives. Few studies ask pupils to articulate what engagement means to them or how they experience it in their daily learning. This omission presents a significant gap, especially when schools aim to foster learner agency, metacognition, and authentic participation in the learning process.
This study addresses that gap by investigating primary pupils’ perceptions of engagement and their experiences of engaging in learning at school. In particular, it explores pupils’ understandings of what effective engagement is within the context of classroom learning experiences. Given the significant influence of context on engagement, the study also explores the similarities and differences in pupil perspectives across two contrasting contexts: Melbourne primary schools, Australia and an international school in Shanghai, China.
A cross-context study
The context of China, Shanghai International School
The international school in Shanghai follows a British-style curriculum while also drawing on the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework. In recent years, the school has begun to adopt the IB Approaches to Learning, the Learner Profile, and guided inquiry in the Primary School. This is a shift from a predominantly content-driven approach toward one that prioritises pupil agency, inquiry, and self-regulation. Teachers and leaders have invested in building a more pupil-centred culture, actively promoting autonomy and embedding opportunities for pupil voice in classroom practice. However, as in many international schools, there remains a dual emphasis: pupils continue to participate in standardised assessments and are carefully tracked against attainment benchmarks. This creates a distinctive learning culture that blends innovation with accountability, inquiry with performance.
The context of Australia, Melbourne schools
The Australian schools involved in this study operate within the framework of the Australian National Curriculum, which sets out content and achievement standards for each subject area, as well as a set of general capabilities that aim to deepen pupil engagement with that content (https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au). Alongside the curriculum support for pupil engagement, the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers set an expectation that teachers demonstrate the ability to plan and implement lessons that engage pupils and promote learning (https://www.aitsl.edu.au/standards). Despite these policy initiatives to support engagement, improving engagement remains a persistent and significant challenge for schools and teachers in Australia (Goss et al., 2017; Young, 2025).
Literature Review
Understanding Engagement as a Continuum
Pupil engagement has long been recognised as a multidimensional construct, often framed around behavioural, emotional, and cognitive aspects (Fredricks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004). More recent frameworks emphasise the importance of learner agency as a key dimension of engagement (Reeve & Jang, 2022). In contrast, Berry (2022, 2020) reconceptualises engagement not as discrete dimensions, but as a continuum of learner engagement and disengagement. The continuum consists of three forms of disengagement and three forms of engagement. Disengagement ranges from actively disrupting the learning environment to actively avoiding learning and passively withdrawing from learning. Engagement ranges from passively participating to actively investing and driving one’s own progress in learning.
Figure 1. Continuum of Engagement
| DISENGAGEMENT | ENGAGEMENT | ||||
| DISRUPTING | AVOIDING | WITHDRAWING | PARTICIPATING | INVESTING | DRIVING |
| Indicative behaviours:
Refusing to follow instructions Fighting Trying to disrupt the learning of others |
Indicative behaviours:
Being off-task Looking for ways to avoid work Looking for reasons to leave the room |
Indicative behaviours:
“Flying under the radar” Being distracted Putting in low effort Physically separating from others |
Indicative behaviours:
Doing the work Being on-task Paying attention Following instructions Responding to questions |
Indicative behaviours:
Showing interest or curiosity Sharing ideas and thinking Asking questions Seeing a value in learning |
Indicative behaviours:
Setting goals Seeking feedback Seeking out challenges Monitoring progress Collaborating with others |
| Based on Berry (2020) | |||||
This continuum positions engagement as dynamic and fluid, dependent on learners’ contexts, self-perceptions, and the quality of learning opportunities. It also underscores the importance of identity, autonomy, and agency in fostering deeper and more sustainable engagement. The continuum describes engagement from the perspective of the teacher based on their lived experiences of teaching and learning in the classroom. Recently, the continuum has been tested against pupil perspectives and shown to also align with the descriptions they provided of engagement and disengagement in the context of learning at school (Berry & Picker, 2025).
Decreasing Engagement
A well-documented pattern in engagement literature is the decline in pupil engagement across the schooling years, a phenomenon sometimes visualised through the Jenkins Curve (2021). This curve suggests that pupils typically exhibit high enthusiasm, curiosity, and confidence in the early years, which steadily declines as they move through upper primary and into secondary school (Willms, Friesen & Milton, 2009; Furlong & Christenson, 2008). The reasons for this decline are multifaceted, involving increased academic pressure, reduced autonomy, and less inductive and deductive inquiry-based learning. Berry and Picker’s (2025) research adds further evidence of this pattern of engagement decline as they progress through school.
Pupil Perspectives on Engagement
Although engagement is a central focus in educational discussions, most studies evaluate it through teacher observations or standardised engagement surveys (e.g., PASS data). This approach often omits the nuanced and contextualised ways in which pupils understand and experience engagement. Scholars such as Lodge (2005) and Cook-Sather (2006) advocate for elevating pupil voice as a source of rich insight. Berry (2022) builds on this argument by emphasising that understanding how pupils define and describe their own engagement can reveal whether they are merely passive participants or genuinely agentic learners. By focusing on pupil perceptions, educators gain a clearer view of where learners fall on the engagement continuum and what might help them move forward.
Learner Identity and Dispositions
The IB Learner Profile and Approaches to Learning (ATL) frameworks reinforce the role of pupil identity in learning. They encourage pupils to adopt dispositions such as being reflective, open-minded, and principled, qualities that align with deeper engagement as described by Berry’s model. Claxton and Carr (2004) argue that when pupils are supported to develop these identities, they engage more cognitively and emotionally with their learning. In this way, learner identity is not only a product of curriculum but also a driver of engagement across the continuum.
Performance and Learning Mode
Claxton (2013) distinguishes between what he terms performance mode and learning mode. In performance mode, pupils focus on demonstrating what they already know, meeting external expectations, and avoiding mistakes. This mode is often reinforced by assessment-driven environments where correctness and efficiency are prioritised. In contrast, learning mode emphasises curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty or struggle as part of the learning process. Claxton argues that high-quality education requires a balance between the two modes: performance mode ensures that standards are met, while learning mode nurtures resilience, creativity, and long-term growth. When schools lean too heavily toward performance, pupils may become risk-averse and equate success with compliance, echoing patterns observed in this study. By framing engagement through these dual modes, Claxton’s work provides a useful lens for interpreting how pupils’ self-perceptions of being a “good learner” often shift between compliance with rules and genuine investment in learning (Claxton, 2013).
Methodology
This study employed a mixed-methods design to investigate how primary-aged pupils perceive engagement in their learning across two educational contexts: An international school in China and five primary schools in Australia. The purpose was to examine commonalities and differences in constructs of pupil attitudes toward learning and self-perceptions as learners, specifically, how pupils define and experience engagement, using similar instruments and approaches in both contexts.
Participants
All pupils in Years Prep to 6 were invited to participate during school hours. First year of formal schooling in Melbourne is Prep, and in Shanghai is Year 1. At an international school in China, the survey was administered in-class, and completed individually with teacher support available for younger pupils if needed. The Australian schools followed a similar administration process, with adjustments made to suit local contexts, and included pupils from Prep (first year of formal schooling) to Year 12. For the purposes of this paper, the focus will be on the primary pupil responses only (Prep to Year 6).
Table 1. Pupil demographics.
| Survey responses | |
| China | 637 |
| Australia | 415 |
Data Collection
International School in China
Pupils at the International school in China completed a short survey designed to capture both affective responses and reflective justifications. The survey included two open-ended reflective prompts, each paired with a four-point visual scale to ensure accessibility for all ages:
- How do you feel about learning at school? Why?
- How do you feel about yourself as a learner? Why?
For each prompt, pupils selected the statement that best matched their perspective, ranging from “I really struggle” to “I’m really good at it,” with responses supported by emoji visuals to provide an age-appropriate entry point. Pupils then provided a short-written explanation to justify their choice. This structure aimed to capture both quantitative trends and qualitative insights across the full primary cohort.
Australian Schools
In the Australian schools, pupils responded to two statements using a four-point agreement scale:
- I enjoy learning at school
- I think I am a good learner
This design enabled comparability across the cohort while maintaining simplicity for younger children. In addition, pupils in Years 3–6 were asked to extend their responses with a follow-up prompt: “What makes you say that?” This provided a balance of structured quantitative data and developmentally appropriate opportunities for pupil voice.
Shared Constructs
Although the survey formats differed, both instruments evaluated the same underlying constructs: pupil attitudes toward learning and self-perceptions as learners.
Data Analysis
The quantitative (scale) data was analysed descriptively to identify overall trends and patterns across year groups and contexts. In particular, and based on the literature, the analysis looked at the means for each year level and any evidence of the downward trajectory in engagement that has previously been reported in other studies.
The qualitative data (open-ended responses) was analysed using both deductive and inductive analysis. When looking at pupils’ descriptions of what they did and did not enjoy about learning at school, the data was analysed using a thematic approach to explore the motivators and demotivators that pupils experienced during learning. When looking at pupils’ descriptions of what makes a good learner, the data was analysed using a deductive approach with Berry’s engagement continuum as a lens.
By focusing on the same underlying constructs and applying a consistent coding framework, this cross-context design enabled meaningful analysis across settings while preserving the authenticity of pupil voice.
Findings
Confidence as Learners
In the Australian schools (n=415), pupil confidence in themselves as learners was generally high across the primary years, though it declined modestly as pupils progressed through the grades (see Figure 2). Prep pupils reported the strongest confidence (M = 3.7), with a steady decline across Year 1 (M = 3.5) and Year 2 (M = 3.3). Results remained constant in Year 3 (M = 3.3) and Year 4 (M = 3.3), before declining again in Year 5 (M = 3.2) and remaining at that level in Year 6 (M = 3.2). Overall, these results suggest that while most pupils agreed with the statement “I think I am a good learner,” there was a gradual downward trend in self-reported confidence from early to later primary years.
Figure 2. Pupils in Australian Schools reported confidence in themselves as learners (n=415).
Note: Responses were scored as follows – Strongly disagree (1), Disagree (2), Agree (3), Strongly agree (4)
In the Shanghai school (n=637), a similar pattern was observed, though expressed through a different response scale. Year 1 pupils reported the highest confidence (M = 3.6), followed by a marked drop in Year 2 (M = 3.2). Confidence then remained relatively stable through Years 3–5 (M = 3.2, 3.1, 3.1), with a slight increase in Year 6 (M = 3.2). These findings indicate a decline in self-perceptions of learning ability after the first year of primary, with limited recovery across the subsequent grades.
Figure 3. Pupils in an International School in China reported confidence in themselves as learners (n=637).
Note: Responses were scored as follows – I’m really good at it (4), I’m okay (3), I find it hard (2), I really struggle (1)
Despite differences in survey design, the overall pattern across both contexts is consistent, younger pupils expressed higher confidence in themselves as learners, with confidence declining in the later years of primary school. This suggests that as academic and social demands increase, pupils may begin to evaluate themselves more critically as learners. It is also possible that younger learners are less able to accurately assess their skills, leading to more optimistic responses due to their stage of cognitive development. As pupils progress, the cumulative effect of their learning experiences, and the feedback they receive about their performance in relation to expected outcomes and their peers, appears to shape increasingly cautious and self-critical evaluations of themselves as learners.
Pupil Attitudes Toward Learning at School
In the Australian schools (n=415), pupil enjoyment of learning was generally positive but showed a gradual decline across year levels. Prep pupils reported the highest levels of agreement with the statement “I enjoy learning at school” (M = 3.7). This dropped slightly in Year 1 (M = 3.6) and remained at that level in Year 2 (M = 3.6), before declining in Year 3 (M = 3.3) and Year 4 (M = 3.2). Similar responses were seen in Year 5 (M = 3.2), followed by the lowest level in Year 6 (M = 3.1). Overall, these results indicate that while most pupils expressed agreement, enjoyment of learning declined as pupils advanced through the primary years.
Figure 4. Pupils in Australian schools reported attitude toward learning at school (n=415).
Note: Responses were scored as follows – Strongly disagree (1), Disagree (2), Agree (3), Strongly agree (4)
In the Shanghai school (n=637), a similar trajectory was observed, with enjoyment highest in the early years and tapering off in later grades. Year 1 pupils reported the strongest positive feelings about learning (M = 3.8), followed by a drop in Year 2 (M = 3.5). A small recovery was noted in Year 3 (M = 3.6), before declining in Year 4 (M = 3.4) and Year 5 (M = 3.2). Year 6 pupils reported a slight increase (M = 3.3). These findings suggest a broad pattern of decreasing enthusiasm for learning across the primary years, with only minor fluctuations.
Figure 5. Pupils in an International School in China reported attitude toward learning at school (n=637).
Note: Responses were scored as follows – I love it (4), It’s okay (3), Not really (2), I don’t like it at all (1)
Taken together, the results from both contexts highlight a common pattern: pupils in the early years of schooling report higher enjoyment of learning, but this gradually diminishes as they progress through the upper years of primary school. This downward trend suggests that the increasing academic and social demands of later primary years may shape how children experience learning at school.
Findings from open-ended responses
Analysis of pupils’ descriptions of what they enjoyed and did not enjoy about learning highlighted a range of motivators and demotivators across both contexts. In the Australian schools, the majority of primary pupils (93%) either agreed or strongly agreed that they enjoyed learning at school. In their open-ended responses, pupils talked about aspects of learning that they most enjoyed, such as opportunities to work with peers, having supportive teachers, and engaging in practical or creative activities. Many described learning at school as a positive and rewarding experience. For example, one pupil explained, “I love to learn new things every day and the fact that that there is no end to how much a single person can know.” Despite the overwhelmingly positive response in survey ratings, in the open-ended responses 25% of primary pupils described aspects of learning at school that they did not enjoy. These primarily centred on boring or repetitive tasks, feeling drained and pressured, and feeling like their needs as a learner were not being met. For example, “I like learning, but it can be boring and hard” and “Sometimes I don’t see why we are learning these things, and I don’t see how I will use this later in life, or why I would need this knowledge.”
In the Shanghai schools, the majority of primary pupils also reported enjoying school, with an average of 88% identifying motivators for their learning. These motivators were most strongly linked to the Approaches to Learning, particularly collaboration, research, and self-management skills, as well as to attributes of the IB Learner Profile such as being inquirers, communicators, and open-minded. Pupils described enjoying opportunities to make choices, work with peers, and connect their learning to real-world issues. This was especially evident during the Year 6 Exhibition, where pupils carried out independent inquiries into topics of personal significance and shared their findings with the wider community. As one pupil reflected, “I liked being an inquirer and choosing my own question. We had to be risk-takers and communicators to explain our ideas to everyone.” Another commented, “Working together helped me be more open-minded and think about other people’s perspectives.”
However, around 12% of primary pupils indicated demotivators in their learning, often connected to feelings of pressure, fear of making mistakes, or the stress of public performance.
Both Australian pupils and pupils in China appear to share similar descriptions of what it means to engage in learning. The majority of their comments reflected participation, with fewer examples illustrating investing, and very few demonstrating driving their own learning. Below are selected comments and examples, organised to show how they were categorised across the continuum.
Table 2. Descriptions of what it means to be engaged in learning across both contexts.
| Participation | Investing | Driving | |
| Pupil Comments
Australia, Melbourne |
“I listen when being taught something new.”
“I focus on my work and try not to get distracted.” |
“I try my best even if I don’t get something right straight away.”
“Whenever I come across a subject that I really like, I want to know more. I want to do more. I won’t just work at school; I’ll also work at home.”
|
“If I think I have mastered something, I try to take a more difficult approach so I can challenge myself in a new way.”
“Whenever I make a mistake, I am always wanting to learn what I did wrong.”
|
| Pupil Comments
China, Shanghai |
“A good learner listens and sits quietly.”
“You have to do what the teacher says.”
|
“Trying different ways if something is hard.”
“Sometimes I keep practising until I get it, because that’s how I know I’m learning.” |
“Asking questions when I don’t get it.”
“A good learner doesn’t just wait for the teacher; you try to find out for yourself.” |
The majority of pupil comments centred on participation, with many describing behaviours such as listening, following instructions, or trying tasks. Fewer comments reflected investing, where pupils spoke about persisting, practising, or asking questions. Very few, in either context, described driving their own learning. While examples of investing and driving were present, they were much less common, with driving emerging as the least evident across both groups.
Discussion
Attitudes Toward Learning and Self-Perceptions as Learners
The evidence across both contexts is clear, pupils begin primary school confident in themselves as learners and full of enthusiasm for learning. In the early years, pupils described school as fun, enjoyable, and something they were “good at.” Yet as they moved through the grades, both their attitudes towards learning (enjoyment) and their self-perception as learners (confidence) showed a gradual decline. This decline in attitudes towards learning and school echoes previous findings. This decline echoes the Jenkins curve (2021), aligning with previous studies that highlight the steady downturn in engagement as children progress through school.
For the Shanghai school, an interesting pattern emerged around Year 6. Pupils actually reported a slight incline in confidence and enjoyment of learning. One possible explanation was that at the time the survey was conducted, they were immersed in the Year 6 Exhibition, a culminating research project where pupils conduct an in-depth inquiry, and present their findings to the school community. This experience offered pupils ownership, authenticity, and a chance to connect learning with real-world concerns. The survey results showing higher levels of confidence and motivation were complemented by qualitative descriptions, where pupils articulated how they demonstrated independence, collaboration, and creativity in ways that mattered to them. But it also leaves us wondering: why is this kind of experience the exception rather than the norm? What would happen if more schools looked like this?
Performance Mode
Many pupils continued to equate learning with performance. Typical comments included, “A good learner is someone who doesn’t make mistakes.” This view point to a mindset in which learning is judged against peers, correctness is prioritised, and risk is carefully avoided. Claxton’s (2013) notion of performance mode captures this dynamic, the drive to prove ability and avoid mistakes at all costs. For educators, this raises further questions: what classroom practices lead pupils to conclude that compliance and error-avoidance define “good learning”? What signals within the culture of schooling reinforce this performance orientation?
Learning Mode
At the same time, there were indications that some pupils understood what Claxton (2013) terms learning mode. Here, pupils described persistence, curiosity, and experimentation as qualities of effective learners. Comments such as “Helping others learn,” “Trying different ways if something is hard,” and “Asking questions when I don’t get it” suggest that some pupils understand learning as a process rather than a product. This perspective aligns closely with Berry’s (2022) “investing and driving” forms of engagement, where learners show a willingness to take risks and skills in self-regulation. Crucially, in the case of Year 6 pupils in Shanghai, the data showed both an increase in understanding these higher levels of engagement and an increase in their confidence as learners. This suggests that understanding learning modes may help students to develop more confidence and support more active engagement in their learning. This suggests that resilience and deeper engagement are most likely to develop when pupils operate in learning mode.
Engagement as a Continuum
When viewed through Berry’s Continuum of Engagement, the findings become clearer.
The qualitative data shows a strong understanding of participating, but much less awareness of the more active forms of engagement. There are two possible interpretations of the qualitative analysis. First, it is possible that these pupils have not yet experienced investing and driving as ways of engaging in learning at school and are therefore unable to connect their everyday experiences of classroom learning with these higher levels of engagement. Second, it might be that these primary pupils are still developing an awareness of themselves as learners and the behaviours that learners engage in to help themselves learn and improve.
Many pupils appear to have received implicit messages that “learning” is about compliance, for example, filling in pages of a textbook or following instructions. If we want to shift this perception, bringing the focus onto learning, we need to intentionally design activities that require investment and driving, and explicitly teach pupils about learning. Simple reflective prompts such as “How are you going to learn today?” or “What are you going to do to help yourself learn today?” can make these dimensions more visible.
The challenge is to help pupils see themselves as active agents in their own learning. This requires explicit teaching of the skills for learning and deliberate design of learning experiences that allow them to practise and apply those skills. Where this has been trialled, such as in Year 6 initiatives in the Shanghai school, aimed at empowering pupils.
Falling Out of Love with Learning
The quantitative data for both Australia and Shanghai revealed a slow “falling out of love” with learning for many pupils that echoes the downward trend reported in other studies. The qualitative data gives an insight into the experiences of pupils and their perspectives on learning at school over this time period.
In the case of Shanghai, pupil reflections in the younger years illustrate how learning is experienced as discovery and exploration. Children spoke with delight about “exploring,” “building bug hotels,” and “always learning a new thing.” They frequently highlighted inquiry, art, and hands-on activities as reasons they loved school, showing that curiosity and joy were central to their engagement. When they did mention difficulty, it was framed as part of the process rather than a barrier: “sometimes hard, sometimes easy,” “sometimes I like doing hard [things],” and “teachers will help me with those questions that I don’t know so I can feel better.” In these early stages, challenge was accepted as a normal feature of learning rather than equated with failure.
By contrast, comments from older pupils reveal a shift in how learning is understood. Instead of celebrating discovery, their reflections more often focused on compliance, rules, and performance. Pupils spoke about “making sure I get it right for the teacher” or “following the steps so I don’t get in trouble.” Struggle, rather than being viewed as a normal part of learning, was increasingly associated with failure: “If I get it wrong, it means I’m not good at it,” and “I don’t like mistakes because it shows I didn’t understand.” This transition suggests that as pupils progress through the primary years, they become more preoccupied with correctness and external expectations.
This downward trajectory echoes the Jenkins Curve (2021) and brings to mind Claxton’s (2013) warning: if performance dominates, learning narrows and joy fades. In our research, comments like “When I get it right, I feel proud” or “I don’t like group work. I want to do it alone, so it’s perfect” are all about performance mode and less about enjoying and engaging in the process of learning.
Falling in Love with Learning
Encouragingly, the study also highlighted moments where pupils fell in love with learning. When they shared ideas and thinking, asked questions, and saw the value in learning, they described learning in process-oriented terms. They spoke about persisting through difficulty, experimenting with strategies, and celebrating collaboration. These examples show that learning mode can ignite curiosity and enjoyment. Both modes, performance and learning, have their place, but the challenge for schools is to maintain a strong emphasis on learning. Performance mode keeps expectations visible; learning mode sustains motivation and deep engagement. The more we design experiences that allow children to set goals, seek feedback, seek out challenges, monitor progress, and collaborate with others, the more likely they are to carry their early enthusiasm for learning into the later years of primary.
Implications for Practice
For teachers and school leaders, the key message is the importance of empowering pupils to be active participants in their own learning, building both their confidence and competence as learners. When pupils believe that simply participating is the full measure of being a “good learner,” they risk becoming stuck in a passive, passenger mode. By deliberately broadening their understanding of learning, we can help them more accurately evaluate themselves as learners, shift their attitudes towards learning itself, and begin to see how they can take ownership and drive their own learning forward.
The decline in engagement as pupils progress through primary school prompts important questions. Why do so many pupils equate being a “good learner” with never making mistakes, working quickly, or avoiding help? What experiences are we providing that lead them to conclude this is what matters most? When pupils describe good learning as little more than compliance—listening, sitting still, and doing what the teacher asks—what does that reveal about the signals they are picking up from their daily classroom lives?
Most importantly, how are we helping pupils to re-conceptualise learning as curiosity, reflection, openness to feedback, and resilience in the face of challenge? These misconceptions do not emerge in a vacuum; they are shaped by the culture and experiences of school. If those experiences remain too limited, pupils’ views of learning will remain limited too.
Schools have an important role to play in shaping the way that pupils think about learning and the way that they engage in learning. They can empower higher levels of confidence and engagement by intentionally focusing on the process of learning (not just the performance of demonstrating learning). This includes being explicit and intentional in designing learning experiences that foster investment and driving, and in naming and celebrating the dispositions that underpin genuine learning. In doing so, we aim to not only counteract the decline in engagement described by the Jenkins Curve (2021) but also nurture lifelong learners who see themselves as capable, curious, and resilient.
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