Research Supporting the Importance of Connection

These articles show the ties between engagement, social development, and academic achievement. These articles discuss how higher levels of engagement, participation and parental involvement across domains (socially, academically, emotionally) result in children exhibiting fewer behavior problems and higher academic achievement. The articles demonstrate the importance of creating a sense of belonging for students to increase their commitment to learning.

  1. Silver, H. F., & Perini, M. J. (2010). The eight Cs of engagement: How learning styles and instructional design increase student commitment to learning. On excellence in teaching, 319-344. This article describes how engaging children in several domains, including creating a sense of belonging increases students’ commitment to learning.
  2. Klem, A. M., & Connell, J. P. (2004). Relationships matter: Linking teacher support to student engagement and achievement. Journal of School Health, 74(7), 262-273. This study showed that there is an association between academic achievement and student engagement.
  3. Wang, M. T., & Holcombe, R. (2010). Adolescents’ perceptions of school environment, engagement, and academic achievement in middle school. American Educational Research Journal, 47(3), 633-662. This study demonstrated the association between achievement and school participation, school engagement, and self-regulation.
  4. Hirschfield, P. J., & Gasper, J. (2011). The relationship between school engagement and delinquency in late childhood and early adolescence. Journal of youth and adolescence, 40(1), 3-22. This study showed that emotional and behavioral engagement is associated with fewer school delinquencies.
  5. El Nokali, N. E., Bachman, H. J., & Votruba-Drzal, E. (2010). Parent involvement and children’s academic and social development in elementary school. Child Development, 81(3), 988-1005. This study demonstrated that students’ with highly involved parents had fewer behavioral problems and enhanced social functioning.
  6. Murray-Harvey, R. (2010). Relationship influences on students’ academic achievement, psychological health and well-being at school. Educational and Child Psychology, 27(1), 104-115. This study demonstrated that the quality of the relationship between teachers and students impacts academic and social/emotional outcomes.