Ciscell, Galen, authorCross, Jennifer, advisorPeek, Lori, committee memberShelley, Tara, committee memberCoke, Pamela, committee member2007-01-032007-01-032013http://hdl.handle.net/10217/80140This dissertation investigates the effect of teacher behaviors on student engagement in the classroom, and the relationship between student engagement and learning, with specific attention given to transformational learning. In this study, I define engagement as students being mentally attentive and interested in what is happening in the classroom - socially engaged with the Professor and other students, and enjoying the experience of learning. Data collection for this study was conducted at a large, Research I, land-grant university in the mountain west and involved interviews with eight university professors, six student focus groups, 24 classroom observations, and survey data from over 500 students. This dissertation reports a typology of teaching styles and a model of engagement based on the intersection of relevance and learning (the REaL model). While each style used a different approach to teaching, several common elements emerged amongst the most engaging teaching styles and professors. The results of the study indicate that incorporating important pedagogical elements such as making the material relevant to students, using emotional narratives, and bringing an authentic persona into the classroom are critical to engagement, and far more important than specific teaching methods such as lecture or discussion. Teachers should focus their efforts not on adopting a particular teaching style, but on creating a classroom experience in which relevance and learning combine to create student engagement. Other theoretical findings include a conceptualization of engagement as an internal process, and the corresponding theory that students need not actively participate in course discussions and activities in order to be engaged and learning. This dissertation concludes with a discussion of the importance of these findings for practical implementation in the classroom.born digitaldoctoral dissertationsengCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.educationteachinglearningengagementText