---
title: What is Dynamically Active Student Engagement?
description: Learn how to move beyond superficial engagement with your students to more dynamically active engagement in this free ebook by MIND's Lead Mathematician Brandon Smith.
image: https://2024.mindresearch.org/hubfs/student-engagement-book-blog-header.png
---

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# What is Dynamically Active Student Engagement?

By [Brian LeTendre](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/author/brian-letendre)

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**Engage**, (v.) \\inˈɡāj\\: to hold the attention of; to provide occupation for

**Engaged**, (adj.) \\inˈɡājd\\: Involved in activity

**Engagement**, (n.) \\inˈɡājmənt\\: the act of engaging; the state of being engaged

*Source: Merriam-Webster*

Unlike a lot of other education buzzwords, the debate over [student engagement](https://www.stmath.com/student-engagement) isn't about whether or not we want it, but more about how we can best achieve it.

So why is it that student engagement is still like some mythical unicorn, or the elusive Yeti-- something that many educators catch fleeting glances of only to have it disappear as quickly as it came into sight?

So many efforts to engage students tend to fall into one of two boxes:

![Student Engagement Boxes Graphic](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Student%20Engagement%20Graphic.png?width=600&name=Student%20Engagement%20Graphic.png)

Engagement isn't actually what we should be looking for.

It's time to really rethink student engagement, and in this new ebook MIND Research Institute’s Lead Mathematician Brandon Smith proposes a new schema in which the focus goes beyond engaging students to a concept, to motivating them through learning while challenging them at a deep level.

This new guide dives into the wash, rinse and repeat cycle that a lot of student engagement approaches are stuck in. It offers a clear method for changing the way we think about student engagement, and instead focusing on getting students dynamically active in their learning.

By using the "dynamically active lens," educators can create math experiences in which students move past initial engagement and motivated through the learning.

[![Student Engagement Free Ebook Download](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/237516/bf1df67c-6ad1-4c54-b08f-d2d935142714.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/237516/bf1df67c-6ad1-4c54-b08f-d2d935142714)

Additional Resources:

- [Student Engagement Resources](https://www.stmath.com/student-engagement)
- [Podcast: Dynamically Active Student Engagement](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/active-engagement-students)

![Brian LeTendre](https://2024.mindresearch.org/hubfs/brian-letendre-headshot-305761-edited.png)

### About the Author

Brian LeTendre was the Director of Impact Advancement at MIND Research Institute. In addition to building thought leadership and brand awareness for MIND, Brian worked cross-functionally internally and externally to amplify MIND's social impact and accelerate our mission. He is an author, podcaster and avid gamer.

### Comment

#### [3 Student Engagement Strategies To Mathematize Any Activity](https://2024.mindresearch.org/blog/student-engagement-strategies-math)

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