Engaging students — that means project-based work, hands-on work, small classes with more faculty-student contacts and lots of opptys to socialize with faculty outside the classroom (ah, the actual research of my dissertation…) proves itself, especially with under-prepared students. Ernie Pascarella, one of the cited researchers, was my dissertation chair.
Inside Higher Ed :: ‘Engagement’ and the Underprepared: “Both measured the effects of participating in certain kinds of educational activities — collaboration with other students, significant faculty-student contact, etc. — that are generally thought to “engage” students in the learning process.”