Rethinking engagement with learning for neurodiverse students

Abstract

As we reform university teaching post-pandemic, we urgently need to know how best to meet the needs of all our students. By better understanding their experience, we can remove the barriers to inclusion for autistic and neurodiverse students. Building on existing conceptualisations of learning engagement, this study adapts engagement for neurodiverse students by reviewing conceptualisation and operationalisation of this metaconstruct for appropriateness and capacity to reflect the characteristics, complexity, and context of students’ learning experiences. The adapted engagement framework supports the design of more appropriate instruments to measure the engagement of students with their learning activities. This in turn supports research that reflects the importance of context and has the potential to inform inclusive teaching practice.