Every learner begins their journey with a vision of success. Perhaps it’s the aim of mastering a favourite subject or the goal of securing a brighter future for themselves and their families.
And yet, time and again, that spark is extinguished by a barrage of challenges and obstacles that they struggle to overcome.
The concern for higher education at large, is that this is becoming more and more common. Research by the Cowen Institute discovered that the average cost of college tuition in the U.S. has tripled over the past thirty years, with many of the most influential factors impacting college access and college persistence rates being economic in nature.
Likewise, a survey from the American Psychological Association found that almost 75% of students claim to suffer from moderate to severe psychological stress; generating higher levels of disengagement and making persistence across higher education a major challenge. This is especially prevalent for those studying part-time who have a much lower credential completion rate of 33.7% compared to 67.2% for full time peers.
It comes as no surprise that institutions face an impending enrolment cliff, as population growth stalls and traditional demographics explore alternative learner pathways, questioning the value of a college level qualification.
This is the nightmare state faced by students worldwide, a reality we call the Disengagement Cycle.
The Disengagement Cycle describes a recurring pattern where learners face innate and experiential barriers to success, internalize their struggles as personal failings, and, as a result, gradually withdraw from active participation in their education.
What begins with unsupported challenges, spirals into frustration and diminished confidence, leaving lasting effects on individuals, institutions and society at large.
What causes the Disengagement Cycle?
The Disengagement Cycle can be caused, and exacerbated, by a number of factors. Primarily, they are fundamental challenges that students face during the learning journey centred on attention and concentration, information processing, overwhelm and organizational and planning skills.
On a macro level, these experiences materialize through:
Collectively, these converging realities make learning significantly more challenging for people. Critical to note, however, is that while some barriers are innate, others can be overcome through the agency of learners and educators alike, striving to define their own academic success.
Consider how, on a micro level, the universally experienced note takers dilemma can contribute to disengagement.
Imagine you’re in class - do you focus on engaging with the content? Or do you try to capture all that valuable information in your notes? No matter what you choose, you’ll be missing out on something.
This can create information overload and learning associated anxiety, where students end up worrying so much about whether they’re capturing the content that they end up with neither comprehensive notes or active class engagement.
The natural outcome is disillusionment and stress across the cohort leading to diminished confidence and worsening grades.
Experiencing this reality exacerbates the fundamental challenges faced by all learners, such as confusing material, insufficient foundational skills, or an overwhelming pace of instruction, that ultimately fuel the dropout cycle; creating problems for institutions to maintain retention and persistence rates.
“45% of dropout in the first two years of college can be attributed to what students learn about their academic performance” - Ralph Stinebrickner and Todd Stinebrickner
Non-traditional learners, who now constitute the New Majority, find themselves more likely than most to succumb to the Disengagement Cycle.
They may be balancing their studies with working, parenting or learning in their non-native language, adding further fuel to the cognitive overload they face each and every day. Add to this the plethora of digital distractions and you’re left with a snowball effect that hinders effective learning.
These innate difficulties also extend to neurodiverse students and those with disabilities. Not only can they lack the study skills to know how to learn, 65% of these individuals also fail to disclose their situation due to, amongst other factors, a fear of stigmatization.
This leaves them even more susceptible to falling into a cycle of disengagement as institutions aren’t aware of the support they need to help them succeed.
When students struggle with their learning, and fall behind as a result, they often internalize their failure. Instead of questioning the system or seeking help, they believe they are inherently incapable.
This self-perception erodes confidence and motivation, making it increasingly difficult to re-engage. Over time, the process repeats itself, entrenching feelings of inadequacy, perpetuating the Disengagement Cycle.
What are the consequences of disengaged learners?
Understanding the challenges students face, and what makes learning slow and hard, is an essential first step in understanding the Disengagement Cycle.
Only then can there be a mindset shift to appreciate that learning is a personal journey and that to facilitate each student’s success, institutions must equip, empower and encourage every learner from day one.
A failure to address the cycle can lead to far-reaching consequences…
For learners, disengagement often leads to a significant loss of confidence. As their struggles compound, they begin to doubt their abilities and potential, which can result in missed academic and career opportunities.
Over time, this diminished belief in their capacity to succeed affects their motivation and aspirations, creating barriers that are difficult to overcome.
For institutions, disengagement manifests in lower retention rates and reduced academic outcomes. When students feel unsupported or disconnected, their ability to persevere diminishes. This presents challenges for creating a learning environment that is inclusive, supportive, and effective in fostering success.
For society, the consequences of disengagement are far-reaching. Untapped potential means a less skilled workforce, which limits innovation and progress. As more individuals fall into the Disengagement Cycle, the collective growth of communities and economies stagnates, highlighting the critical need for systemic change.
Each student’s journey reflects their unique strengths, challenges, and goals. Failure to account for this diversity can leave many students disconnected from the learning process to the extent that without action, the Disengagement Cycle is set to get worse and proliferate into the future.
Breaking the Disengagement Cycle means recognising the problem for what it is: a systemic issue that affects everyone, not just a few.
And addressing it starts with a better understanding of how learning works, thereby ensuring students are supported through their fundamental learning challenges.
