Can Technology Grow Student Engagement?

Not all technology tools are created equal. While screens and technology are often associated with “distractions” at best and “doomscrolling” or “brain rot,” at worst, there are several classroom tools that support a growth mindset and an intrinsic love for learning.

Student Engagement Matters—But Is It a Crisis?

In a 2021 study, more than 340,000 students voiced what keeps them behaviorally, emotionally, and cognitively engaged. More than 88% of elementary, middle, and high school students considered themselves engaged with their learning. Across all grade bands, about half of the students indicated a commitment to their academic work and learning, such as taking initiative and finding ways to make assignments relevant to their lives.

However, the survey data showed drops in engagement as students moved from elementary to middle and high school. A 2024 survey of Gen-Z students conducted by Gallup shows how 2,317 students older than 12 years felt about their school experiences and what educators could do to improve them.

• Twenty-five percent to 54% of K–12 students said they lack engaging school experiences.

• Students were most excited to learn when teachers made their learning interesting.

• Nearly half of K–12 students (46%) said opportunities to engage with the material in a hands-on way drives their interest.

• One in three students (35%) said they most enjoy learning when they can connect it to the real world.

To keep students engaged and inspired to learn throughout their academic careers and beyond, they need to develop both a growth mindset and intrinsic motivation. Developing these elements is especially important in elementary school, when students are more likely to engage. Rather than put yet another expectation on teachers, school leaders can use educational technology to help students develop these characteristics. 

Defining a Growth Mindset and Intrinsic Motivation

What Is a Growth Mindset?

Students with a growth mindset believe they can boost their knowledge through learning, practice, and perseverance. In contrast, students with fixed mindsets think they have finite abilities or a fixed set of skills. For example, students with fixed mindsets may believe they just aren’t good readers the minute they start to struggle—when in fact, they could become proficient readers with more practice, extra help, or by applying new strategies.

For years, educators have incorporated growth mindset strategies into their classroom interactions. They encourage students to see challenges as opportunities, stay persistent after setbacks, and commit to effort. When students realize there are many ways to improve—by asking for help, taking a break, or using technology to assist them—they can better cultivate a growth mindset. 

What Is Intrinsic Motivation?

Intrinsic motivation refers to a student’s desire to engage in learning because it is inherently satisfying to them. For example, they may decide to read longer because they enjoy it—not because they will get a good grade or reward for completing a book. 

According to researchers Richard Ryan and Edward Deci, three components facilitate intrinsic motivation:

• Autonomy: A sense of initiative and ownership in one’s actions

• Competence: A feeling of mastery and a sense that with effort, one can grow

• Relatedness: A sense of belonging and connection

Intrinsic motivation is one of the strongest predictors of academic achievement. However, despite the growing use of classroom educational technology, not all programs have been designed to support the key components of intrinsic motivation. 

How Educational Technology Supports Classroom Engagement

Not all educational technology tools are created equal. Educators must evaluate technology tools to ensure they help students develop resilience and drive. Technology should never replace the teacher, but it can maximize engagement and growth in the classroom and beyond when used intentionally. Here are some tips about identifying resources to support independent student success. 

Technology for Developing a Growth Mindset

Effective educational technology features that support a growth mindset include:

• Choice Over Learning Paths: Many tools allow students to set their own pace, monitor progress, and choose activities, encouraging risk-taking and persistence.

• Continuous Feedback: Programs provide feedback through animations and progress-monitoring indices, helping students develop a growth mindset by acknowledging effort and progress.

• Progress Tracking: Meaningful programs track and visually show accumulated knowledge beyond a single score, reinforcing that deep learning is gained over time. Tools that offer gamification (passing levels, earning badges) reward student effort and celebrate success for progress, not just single achievements.

• Personalized Experiences: Technologies allow for different variations of the gradual release of responsibility model, enabling students to work at their optimal challenge levels instead of feeling overwhelmed or bored. 

• “Right-Time” Instructional Resources: When teachers know exactly when to step in to provide explicit instruction for a student who needs a little extra help, it can encourage students to persist through a difficult unit or level, knowing that they have the support they need. 

Technology for Intrinsic Motivation

Key elements within tech tools that support intrinsic motivation include:

• Autonomy: Intuitive controls and choice of learning paths help students feel in control of their pace and progress

• Competence: Adaptive, scaffolded support ensures students are challenged appropriately, preventing frustration or boredom

• Relatedness: One of the strongest student motivators is if they perceive the task they are being asked to complete connects to a larger goal—within the program, the classroom, or the world at large. A clear goal and opportunities to share and celebrate success also help build a community of support and connection.

When students use appropriate educational technologies, they often don’t think of them as “schoolwork” but rather as a “fun game,” where challenges are embraced and success is a personal reward. This can go a long way in fostering a love of learning for the sake of learning. It also offers cross-disciplinary benefits as students build new connections and apply their learning outside of a program.

Challenges With Technology in the Classroom

Many district leaders face a major challenge—the digital divide—in which students from under-resourced communities lack reliable internet access or personal devices, limiting their ability to fully engage with technology-enhanced learning outside of the classroom. When integrating educational technology into the classroom, equity of access should be considered to give all students the opportunity to develop the mindset and motivation they need to succeed.

Additionally, while technology can enhance learning and engagement, it should not replace the human connection. Over-reliance on digital tools risks diminishing the personal interactions that help teachers build relationships, understand student needs, and create a supportive learning environment. Effective integration requires a balanced approach where technology serves as a tool to support, not overshadow, the teacher’s role.

Programs like Lexia® Core5® Reading and Lexia® PowerUp Literacy® provide a powerful solution. Lexia’s Adaptive Blended Learning model keeps the teacher at the center of instruction, even when students are working independently. Through its data-driven, real-time insights, Lexia® offers educators targeted resources to support individual student progress, including offline activities like Lexia Skill Builders® students can work on at home without a computer.

How Lexia Engages and Motivates Students

Lexia’s literacy programs empower students to take ownership of their learning and equip educators with the data and resources they need to provide meaningful, targeted instruction.

• Personalized Learning Paths: Students work independently and challenge themselves appropriately

  • Supports a growth mindset and intrinsic motivation

• Real-Time Feedback: Immediate reinforcement helps build confidence and persistence

  • Supports a growth mindset

• Gamification & Progress Tracking: Visual representations of progress encourage students to keep learning

  • Supports a growth mindset and intrinsic motivation

• Teacher Support & Insights: Data-driven tools help educators provide targeted instruction when needed

  • Supports a growth mindset

• Classroom-to-Home Connections: Lexia provides multiple ways to celebrate student progress, both in and out of the classroom

  •   Supports a growth mindset and intrinsic motivation

• Real-World Content: Age-appropriate and diverse content engages student interest and connects what they are learning to other classes and to the world at large 

  • Supports intrinsic motivation

A growth mindset and intrinsic motivation are crucial elements of long-term success. Across both Core5 and PowerUp, this can be seen as students independently cover multiple grade levels of skills in a single year, with many meeting or exceeding their grade-level benchmarks.

Demonstrable Student Progress With Core5

• During the 2023–2024 school year, 79% of students who used Core5 with fidelity reached or exceeded grade-level benchmarks. 

• More than 50% of students using the program met their end-of-year goals, and struggling readers made remarkable gains, with 53% improving by two or more grade levels in one year.

Demonstrable Student Progress With PowerUp

• During the 2023–2024 school year, 51% of students who used PowerUp with fidelity covered 3+ grade levels of skills in a single school year.

• The number of students working on advanced comprehension skills increased 5x across the school year.

Helping Teachers Help Students: The Power of Data

Visually represented progress supports both a growth mindset and intrinsic motivation in students. However, a good educational technology program should also support meaningful discussions of individual student, school, and district progress.

For example, Lexia’s educator dashboard provides data-driven action plans that help take the guesswork out of differentiating instruction, saving educators up to 17 days of instructional time. Reports help focus the teacher’s time on students’ greatest needs by prescribing the instructional intensity necessary to help students reach end-of-year benchmarks and predicting performance before a learner fails. 

How To Evaluate Impact

As seen in the Core5 and PowerUp data, results can be quantifiable. Engaged students with intrinsic motivation and a growth mindset are more likely to demonstrate academic progress. 

In addition, studies show students who believe they can improve through effort are more likely to take on more challenging tasks, have confidence in their potential to learn, and develop into more resilient and innovative problem-solvers. This means when using appropriate educational technology tools, educators should also see evidence of a growth mindset and intrinsic motivation offline.

For example, students with a growth mindset may show increased resilience when tackling a classroom writing assignment, be more willing to read more challenging books, and respond positively to feedback.

Teachers can see indicators of intrinsic motivation in students when they notice students connecting with their peers when they had not previously participated in classroom discussions. They might also notice students seek to learn beyond class assignments or set goals beyond what is required. 

The right technology tools can improve student engagement, encourage a growth mindset, spur higher-order thinking, and spark intrinsic motivation, both on and off the computer. When used intentionally, educational technology isn’t just a tool—it’s a catalyst for deeper engagement, personalized learning, accelerated growth, and overall academic success.

Ready to dive deeper? Dig into the ways technology can support a growth mindset and intrinsic motivation in your schools and classrooms. 

About the Author

Farrah Pradhan is the director of Educational Resources and Operations at Lexia. She has two decades of experience in education, including teaching middle school English Language Arts, serving as the national academic director for her faith community’s secondary religious education schools, and developing K–12 literacy curriculum within educational publishing and edtech sectors. She was inspired to become an educator because of the profound impact teachers and camp counselors had on her. Her hope is that her contributions to the field of education have the same level of impact on the teachers and students her work touches.