Experience sampling methodology and technology: an approach for examining situational, longitudinal, and multi-dimensional characteristics of engagement

Engagement has been recognized as one of the most important factors of learning and achievement in academic settings. Research on engagement has been gearing toward a “person-in-context” orientation, where both personal characteristics and contextual features in relation to students’ engagement are considered. This orientation allows a more in-depth understanding of how a person embedded within a context engages in a task, and it pays particular attention to the interactions between the person and contextual features. Engagement in context is situational, longitudinal, and multi-dimensional. This in-situ orientation requires a research methodology that is embedded in and responsive to the context where learning occurs. In this paper, we provide a conceptual synthesis of research on academic engagement in proposing a framework of engagement in context. We introduce the affordances of Experience Sampling Methodology (ESM) and provide a review of current technologies in supporting ESM. In addition, we provide example cases of examining engagement using ESM and technology. In these cases, we discuss details about how ESM combines with technologies and statistical approaches in providing insights to educational research, theory, and practice.