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Visible Learning™
Visible Learning MetaX™
Version 1.4 – Updated February 2026

Concentration-Persistence-Engagement

Overview

  • Influence: Concentration-Persistence-Engagement
  • Domain: Student
  • Sub-Domain: Perseverance and confidence
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Potential to accelerate
  • Influence Definition: Engagement involves focusing on a task and persisting despite challenges. Engagement moves from disrupting, withdrawing, avoiding, participating, driving, and striving.

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 12
  • Number of studies: 650
  • Number of students: 507,214
  • Number of effects: 1,312
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.44
  • Robustness index: 5

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Educational Review Kumar A Meta-analysis of the Relationship between Science Instruction and Student Engagement. 1991 Engagement in science 16 4,518 102 1.09
Dissertation Aker A Meta-Analysis of Middle School Science Engagement 2016 Engagement in science 79 53,971 79 0.37
Social Behavior and Personality Lei, Cui, & Zhou Effects of academic emotions on achievement among mainland Chinese students: A meta-analysis 2016 Engagement 69 196,473 163 0.56
Review of Educational Research Quin Longitudinal and contextual associations between teacher–student relationships and student engagement: A systematic review 2017 Engagement 14 NA 14 0.67
ICIC Express Letters Chang, Jian, & Chou Meta-analysis approach to detect the effect of student engagement on academic achievement 2016 Engagement 33 NA 33 0.49
Dissertation Mikolashek A meta-analysis of empirical research studies on resilience among students at-risk for school failure 2004 Resilience for at-risk students 28 NA 268 0.03
Educational Research Review Fong, Krou, Johnston-Ashton, Hoff, Lin, & Gonzales LASSI's great adventure: A meta-analysis of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory and academic outcomes 2021 Concentration 211 71,854 265 0.29
Psychological Bulletin Randall, Oswald, & Beier Mind-wandering, cognition, and performance: a theory-driven meta-analysis of attention regulation. 2014 Less mind wandering 27 NA 27 0.56
Journal of Open Learning Sun, Wang, & Zhang A meta-analysis of the relationship between behavioral engagement and academic achievement. 2021 Behavioral engagement 52 NA 52 0.53
Topics in Early Childhood Special Education Lindstrom, Chow, Zimmerman, Zhao, Settanni, & Ellison A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Relation Between Engagement and Achievement in Early Childhood Research 2021 Engagement 21 13,521 199 0.49
 Journal of Educational Psychology Wong, Liem, Chan, & Datu Student engagement and its association with academic achievement and subjective well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis. 2023 Engagement 58 158,510 61 0.65
Conference paper Liu The Relation Between Need for Cognition and Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis. 2014 Need for cognition 42 8,367 49 0.49
TOTAL/AVERAGE 650 507,214 1,312 0.52
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