In the age of AI, the most effective student engagement strategies build purpose, agency, and durable human skills. In their book, The Disengaged Teen, Rebecca Winthrop and Jenny Anderson introduced the Four Modes of Engagement—Resister, Passenger, Achiever, and Explorer—to explain why students disengage and how educators can support deeper learning.
Wayfinder’s Student Engagement Strategies in the Age of AI Guide builds on this research by offering practical tools for school and district leaders, highlighting essential human skills such as focus, reflection, collaboration, adaptability, and digital discernment while strengthening cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement.
This guide breaks down the four modes of student engagement and how educators can maximize learning potential for every student—while building a culture of agency, purpose, and confidence.
