Exploring Trends in BIPOC Student Engagement: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

The literature has shown that student engagement (SE) improves students’ self-confidence, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills, leading to positive outcomes in overall experience in higher education and potential for graduation and career success. However, SE in higher education is not well-researched among students who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) or within the intersection of students with these identities who are also first-generation or international students in the Canadian context. This literature review investigates factors for differing rates of SE among BIPOC students compared to their White peers in Canada. Unfortunately, due to the limited Canadian-specific literature, we could not solely include Canadian studies and also included US studies in our results. Findings suggest that greater representation of BIPOC faculty contributes to a sense of belonging for BIPOC students, which can increase student engagement. BIPOC, international and first-generation students are likelier to work off-campus, making it challenging to participate in SE. Lastly, BIPOC students are more likely to be commuter students, creating an inverse correlation between public travel and SE. Our findings show that hiring more BIPOC faculty, creating more opportunities for on-campus work, and creating more opportunities for alternative transit are potential next steps to aid the SE gap between BIPOC and White students.