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Keeping boys engaged and motivated in Key Stage 4 Engineering

Context

This report aims to discuss and evaluate a range of different, practical strategies that can be utilised within lessons to create and maintain enthusiasm, motivation and engagement within Key Stage 4 Engineering.  The Design & Technology department at Weston Road Academy currently offers learners an Engineering rotation of approximately 8 weeks in years 7, 8 and 9, along with the option of taking on a Level 2, nationally recognised, OCR Cambridge vocational qualification in Years 10 & 11.

With the course spanning over two academic years, I am intending to explore research and classroom practices that can be embedded into lessons, not only to create long term engagement and sustain motivation, but to also hopefully raise attainment and open avenues into varying Engineering opportunities at Post 16 level. 

 

Research Basis

Before strategies for motivating and engaging students can be explored, tested and evaluated, it is important to gain an understating of how learners ‘feel’ about Engineering as a subject and Engineering as a potential career path. Research has shown that in the period of time between 2019 and 2023, there was a negative shift in young people’s engagement and aspirations in science at school and a decline in confidence in subjects such as Science and Computing (EngineeringUK, 2025). Although Engineering and Science cannot be directly compared as like for like subjects, I believe it would be fair to say that Engineering employs scientific principles and puts these principles into action, and this research can therefore be applied rationally to the subject area of Engineering.

This research is also being aimed at specifically exploring boys’ motivation and strategies that can be trialled in order to keep this high.  The primary reason for this is that boys underperform at all key stages of primary and secondary school compared to girls (Pinkett & Roberts, 2019). The secondary reason I am specifically aiming my research at boys, is that Engineering as a subject generally tends to attract many more boys than girls (this is certainly the case for the teaching groups we currently have at WRA), but also nationally with girls making up just 16.3% of Engineering students. To put that in perspective, fewer than 500 girls are pursuing Engineering at GCSE level (WeAreTechWomen, 2024) [1]

 

Motivation and Engagement

Motivation is the force acting either upon or within a person to initiate behaviour (Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d.).  Educators therefore need to develop or identify methods that can be used successfully in order to tap into students’ motivation, with the primary purpose being to positively impact their attitudes and behaviours towards learning. Although somewhat of a stereotype, a large proportion of boys tend to spend a large amount of time playing games whether this is on a computer, console or smartphone.  A recent article stated that teenage boys aged 15 to 17 are spending more time on video games in a week than time they are in school lessons.  Why should this therefore be considered? Boys do not have to be coerced or forced to play these games for large amounts of time, striving for success, so if educators had the opportunity to integrate some of the features that make these games so ‘motivating’ for boys to play them, maybe this could be used to our advantage within the classroom (Plevin, 2017).

The reasons why boys are motivated to play games for such vast amounts of time is due to varying reasons; They find them intrinsically satisfying, provide opportunities for freedom, can connect with other plays and friends.  Simply put they feel empowered, have a sense of belonging and have fun when playing (Plevin, 2017). 

Therefore, I am going to explore different methods to trial within the classroom, specifically targeted at boys, with the intention to monitor student engagement and motivation and document which strategies work best from first hand classroom experience.

Strategies to consider  

A preliminary literature review, AI query or literacy investigation will provide educators with a range of strategies that could be applied within the classroom, all of which allegedly yield positive motivation and engagement in boys attitudes towards their learning.  Narrowing these down I have found that the following should be explored in a trialled in the subject of Engineering in more detail [2];

1. Begin lessons with Practical ‘Hooks’
2. Integrate Technology
3. Use Short, Varied Activities
4. Celebrate Effort Publicly
5. Promote Team Identity
6. Connect to Career Pathways.

 

Research Evidence

In order to document the strategies being trialled, the table below will be used to provide an overview of implementation, the benefits of the strategy, the drawbacks and finally an impact on motivation rating will be issued on a 1-5 scale – 1 being low impact, 5 being the highest. Impact ratings were based on a combination of observed engagement (on-task behaviour), student feedback, and short-term assessment outcomes.  

Strategy being trialled	How was this implemented?	What were the benefits?	What were the drawbacks?	Impact rating (1-5, 5 being highest impact)
Begin lessons with Practical ‘Hooks’	I trialled this in two forms with a Y11 engineering group.  Firstly, an engineering drawing of a random component / product was placed on the desks.  Student engagement, reading and discussions surrounding the drawing were monitored whilst the register was being taken.  Secondly, an Engineered component or tool was placed on each desk that had some relation to the theory topic being delivered.	Both of these strategies required very little preparation time, but yielded positive engagement and motivational results.  Students demonstrated strong engagement to interpret the drawing, or try to identify what the tool / object was and how it had been manufactured.	Trying to source age-appropriate examples of engineering drawings with real purpose i.e. engineering drawings of components / products that 16-year-olds can comprehensively relate to.   Access to products or components for specific specialist areas of theory for example; sintering.	5 Judged by observation, and student voice
Integrate Technology	Engineering as a subject lends itself to this strategy extremely well.  Showing boys machinery in action, demonstrating how to use equipment accurately and giving students the opportunity to work independently with CAM machines really brings the learning to life.  Discussions around specific equipment during their operation, such as our laser cutters, 3D printer (limited due to the age of the machine), brazing hearths etc have really helped to embed knowledge.  This has been proven consistently in improved half termly assessment results.	Students enjoy being able to ‘see’ machinery live, they also welcome the opportunity to develop their technological skills especially when they know the skills they are developing will lead to a physical outcome.  This strategy is ‘normal’ practice in Engineering lessons, so no specific planning requirements are required.	Technical issues can be a problem, however where these can be planned for, they can be easily overcome – for example, making sure you have a file that is compatible and reliable to use with the laser cutter rather than trying to create something in real time that may fail.	4 Judged by student voice and observation
Use Short, Varied Activities	The principal of ‘chunking’ or ‘Segmented Learning’ as it is more formally known, in lessons is not a new technique and has been proven to yield learning benefits by considering the working memory time of the student’s that the content is being delivered to, Jones (2025). In theory lessons especially this has been trialled by delivering a specific topic or aspect of a topic and then providing students with an application challenge typically in the form of a past exam question or exam style question.	It was clear that the segmented learning approach to theory lessons, but also in practical lessons where students observed demonstrations and then put skills into practice really improved quality of outcomes.  I believe this was down to the fact that students didn’t have to retain lots of information, and prevented cognitive overload.	Segmented learning must be planned efficiently before lessons to maximise impact.  It Is very easy to potentially lose learners if lessons are ‘too’ segmented.  Students who need slightly longer to complete activities may struggle to keep with the quick pace of the lesson.	4 Judged by observation and behaviour profiles
Celebrate Effort Publicly	This strategy can only be used to a limit with the course being delivered.  Students work should not be shared or accessible by other students due to the risk of plagiarism.  This strategy however has been used to great effect throughout Y10, when the Engineering students carried out several, independent practical skill development tasks. Students were really eager to get their work to be used as the exemplar / expected standard.  With specific groups of student’s ‘competition’ was trailed too, getting the students to really focus on their practical with a competitive edge as incentive.	This strategy is one, which in DT / Engineering lessons, happens frequently.  Recognising good examples, and using variation theory really helps to embed learning.  Small reward incentives in the form of chocolates / messages home have proved highly effective. The boys in this trial responded particularly well to the competitive element.  This supported Pinkett & Roberts (2019) who discuss the role of status and recognition.	Timing is essential.  If too much recognition is given to the whole group at any one time, the lesson can become quite disruptive. Knowing when, at key points for skills demonstrations etc to celebrate progress is important and should be considered when planning lessons/projects.	3 Judged by observation
Promote Team Identity	This has been trialled as a whole teaching group.  Continual reference to the group as ‘Engineers’ or ‘The Engineers’. Reminding students that the equipment they are using in school is for ‘Engineering’ students to use to the best of their ability thereby creating a sense of ownership of the equipment they use in practical lessons.	Students really revelled when being called Engineers.  Having this title gave them a real sense of pride and they actively wanted to work accurately and with precision – focusing on quality rather than rushing to simply complete tasks.	Limited opportunities for teamwork within the course to allow for this strategy to be trialled fairly (course constraints).  At the time of writing this report and conducting the trial, students were required to spend time completing their internally assessed units that count towards their overall qualification.	3 Judged by observation and student voice
Connect to Career Pathways	Although this hasn’t been directly implemented in lessons, the school actively promotes careers and opportunity pathways for students frequently.  On 9th October 2025, students were spoken to in assembly by a local engineering firm offering apprenticeships. In the lesson directly after this lesson, well over 60% of the students had actively sought to collect info packs from the company demonstrating strong engagement to ask questions / speak to me as their subject teacher for advice on how the best way to move forward would be.	This strategy is essential for students to gain insight into the current trends that are taking place within such a fast-paced employment sector such as Engineering.  Providing students with an opportunity to speak to industry professionals allows them to foster shared learning opportunities.  Y9 students this year had the opportunity to work closely with a GE Engineering workshop, and following on from this KS4 students were offered the chance to attend the GE summer school providing students with lots of Engineering based experiences.  I believe 2 students took advantage of this, with one receiving Engineer of the week award.	Although teaching staff can talk about careers and pathways for the future effectively, it doesn’t have the same impact as someone from industry who has ‘been there, done that’ speaking to them.  Convenient times for students and external companies is also something that can be difficult to manage with external constraints etc. It’s important to note too however, that even though students are completing an engineering qualification during their time at high school, some may not want to pursue this any further, therefore some may not wish to engage fully in career workshops or discussions that may be on offer to them	4 Judged by observation

 

Next Steps

The findings from this inquiry suggest that strategies involving practical application and the use of technology have the most consistent impact on boys’ motivation and engagement in KS4 Engineering. Moving forward, the focus should be on embedding these approaches more consistently across the department, rather than using them in isolation.

Key areas for development are outlined below:

• Develop a shared departmental resource bank

• Build a collection of practical “hook” activities, artefacts and engineering drawings for each main theory topic
• Aim for at least 2–3 usable examples per topic
• Where possible, link these directly to the specification so they remain purposeful rather than just engaging

• Refine the KS4 Scheme of Learning

• Look at how theory and practical elements are currently sequenced
• Where needed, break up longer theory units with more regular opportunities to apply knowledge
• Trial a more balanced approach across a unit rather than leaving application tasks until the end

• Introduce regular student voice

• Use short, simple surveys on a half-termly basis to gather feedback on engagement
• Focus on which types of activities students find most motivating and why
• Use this to adjust teaching approaches for different groups where needed

• Strengthen “engineering identity” in lessons

• Continue referring to students as “engineers” and reinforcing expectations around accuracy and quality
• Introduce simple recognition such as “Engineer of the Week” for example where appropriate
• Build in more opportunities for students to take ownership of roles during practical work

• Embed career links more consistently

• Include short, relevant examples of real engineering jobs or industries within lessons

• Try to make links more routine, rather than relying mainly on assemblies or external events
• Where possible, connect learning to local or familiar industries.

• Track impact more clearly over time

• Begin to monitor engagement and progress more deliberately, for example through:

• on-task behaviour
• quality of practical outcomes
• assessment performance

• Use this to compare which strategies are having the most consistent impact

• Share and build on effective practice

• Share what has worked well within the department
• Encourage others to trial similar approaches and feedback
• Use this to build a more consistent approach across KS4 Engineering

Overall, these next steps are intended to build on strategies that are already working, while making their use more consistent and better evaluated over time. The aim is not to introduce completely new approaches, but to refine and embed those that have already shown the most impact in practice.

 

Conclusion

This inquiry set out to explore how boys’ motivation and engagement can be improved in Key Stage 4 Engineering at Weston Road Academy. Overall, the findings suggest that students respond most positively to lessons that are practical, hands-on and clearly linked to real-world applications.

In particular, strategies such as using practical “hooks” at the start of lessons and integrating technology into teaching had the most noticeable impact. These approaches seemed to generate curiosity straight away and helped maintain focus throughout the lesson. From what I observed, students were more willing to participate and showed greater interest when they could see a clear purpose to what they were learning, especially when it linked to real engineering processes or outcomes.

Other strategies, such as competition and celebrating effort, were effective in certain contexts but needed to be used carefully. Their impact often depended on the group and the timing within the lesson. This highlights the importance of adapting strategies to suit both the cohort and the structure of the course, rather than relying on one approach consistently.

A strength of this inquiry is that it is rooted in day-to-day classroom practice, meaning the findings are directly relevant to my teaching context. However, it should be acknowledged that the work has been carried out with a specific group of students, and so the outcomes may not be fully transferable without further testing. Collecting more structured evidence, particularly through student voice and longer-term tracking, would help to strengthen these findings further.

Overall, this investigation has reinforced the importance of keeping Engineering teaching active, purposeful and relevant. By continuing to develop and embed the most effective strategies identified here, there is clear potential to improve not only engagement and attainment, but also students’ confidence and understanding of where Engineering could take them in the future.

References

EngineeringUK (2025) What young people think about careers in engineering and tech. Available at: https://www.engineeringuk.com/research-and-insights/young-people-insights/what-young-people-think-about-careers-in-engineering-and-tech/ (Accessed: 17 September 2025). 

Pinkett, M & Roberts, M 2019, Boys Don’t Try? Rethinking Masculinity in Schools, Routledge, London.

WeAreTechWomen (2024) GCSE results reveal gender gaps in STEM, 23 August. Available at: https://wearetechwomen.com/gcse-results-reveal-gender-gaps-in-stem/ (Accessed: 17 September 2025).

Encyclopaedia Britannica (n.d.) Motivation. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/motivation (Accessed: 18 September 2025).

Plevin, R. (2017) Motivate the Unmotivated: A step-by-step system you can use to raise motivation in your classroom tomorrow. Kindle edn. Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.

Jones, K. (2025) Chunking in the Classroom. Evidence Based Education. Available at: https://evidencebased.education/chunking-in-the-classroom/ (Accessed: 24 September 2025).

Appendix

Student Voice Responses (based on 19 responses from boys in the group):

 

[1] The potential reasons for this variance in gender uptake could be explored in further research, but will not be the focus of this project.

 

[2] It should be noted that some of these methods may already be or are currently being employed in Engineering lessons, but for this project further, specific emphasis was applied in order to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses within the classroomima