CEL facilitates multi-institutional research on engaged learning topics. Participants from institutions around the world collaborate over three years, producing scholarship that shapes research and practice globally.
CEL is home to two book series. In addition, CEL research seminars and other initiatives have produced 100+ publications (to date).
CEL’s concise guides offer research-informed practices for engaged learning.
CEL’s concise guides offer practical strategies for studying engaged learning.
CEL brings together international leaders in higher education to develop, synthesize, and share rigorous research on central questions about student learning.
The CEL Scholar role and CEL Student Scholars program enable Elon faculty and students to deepen their understanding of and professional development in scholarly activity on engaged learning.
Han, Xiaoli, Hongchao Peng, and Mingzhuo Liu. 2025. "The Impact of GenAI on Learning Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Experimental Studies." Educational Research Review 48: article 100714. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100714.
This study examined 68 experimental studies on the use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini in education. The researchers found that AI generally has a positive effect on student learning. The results suggest that AI can be an effective learning tool, but its impact varies depending on factors such as the student’s educational level, the subject, how the technology is used, etc. Overall, the study concludes that while generative AI shows significant promise in education, more research is needed to determine the most effective ways to integrate it into different learning environments.
Annotation by Chiebuka Tor
Findings indicate that students are using AI more and more. As educators we need rethink our pedagogy with these findings in mind.
Annotation by Kriss Kempt Graham
Long, Dong Yu, Shuai Wang, Sabariah Md Rashid, and Xiao Tao. 2025. "Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education (AIHE): A Systematic Review of Their Impact on Student Engagement and the Mediating Role of Teaching Methods." Frontiers in Education 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1648661.
By using the systematic review, this paper has similar advantages to multi-site research including a variety of topic areas and types of institutions and learners. The variety of reporting strategies including network charts and word clouds offers some accessible ways to think about the scope of what has been tested and can enable good discussion of the affordances of different research methods.
Annotation by Amanda Sturgill
I recommend this scholarly text because it’s a systematic review of recent work. It will help establish a baseline for conversations on specific research foci that the seminar participants will discuss. The article also introduces a framework for understanding the use of AI for student engagement.
Annotation by Trent M. Kays
McClain, Colleen, Monica Anderson, Olivia Sidoti, and William Bishop. 2026. "How Teens Use and View AI." Pew Research Center, February 24, 2026. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/02/24/how-teens-use-and-view-ai/.
This is based on data that will quickly become dated, but the report has real value in two areas. First, knowing how our future students use the tools has value. I especially appreciate that the sample was large enough to have findings representing diverse types of students. Second, the types of questions they answered might give some ideas to teams in their research development.
This report has been useful because it provides a current snapshot of how teens are actually using and thinking about AI, including school-related uses, confidence, concerns, and parent perspectives. I appreciate that it helps ground conversations about GenAI in young people’s lived realities rather than abstract speculation. For engaged learning, it reminds me that many students are already encountering AI outside formal learning spaces, so educators need to design learning experiences that are transparent, critical, creative, and responsive to students’ existing practices.
Annotation by Alexander Eden
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 2026. OECD Digital Education Outlook 2026: Exploring Effective Uses of Generative AI in Education. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-digital-education-outlook-2026_062a7394-en.html.
This report doesn’t concern itself with whether AI should or should not be used in education. Rather, it focuses on its effects on learning. I think the golden ticket idea it introduces is roughly this: the data shows that generally, on its own, AI use tends to improve short term results but hinder long term growth. How can we develop pedagogical strategies that enhance our skills with AI rather than replace them?
Annotation by Matthew Cornick
I recommend this piece because it offers a clear vision of GenAI as a dialogue-based pedagogical partner that supports learning through scaffolded questioning rather than simply giving students answers. I especially appreciate its emphasis on Socratic questioning, learner agency, and maintaining students’ cognitive engagement so that AI tutoring becomes a space for active meaning-making rather than passive consumption.
Annotation by Robyn Edwards
Stolpe, Karin, Andreas Larsson, and Marlene Johansson Falck. 2026. "Discipline-Specific AI Literacy (DiSAIL): A Theoretical Framework for Situated Engagement with Generative AI in Education." International Journal of Technology and Design Education 36: 1917–1932. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-026-10060-3.
This article introduces the Discipline-Specific AI Literacy (DiSAIL) framework, which emphasizes that AI literacy should be developed within the context of specific academic disciplines rather than through generic AI skills alone. The authors argue that meaningful engagement with genAI requires students to understand disciplinary knowledge, practices, and ethical considerations while using AI tools. This framework is a useful tool for higher education researchers and faculty seeking to integrate AI literacy into discipline-specific curricula and learning activities.
Annotation by Aaron Trocki
To prepare instructors and students to use AI effectively, we must attend to disciplinary cultures, norms and epistemologies. This article highlights ways to frame and navigate AI in disciplinary contexts.
Annotation by Lisa Berry
