Student engagement is defined in the chapter of the handbook as the active involvement they take in their learning. It is aligned with self-determination because both the context in which the engagement takes place (the learning setting) and the motivation of the student matters. Student engagement can also:

• act as the main factor that allows the motivation of the student lead to academic achievement
• by having students be more active, like providing input about what is effective in the learning environment, the teacher can respond by providing greater autonomy for the student after listening to them (i.e. provide opportunities for students to ask questions and pursue their interests in class)
• allow for a change in motivation by encouraging students to lean more toward self-determination, taking steps to increase their autonomy, relatedness, and competence by being more active and getting a say in how they learn in class