Ping! Another like on your carefully curated Instagram post. Ding! A student submits their homework right on time. In the world of social media and education, are we chasing the same hollow victories?

We all know how tempting it can be to focus on what’s easy to measure—how many assignments are turned in, how many students raise their hands, and those quiz scores that pop out neat percentages. It feels good to see those numbers go up, right? But just like social media “likes” and “follows,” these classroom metrics can be a bit deceptive. They might look impressive, but do they really tell us anything meaningful about our students’ learning? Let’s jump into the world of “vanity metrics” in the classroom and explore how we can move beyond them to foster authentic, lasting student engagement.

Identifying Classroom Vanity Metrics

So, what exactly are vanity metrics in the classroom? Think of them as the educational equivalent of Instagram likes—numbers that give us a quick dopamine hit but don’t necessarily reflect true understanding or deep engagement. Here are a few common examples:

• Completion Rate as Success: Ever find yourself celebrating when every student turns in their assignment? Sure, it’s a good start, but what if half the students didn’t actually grasp the concept? Completing the task doesn’t always mean mastering the material.
• Participation Points: We love seeing hands shoot up, but are we rewarding the quantity of contributions over the quality? If participation points are based on how often students speak rather than the substance of their comments, we might be focusing on the wrong thing. 
• Quiz Scores: Those multiple-choice quizzes can be easy to grade, but they often just test recall, not understanding. A student might ace the quiz today and forget everything by next week. 
• Assignment Checklists: Checklists are great for organization, but when they become the main focus, students might start aiming to tick boxes rather than deeply engaging with the material.

The Problem with Vanity Metrics in Education

If your classroom were a social media influencer, would it be all hashtags and no heart? 

When we rely too heavily on these vanity metrics, we might be encouraging surface-level learning. Students might focus more on getting the assignment done, saying something (anything!) in class, or memorizing facts for a quiz, rather than really digging into the material.

These metrics can also give us—and our students—a false sense of achievement. It feels good to check off those boxes and see high participation or completion rates, but if students aren’t truly understanding the content, are we really succeeding?

I’ll be honest – there’s something so satisfying about seeing all those boxes checked off. It’s like the teaching equivalent of clearing your email inbox. But just like that momentary inbox zero high, the feeling is fleeting and often misleading.

But then there’s the impact on motivation. When students are trained to focus on earning points, grades, or gold stars, their intrinsic motivation can take a hit. They might become more interested in the rewards than in the joy of learning. That’s a tough habit to break.

Moving Beyond Vanity Metrics – Reframing Assignments and Assessments

So, how do we shift our focus from these superficial metrics to something more meaningful? Here are a few ideas:

• Quality Over Quantity: Instead of celebrating the sheer number of assignments turned in, let’s prioritize the depth of those assignments. Fewer, more challenging tasks that require students to think critically, analyze, or create something new can lead to deeper engagement and learning.
• Meaningful Participation: Participation is about more than just speaking up. Encourage students to make connections, ask thoughtful questions, and engage with their peers’ ideas. Maybe offer participation points for students who build on each other’s thoughts or who bring in outside knowledge to the discussion.
• Depth Over Recall: Let’s move away from quizzes that test simple recall and focus on assessments that require application and synthesis. Open-ended questions, case studies, or even reflective journals can push students to think more deeply about what they’re learning.
• Authentic Feedback: Grades are important, but feedback is where the real learning happens. Spend time giving meaningful, actionable feedback that helps students understand what they did well and where they can improve. Even a quick comment or a one-on-one conference can make a big difference.

Strategies for Cultivating Authentic Student Engagement

Now that we’ve rethought our assessments, how do we make sure our students are truly engaged?

Let me share a real example from my high school English classroom. Instead of assigning daily chapter summaries or weekly quizzes for The Great Gatsby, I introduced a PBL assignment: design a theme park based on the novel.

Here’s his it played out:

1. Depth of understanding: Students had to really dig into the themes, symbolism, and characters to create their parks. I saw interpretations of the green light, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, and the Valley of Ashes that showed a level of analysis I hadn’t seen in traditional essays.
2. Increased student engagement: Even my usually reluctant readers were suddenly Gatsby experts. One student who barely spoke in class designed an entire ‘Gatsby’s Mansion’ attraction, complete with hidden rooms representing the character’s secrets.
3. Unexpected benefits: The project sparked discussions about socioeconomic issues, the American Dream, and even urban planning. We were suddenly exploring the novel’s themes in ways I hadn’t anticipated.
4. Long-term retention: Months later, when we were studying a different novel, students were still making connections back to Gatsby. The deep engagement with the material stuck with them.

Was it challenging to implement? Absolutely. I had to create a rubric that balanced creativity with literary analysis. Some students needed extra guidance to move beyond surface-level interpretations. And yes, grading these projects took more time than a set of multiple choice quizzes would have (but honestly, not much more).

But the payoff of this whole-class collaborative project was immense. The depth of learning, the excitement in the classroom, and the creative interpretations I saw made it all worthwhile. Plus, I found myself energized by the students’ enthusiasm – a nice change from the usual grind of grading essays.

Here are some strategies to try to increase authentic student engagement:

• Project-Based Learning (PBL): PBLs like the one I shared above are a fantastic way to get students invested in their work. By giving them a project that’s relevant to their lives or to the world around them, they’re more likely to dig in and really engage with the material. Plus, it’s a great way to assess their understanding in a more holistic way.
• Portfolio Assessments: Portfolios give a broader picture of a student’s progress over time. Instead of focusing on one-off assignments or tests, students can showcase their growth, reflect on their learning, and take ownership of their progress.
• Student-Led Learning: Giving students more control over their learning can be incredibly empowering. Let them choose the topics they’re interested in, lead discussions, or even decide how they want to be assessed. When students feel like they have a voice in their education, they’re more likely to engage deeply.
• Metacognitive Practices: Teach students to reflect on their own learning. Whether it’s through journaling, self-assessments, or class discussions about what they’ve learned and how they’ve grown, encouraging metacognition can help students move beyond the superficial and focus on meaningful engagement.

Quality Over Quantity for Student Engagement 

Let me take you on a journey through my experience with Socratic seminars. Before we get into it, consider this: What would ‘meaningful participation’ look like for you? When I first started, I had this romantic vision of my classroom buzzing with intellectual discourse. Spoiler alert: that’s not how it went down.

In my early days:

• I’d prep what I thought were thought-provoking questions.
• I’d drop students into high-level discussions without proper scaffolding.

The result? Crickets. Blank stares. Uncomfortable silences.

My grading? I was basically rewarding students just for speaking up, regardless of what they said. I was making tally marks for each time a student opened their mouth.

The problem:

• I was telling my students that quantity trumped quality.
• High-achieving students didn’t want to participate because they saw that all it took was saying something, even if it wasn’t moving the conversation forward.
• Discussions became shallow and weak.
• I was watching the clock, distracted and bored.

The turning point to student engagement:

I realized something had to change. I couldn’t keep doing the same thing and expect different results. So, I went back to the drawing board and started asking myself:

• Why weren’t students engaging?
• How could I better prepare them?
• What was I doing that might be hindering rather than helping?

The evolution:

1. Scaffolding: I started providing more structure before the discussions. I give students some guardrails – not telling them what to think, but providing approaches to investigate.
2. Pre-discussion work: All assignments leading up to the discussion now give students a framework to explore ideas while reading. This way, they come to the seminar with thoughts already forming.
3. Collaborative preparation: I encourage students to work together before the seminar. This allows them to test out ideas and build on them over time.
4. Discussion to prompt student engagement: I provide sentence starters or prompts to help students who might be unsure how to jump into the conversation.
5. Assessment overhaul:
   • I now include peer assessment and self-reflection.
   • Students set personal and group goals for each discussion.
   • My rubric rewards not just good contributions, but also helping others join the conversation.
   • I give feedback on their reflections, encouraging quieter students to share their valuable insights.

The results:

• Discussions are now more vibrant and student-led.
• There have been years where no one completely opts out of Socratic seminars.
• Even typically reluctant students find ways to contribute meaningfully.

But this evolution is ongoing. Each semester, each group of students presents new opportunities to refine our approach to meaningful dialogue.

(Psst…I made you a free classroom discussion toolkit. Download it here)

Overcoming Challenges

Of course, shifting away from vanity metrics isn’t always easy. We have to balance the need for depth with curriculum demands, manage our time effectively, and find ways to engage all students, not just the ones who are naturally inclined to participate. But with a little creativity and a lot of reflection, it’s absolutely possible.

• Balancing Depth with Curriculum Demands: Start small. Incorporate one or two deeper assignments into your existing curriculum and see how it goes. You might find that students are more engaged and that you’re able to cover the material more effectively.
• Managing Time: Meaningful feedback and deep assessments take time, but they don’t have to be overwhelming. Consider peer reviews, group projects, or even using technology to help streamline the process.
• Engaging All Students: Not every student will be excited about these changes right away, but by offering choices and creating a supportive classroom environment, you can help every student find a way to engage meaningfully.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, moving beyond vanity metrics isn’t just about better assessment practices—it’s about creating a classroom where students are truly engaged in their learning. When we focus on what really matters, we can help our students move from superficial achievements to deep, meaningful growth. 

Take a moment to reflect on your own practices. Where might you be relying on vanity metrics? And how can you shift towards more authentic engagement?

So, here’s my challenge to you (and to myself): This week, let’s try to ‘unfollow’ one vanity metric in our classrooms. Just one. And instead, let’s ‘follow’ one strategy for deeper engagement.

• Podcast Episode 54: Cracking the Discussion Code – How I Turned Awkward Silences into Engaging Debates
• Podcast Episode 35: Three Tools I Use to Improve Class Discussion