Learner engagement, according to Great Schools Partnership, “refers to the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and passion that students show when they are learning or being taught, which extends to the level of motivation they have to learn and progress in their education.”
Since student disengagement in online education is prevalent, university instructors have aimed to increase learner engagement in educational environments. It is crucial to understand that, generally speaking, learners who are engaged are better students since they can attend significant educational activities. As a result of their better engagement, these students achieve better marks and test results.
1. Choose the best student learning management system
Striving for learner engagement and interaction, and supervision are essential components of improving a virtual environment. The use of a learning management system can help with this. There is a wide range of alternatives when it comes to LMS. The ideal option is the option that is easiest for the school to integrate into its systems, more affordable, and easier for faculty to use.
2. Instructors must make expectations clear to students
Students who take online classes frequently comment that they have trouble comprehending what their instructors ask of them, especially if they are unfamiliar with an online format. The instructor must clarify the course structure and mention the skills assumed for the students to show. The objectives of the class must also be clearly stated at the start of the class. Furthermore, using a rubric in grading can assist in making the expectations of students on every activity explicit, which reduces instances of confusion.
3. Use the think-pair-share strategy
This strategy is an everyday collaborative activity utilized by instructors. The instructor will assign students their partners with whom they will solve problems or discuss any given topic. They are then encouraged to share their ideas in class. This activity promotes individual thinking as well as idea-sharing among the group.
4. Problem-based learning activities
Teams of students work together to solve real-world, open-ended issues, frequently in settings resembling cooperative learning. The students can engage each other in synchronous and asynchronous online interaction to devise a solution. The role of the instructor is to provide the student’s assessment of their performance in this activity.
5. The ELED Framework
This framework synthesizes the most recent research on student engagement in online learning settings. It offers advice for teachers and instructional designers. It is considered procedural and conceptual. The framework is procedural because it establishes a structure and a suggested progression for various instructional design tasks. At the same time, it is conceptual because this framework considers the factors that affect student engagement and learning performance in the design process.
6. The instructor must establish their presence
In synchronous online learning environments, a robust instructional presence is required during the educational presentation, discourse, activity, and evaluation stages of teaching. If the students can see that the instructor is involved, this, in turn, motivates them to be more involved. Similarly, presence in an asynchronous learning environment is even more crucial. The challenge for the faculty is to develop appropriate guidelines for interactions between course participants in synchronous and asynchronous learning environments.
7. Maximize the novelty of gamification
Gamification is the use of game design elements in contexts other than games. All synchronous online activities can contain games to help students learn while having fun. Using gamified elements in learning gives the students a new experience, which makes grabbing their attention easier. Various applications and software are available online to create a gamified experience suitable for the target class.
8. Have some breaks!
Online synchronous learning drains energy and engagement levels, primarily when longer sessions are undertaken. Planning some gaps is the best way to prevent such circumstances. These can be in the form of an icebreaker, a yoga, or a coffee break. It depends on the liking of the students and the instructors. Do not think that breaks are a waste of time; instead, think of them as necessary gaps to improve the performance of students and a way to connect with them in another way.
Wrapping it up
Instructors must figure out ways to make students feel more strongly connected to one another. They are strongly challenged to facilitate activities that actively engage students in their teaching. The sense of community among learners in the classroom is likely to be strengthened by teachers who deliberately plan learning activities to provide an opportunity for students to get to know one another, thereby reducing distance barriers and boosting social presence.