Six strategies for creating an engaging online learning experience for students

In higher education, students are exposed to vast amounts of course content that is predominantly text-based and static. By exploring ways to increase student engagement with online course content, we can create more meaningful learning experiences for students and reduces frustration when inevitably the students don’t complete all of the assigned course content. Here are some general strategies for enhancing the student experience in the Learning Management System.

Use visual media to vary the engagement style. 

Visual media can be more engaging than text, particularly for younger generations who are used to consuming content in a more visual way. These can be sourced online or you can create them yourself. For example:

1. Videos
2. Infographics
3. Concept maps
4. Diagrams
5. Graphs
6. Podcasts

Try to integrate these resources with some kind of scaffolding text. What is it you need the students to get out of this resource? Do you want them to reflect on something specific? Is there something in this resource you can draw their attention to? Can you offer any personal experience related to the resource?

Create activities around static resources.

Creating activities for students can help to engage them in the learning process and make the course content more meaningful. When they are actively engaging, they are more likely to understand and retain the course content. For example:

1. Use guided reading questions for a journal article and connect them to an in-class discussion related to those questions. 
2. Use a quiz-in-video tool to offer multiple-choice questions throughout a larger video or recorded lecture. 
3. Use blogs or popular media to start students thinking in the content area, then use an online discussion forum to have them voice their initial opinions. 
4. Present the students with a scenario and have them evaluate the outcome in a critical reflection. 
5. Offer in-class polling questions during live lectures to check comprehension before moving to the next content area. 

Focus on the learning outcomes.

When creating activities, focus on the learning outcomes and the verbs associated with them. This should be the priority, and the tool selection should be a secondary thought. Students should be provided opportunities to achieve the learning outcomes before they are formally assessed. 

Have a variety of modes of engagement. 

Varying the engagement style can accommodate different learning preferences. A student who engages poorly with other students may thrive when engaging independently. For example: 

1. Student-content interaction: Opportunities for students to interact with content, such as quizzes with formative feedback.
2. Student-student interaction: Collaborative and communicative activities, such as peer evaluation and online discussion.
3. Student-educator interaction: Opportunities to ask questions and get clarification. 

Have a clear learning pathway for the students to follow. 

If students need to look around to find the content, or if they get lost along the way, try to find a cleaner way of displaying the content. For example:

1. Use standardised headings and icons throughout your course. Ideally, this will apply to your whole program. 
2. Ensure the syllabus is easy to access and located in the same location in all courses and programs. Ideally, this information will be downloadable and should not change throughout the semester (unless you’re choosing to address student feedback).
3. To help students transition seamlessly between the online and in-person components of the program (whether on campus or via video conferencing technology), ensure your headings clearly indicate what is required before these sessions. Consider writing a clear pre-class checklist for students. 

Provide synchronous and asynchronous learning

Research on social presence in online learning has indicated that students in synchronous classes tend to have a higher sense of social presence, both with educators and peers, in comparison to asynchronous learning (Ratan et al., 2022). If the course is online, provide synchronous learning through video conferencing to address immediate student needs and allow them to ask questions and engage with other students in real-time. You can also create opportunities for asynchronous learning that allow for deeper thought and preparation.

References

Ratan, R., Ucha, C., Lei, Y., Lim, C., Triwibowo, W., Yelon, S., Sheahan, A., Lamb, B., Deni, B., & Hua Chen, V. H. (2022). How do social presence and active learning in synchronous and asynchronous online classes relate to students’ perceived course gains? Computers & Education, 191, 104621. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2022.104621