How to improve student engagement in online learning

Student engagement refers to students’ interest in, connection to and interaction with their learning. When students are engaged, they will be more invested in their experience at school, increasing motivation to learn. There are behavioural, emotional and cognitive elements to engagement which can ultimately be a springboard to enhanced achievement.

Behavioural engagement means the physical and mental connection to school and learning activities. Active participation in activities and discussions, as well as the completion of written work, can encourage better behavioural engagement.

Emotional engagement refers to the emotional tie a pupil feels to their work, their school and the people around them. Taking an interest in their work, feeling pride in their achievements and buying into the school’s culture can help promote emotional engagement.

Cognitive engagement requires depth of thinking and problem solving activity. It is tied to the effort that students put into their work, and their understanding of what they want and need to achieve. 

What is student engagement in the context of online learning?

In the context of online learning, student engagement is measured by participation in activities using digital educational materials, and progress made while using them. Online learning can result in greater student engagement when used effectively — it offers flexibility, interactivity and different formats to explore, which helps students become more immersed in their studies. 

Online learning has a lot of potential, but encouraging pupils to engage with it appropriately and effectively can be challenging. These are some of the common challenges schools will need to consider and overcome:

1. Solo learning. Online teaching resources can help students learn flexibly and independently, but this relies on them working alone for at least some of the time. This can lead to feelings of isolation instead of building a sense of classroom community. If pupils feel they have no real-life role model or subject matter authority to turn to, this can pose a higher risk of isolation.
2. Distraction. Working in different environments can be refreshing, but it can also present new distractions. Students will need to retain healthy work habits and ensure they study in appropriate locations, at suitable times. When working on a computer, it can also be easy to lose focus and move away from the task in hand; students will need to develop good self-discipline and work in ways that set them up for success.  
3. Technical challenges. Students will have different levels of digital literacy so it’s important to ensure technology is accessible and easy to use, with full instructions provided. Devices may also not work as expected, or they might display content differently. Be aware of potential problems and make sure students have appropriate devices — if they do not, is there the option to loan out laptops or offer additional class time to use school computers?

Technology alone is not enough to garner engagement — the methods of using it really matter. UNESCO refers to an example of a programme where over 1 million laptops were distributed, however pedagogy was not changed to incorporate their use. In this instance, learning was not shown to improve.

Use these tried and tested strategies to improve engagement and lift learning in your school. 

1. Make learning interactive

Online learning can take many different forms, so teachers should make the most of the interactive elements on offer. Quizzes, polls and gamification can make lessons more engaging, plus the use of features like messaging boards and breakout rooms can increase interactivity through active participation. Using school-approved interactive tools can help pupils learn in a controlled environment. Some popular options include Kahoot!, Padlet, Nearpod and GCSEPod. 

2. Personalise the learning experience

UNESCO highlights the benefits of personalised adaptive software that can help teachers track progress, identify error patterns and provide differentiated feedback, making learning unique to the individual. In an evaluation of personalised adaptive software use in India, learning gains were documented in after-school settings and for low-performing students. A tailored approach can help to keep students focused and lead to better outcomes. 

3. Make use of multimedia

If online learning simply replicates textbooks or lectures, it’s likely to be less engaging. One study compared interaction with a video of a lecture vs an infographic video — the infographic video led to higher emotional and cognitive engagement over longer periods of time, and contributed to significantly improved performance when answering difficult questions.

Incorporating videos, graphics, animations, podcasts and other multimedia formats helps to make learning more dynamic and increase engagement by presenting information in novel ways. Access GCSEPod is an example of a platform that delivers content in bitesize chunks with videos of five to 10 minutes in length. The videos — known as pods — are subject specific and help students achieve, on average, 1.5 grades higher than non-users.

4. Encourage active participation

Teachers know that active participation fosters deeper learning and better retention — techniques like cold calling, Socratic questioning and flipped classroom methodologies are widely used. Replicating this in virtual settings is a good way to ensure ongoing engagement, so students are connected and accountable. GCSEPod and similar software can encourage active participation through interactive quizzes with instant feedback, plus digital assignment setting and progress tracking features allow students and teachers to stay connected.

To keep students actively engaged, building a strong community will help foster engagement. Social media groups and discussion boards can encourage students to share experiences, especially when working on group projects. For students working remotely, Q&A sessions, office hours and pre-scheduled virtual chats can help maintain engagement.

5. Provide clear structure and support

A well-structured learning environment will help students stay on track. Provide a detailed roadmap that sets out clear expectations and deadlines, so students understand the full scope of the online course and can pace their learning. Along the way, regular check-ins, progress reports and actionable feedback can help students stay absorbed in their learning. Make sure students have troubleshooting instructions if they experience problems and tell them who to contact if they continue to have difficulties — this helps ensure digital learning doesn’t become frustrating. 

One of the key benefits of online learning is the advanced tracking capabilities available to teachers. It’s very important to measure engagement with online learning, ensuring students are completing their work successfully and progressing as expected.

Educators can track engagement through learning management system (LMS) analytics — metrics include login frequency, time spent engaging with materials, results from assignments or quizzes and participation in discussions. Using the LMS analytic, teachers can identify students who might need additional support and offer early intervention where required, so no learner is left behind.

Students themselves can also provide insights into their engagement levels — teachers can ask them to complete feedback forms and surveys to understand how valuable they find online learning. 

Creating an engaging online learning experience

Online learning offers new opportunities to further student engagement, promoting independence, curiosity and academic attainment. By providing personalised, interactive options in digital formats, teachers can help students progress in their studies and identify potential problems early on, taking action when needed.

Access GCSEPod uses high-quality content that matches up with the curriculum, keeping students engaged, enthusiastic and making continual progress. Regular users of the solution achieve an average of 1.5 grades higher than non-users.

Callington Community College significantly enhanced student engagement, independent study and exam preparation with GCSEPod. And The St Lawrence Academy found that the accessible, concise videos maintained student attention and enhance understanding.

Make student engagement a priority in your school and let the results speak for themselves. Learn more about Access GCSEPod.