Student Engagement and Interaction

Creating Student Engagement and Interaction in Your Online Classroom

While in a face-to-face classroom, the creation of community and connectivity can naturally happen. In the online classroom, this community must be built by the instructor by developing level of presence that goes beyond connecting with the content.

Once your online course has been designed, you can focus on your teaching methods and best practices for online learning. Below you will find an overview of strategies and techniques that will provide a foundation for creating a successful online learning experience for your students.

Student to Content Interaction

This interaction takes place when the student works independently with the course content provided to them. This is a critical level of interaction since this is where learning takes place. Students gain access to learning materials through recorded lectures, posted handouts, and multimedia. These materials should be easy to locate and access.

Student to Instructor Interaction

This important interaction occurs when the instructor presents information, provides feedback, and engages in continuous communication throughout the semester. Through these interactions, the instructor provides consistent and continuous communication lines to clarify issues, reinforce important factors, stimulate the learners’ interests, and provide support. The instructor must reestablish their role as a guide through the course (“guide on the side”) rather than as the central component to the course (“sage on the stage”).

Student to Student Interaction

This interaction takes place either between two learners in the course or a group of learners. This can be independent of content or instructor interaction. Social interaction is extremely important in an online course, and it can be overlooked if the instructor does not plan for it. Studies find learning is socially constructed, especially among adult learners. Take time to build your course design to foster this interaction where significant interactions can take place between learners to not only provide social interaction but a learning atmosphere as well.