Engagement and Learning in Online Courses: What Activities Do Students Prefer?

Overview: This poster focuses on engagement and learning strategies in on-line courses. Students in five synchronous on-line MSW courses rated various activities for how each contributed to understanding course content and building relationships. Pedagogical lessons center on how educators can use a mix of strategies to promote online learning and engagement.Proposal text: While online learning options have expanded in recently, they significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Faculty and students have adopted new ways of engaging with course content, and the pivot to online formats with attendant technological demands has many wondering if students are learning in meaningful ways (Darby, 2019; Jacobson, 2019; Kelly & Zakrajsek, 2021; Zidan, 2015). Educators continue to question whether online formats adequately satisfy educational goals and discipline requirements (Afrouz & Crips, 2021; Lee, et al, 2019; Levin et al, 2018).
This poster focuses on online pedagogical strategies that purportedly encourage student engagement – an essential component to learning (Darby, 2019; Littlefield, et al, 2015; Mitchell, 2014). Research underscores the unique challenges that online learning presents in terms of fostering student engagement (Levin et al, 2013; Moore & Signor, 2014). Farrel et al (2018) found that webinar, embedded videos, discussion boards, wikis and blogs, gaming, and group projects enhanced student engagement particularly with asynchronous formats. Rapp-McCall & Anyikwa (2016) emphasized the importance of faculty being intentionally strategic with their own “presence,” which minimizes student anxiety and thus enhances learning (see Conceicao & Howles, 2021). Faculty proficiency with technology, particularly in adopting online educational strategies, is an additional factor in determining student engagement (Amador & Mederer, 2013; Darby, 2019). Finally, many online tools promote collaborative strategies, thus the pros and cons of peer learning need to be considered (Raymond, et al, 2016).
Presented here are results from an exploratory study that gathered information from students in five synchronous, online MSW courses (taught by the author). The courses were advanced ethics/ethical decision-making, foundation macro theory and practice, and advanced macro practice. Two foundation and advanced macro sections originally were scheduled face-to-face but moved online due to COVID. Students (Nf97) completed a questionnaire that queried levels of engagement and learning through these activities: breakout rooms (small group discussions); group presentations; individual presentations; in-class polling; interactive discussion threads; in-class chats; and one-minute papers (feedback). For each item, students rated (poor to excellent) the extent to which the activity contributed to (1) learning course content; (2) engaging with the course; (3) building relationships with classmates and (4) fostering a relationship with the instructor. Students also provided comments on these activities.
Findings indicated that students preferred structured breakout room discussions for learning course content and building peer relationships. Students identified using the zoom chat feature during class as a primary means of connecting with each other and the instructor. Interestingly, in terms of delivery of course content, students ranked instructor presentation as first, followed by instructor facilitated class discussions. Structured discussion threads allowed for the most depth with course content as well as demonstration of content acquisition. Students ranked one-minute papers as least engaging, though the feedback provided was valuable to the instructor for addressing content questions and course concerns. Overall, students desired a mix of strategies provided there was focus or guidance. Pedagogical lessons center on how educators can use these different options to further promote learning and engagement in online classes.