Taylor Whitney

EDUC 540

Student Engagement in a Virtual Setting Reflection

As instruction has shifted towards online learning, it’s important for faculty and students

to embrace numerous strategies to fully immerse and participate in the new learning

environment. While online learning requires discipline and motivation, it is certainly possible to

construct a setting that is both engaging and stimulating. To best support students and raise

student engagement, teachers should set clear expectations, provide opportunities for students to

showcase their knowledge, and incorporate fun and enriching activities.

Simply put, students perform better when they understand the expectations and the

material presented is organized and precise. Teachers should first strive to prepare students for

the online learning experience by guiding them through familiar resources or sending home an

introductory video that overviews what online learning will look like. Additionally, teachers

should review the instructional outcomes so students know what to expect; it is important to note

that academic expectations should be lowered during this time. It’s reasonable and perfectly

acceptable to decrease the students’ workload, especially during a stressful period like a world-

wide pandemic. Next, the instructor should introduce the instructional material in a clear and

concise manner as to not overwhelm the students. Instructional materials should be easy to locate

and organized to avoid confusion.

As the teacher presents the instructional material, he/she should space out instruction and

keep segments under ten minutes to keep students’ attention and promote long-term memory.

Various formats like videos, presentations, online discussions, text, interactive activities and
games should be introduced to keep things interesting and fun! As teachers embark on the online

learning journey, it’s important to maintain a frequent presence with both students and families.

Beyond the scheduled office hours, teachers should strive to include group activities where

students can interact with one another in a collaborative setting. A positive and unique aspect of

online learning is the ability to schedule one-on-one sessions with each student to actively assess

their progress and monitor areas for improvement. It’s important that students feel a sense of

belonging and have an opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas with their peers and

instructor.

As stated, teachers should incorporate frequent times for students to showcase their

knowledge and understanding. This can be done through solving problems, engaging in a

classroom discussion, answering the instructor’s questions, writing a short piece on the specific

topic, and more. One important component of online learning is that students have the ability to

self-pace as assignments are usually given a week in advance. During this time, students can get

more sleep, have a chance to exercise, and take intermittent breaks. These frequent breaks

provide opportunities for students to relax and decompress, allowing them to feel more confident

and prepared to take on the instructional activities. In addition, teachers should provide regular

feedback and have students actively elaborate on their thinking. Feedback fosters a relationship

between teacher and students and assesses where the student is in his/her learning experience.

Students can also receive feedback from their peers or collaborate through classroom discussions

and group activities.

Lastly, teachers should break up the monotonous instruction by introducing fun and

exciting activities. For instance, social studies and science information can easily be integrated in

general studies to promote classroom engagement! During the COVID-19 pandmeic, many
resources like Scholastic, Seesaw, and ABC Mouse have upgraded their features to provide

instructional and enriching activities to families for free. Instruction should be thoughtful and

meaningful, but not too rigorous to overexert students. By including fun activities and ways for

students to communicate in a low-stakes environment, students will be engaged and focused in

their new online learning environment.

While the online learning platform may seem daunting and unexpected, if teachers

maintain clear expectations, integrate ways for students to take accountability, and include

enriching activities, the learning environment will be welcoming and engaging. As the learning

environment has shifted online during these unprecedented times, instructors should be mindful

of their personal well-being, their families, students, and students’ families. Education is

extremely important, but it shouldn’t supersede mental health or an individuals’ well-being.

 References

9 Ways to Increase Online Student Engagement. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2020, from

https://www.wbtsystems.com/learning-hub/blogs/9-ways-to-increase-online-student-

engagement

Fleming, N. (2020, April 24). Why Are Some Kids Thriving During Remote Learning?

Retrieved April 30, 2020, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/why-are-some-kids-

thriving-during-remote-learning