Seven practical ways to improve student engagement online

In physical classrooms, educators rely on visual cues such as facial expressions, body language and spontaneous interactions to gauge understanding. These cues allow educators to quickly identify confusion, distraction or disengagement. In online settings, however, these signals are often limited or absent. And with a multitude of digital distractions vying for students’ attention, online teaching requires intentional pedagogical adjustments.

1. Use polls to monitor understanding

Short, frequent polls containing simple and focused questions allow students to respond quickly without disrupting the session’s flow. For example, when introducing a law of physics or a philosophical concept, educators might ask a question such as: “In which situations could this law be applied?” or “How could this concept be used to interpret a real-world scenario?”

Regular polling helps identify gaps in understanding early. When a student does not respond, educators can follow up directly to clarify misconceptions or determine whether there are technical issues at play.

2. Increase task complexity to promote active engagement

Beyond quick comprehension checks, more complex tasks can help sustain attention throughout the session. Educators can design short problem-solving exercises, case-based questions or scenarios that require students to think critically rather than simply recall information. In mathematics and science courses, I ask students to solve a simple exercise immediately after presenting a worked example. This approach encourages students to apply newly introduced information while it is still fresh, reinforcing understanding and reducing passive observation.

Allow students a few minutes to work independently or in small groups before submitting responses to improve cognitive engagement. Platforms that enable educators to monitor progress in real time or automatically review responses – such as Mentimeter, Padlet or Kahoot! – can be particularly effective. Ensure you connect these activities meaningfully to course assessment and learning objectives. When students perceive tasks as optional or inconsequential, engagement tends to decrease. And consider participation as a metric for assessment.

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3. Design each session around a tangible learning product

Each synchronous session should result in tangible output that demonstrates learning. This might include a brief written response, a completed worksheet, a collaborative document, a solved problem or a short oral presentation. These activities can be individual or collaborative, depending on course objectives and the tools available. 

When students know that they are expected to produce something concrete by the end of the session, they are more likely to remain focused and actively participate. Visible learning products also help educators quickly assess progress and adjust instruction as needed.

4. Provide timely feedback to reinforce participation

Active engagement is most effective when students receive feedback on their efforts. Do this either during the session or shortly afterwards to show students that participation is valued and meaningful. This feedback does not need to be extensive; even brief comments can reinforce learning and motivate continued engagement.

Without timely feedback, students may view synchronous activities as performative rather than instructional. Acknowledging their contributions helps establish a culture of accountability and shared responsibility for learning.

5. Minimise visual distractions

Online learning environments should reduce cognitive overload rather than add to it. Use neutral, uncluttered backgrounds and avoid excessive graphics, animations or moving images that may distract students. While some less experienced educators believe visually dynamic backgrounds increase engagement, they often have the opposite effect.

The same principle applies to students. The use of avatars or visually striking virtual backgrounds can be distracting. Encouraging students to minimise visual distractions in their own environments supports sustained attention during live sessions.

6. Prioritise clarity

When educators share visual materials alongside their video feed, clarity becomes essential. Text should be large enough to read comfortably; a font size of about 24 points is effective. Organise slides well by ensuring titles appear in the same position on each slide and content is presented in a clear, logical order. Additionally, ensure your face does not obscure key information. Clear visual design reduces frustration and allows students to focus on the content rather than struggle to interpret it.

7. Plan moments for interaction

In physical classrooms, it is possible to understand overlapping speech. In online environments, however, most platforms prioritise a single speaker at a time. For this reason, you should plan moments for questions, discussion or reflection and clearly signal when interaction is expected.

Structured interaction reduces confusion, prevents technical issues and encourages more equitable participation, particularly among students who may be hesitant to interrupt or speak spontaneously.

By integrating frequent interaction, purposeful activities, visible learning products, clear visual design and structured participation, educators can create engaging online environments that support attention and learning. As higher education continues to expand its use of online formats, these strategies can help to ensure that online sessions remain active, inclusive and pedagogically effective.

Eliseo Mendoza Ortiz is a professor at CETYS University.

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