Chapter 8: Principles for Implementing Engaging Online Learning Environments: Integrating Motivational and Cognitive Perspectives

Engaging college students in online learning environments presents unique obstacles for teaching and learning: not only do instructors report that designing courses for online learning is challenging (Dietrich et al., 2021), but students also report difficulty engaging and feeling a sense of belonging in these environments (Peacock & Cowan, 2019). The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified these challenges given the urgent need to shift to online learning (Bardach et al., 2021; Chen & Jang, 2010; Dietrich et al., 2021; Parker et al., 2021; Wu et al., 2021). However, in this process, less attention is often given to best practices for designing online courses and materials that promote student engagement. College instructors may be taxed to meet new and complex learning needs in online environments. At the same time, student engagement is critical for learning, and for those entering the teaching profession, a positive online experience can serve as a model to guide their own practices in teaching future online courses. As such, there is a need to examine theory and evidence that helps us to answer the question: “How can we support student engagement online?”