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Engaging students onlineNathaniel Louwrens

@nlouwrens

teachupsidedown.narelo.com

Flickr: Eric CC-BY 2.0

Research questions

1. What types of activities do students

prefer in online courses and what are

the reasons behind their preferences?

2. What do teachers perceive engages

students in online courses and why?

3. What encourages students to engage

in online activities?

Setting the scene

Distance students

Year 7-10

All fully online

Around NZ and some international

3 classes, 4 teachers, 10 students

Methodology

Qualitative methods

Interviews

Questionnaires

Discussion forums posts

Wikimedia: Andy F CC-BY-SA 2.0

Teachers & student

engagement

“… a kid who is engaged, they

complete the tasks for the week.”

“Seeing them take part in discussions

…. Actually seeing some work in the

dropbox”.

“Regular contact and daily interaction”

Student engagement

More than just doing “stuff”

Flickr: john.schultz CC-BY-SA 2.0

Flickr: Tristran Schmurr CC-BY 2.0

Flickr: Allan Ajifo CC-BY 2.0

Flickr: Ally Aubry CC-BY 2.0

Preferred activities

Preferred activities

“… there is no particular activity that will

automatically help students to be more

engaged in online classes.”

Dixson (2010)

Dixson, M. D. (2010). Creating effective student engagement in online courses: What do students find

engaging? Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 10, 13.

Reasons for preferred

activities

1. Allows me to be creative

2. Makes me think

3. Quick to do / work on my own /

discuss with others

Flickr: Drachman CC-BY-SA 2.0

Teacher perceptions

Outside of the LMS

Ownership / Control / Choice

Feedback

Teacher engagement

Flickr: Paraflyer CC-BY 2.0

What does

engage

students?

Activities outside of the LMS

Safe and supportive environment

Wikimedia: CM Lynch CC-BY-SA 3.0

What does engage

students?

Feedback

Quick / task-

focused

Interest,

relevance and

enjoyment

Flickr: Karl Horton CC-BY-SA 2.0

What does engage

students?

Teacher presence and engagement

Activity requirements

Wikimedia: Liz CC-BY 2.0

Wikimedia: Liz CC-BY 2.0

Conclusions & implications

Student engagement needs to be planned

Behavioural / Cognitive / Emotional

The nature of an activity is important

Not too hard or too easy

Give students opportunity to be

creative!

Conclusions & implications

Carefully consider the use of LMS/PLE

Feedback continues to be important

Keep building a learning community

Keep building relationships

Exploration of online activities that

engage New Zealand middle school

students

bit.ly/nat-thesis

Nathaniel Louwrens

@nlouwrens

teachupsidedown.narelo.com