Fostering Student Engagement

Use these resources to keep the student engaged while in the classroom.

Additional Information and References

A graduate shows off her Cumberlands pennant

Strategies for Student Engagement

“Increasing Student Engagement Through Paired Technologies” Article:

1) Video conferencing in online learning environments allows instructors to interact with students similarly to having synchronous sessions. Students can see facial expressions and hear the tone of voice. Higher engagement and student success are also reported in online classrooms that employ video conferencing. The instructor can reach more students through a video conference than when they correspond through email (p. 24).

2) Interaction with the professor creates buy-in with the students. The students can have individual conferences and communication with the professor, and interact with other students in their courses. Having a video conference in online courses allows students to communicate their concerns and receive feedback from the instructor and other peers from around the world (p. 25).

3) Professors can pair video conferences with other technologies, such as Remind to keep communication lines with students open. Remind allows students and professors to communicate via text or email. This allows students to receive quick responses so that assignments are completed on time. Communication with the instructor creates a learning environment where the instructor is present, and the students are invested in the learning process. Remind is a great tool for instructors as it allows for assessment reminders, quick communications, and upcoming video conferences to be quickly communicated (p. 25).

APA Citation:

Basko, L., & Hartman, J. (2017). Increasing Student Engagement through Paired Technologies. Journal of Instructional Research, 6, 24–28.

Link to article:

“Engagement Matters: Student Perceptions on the Importance of Engagement Strategies in the Online Learning Environment” Article:

1) The need for student engagement has created criteria that instructors are expected to implement in course design. According to Martin and Bolliger (2018), “Engagement strategies are aimed at providing positive learner experiences including active learning opportunities, such as participating in collaborative group work, having students facilitate presentations and discussions, sharing resources actively, creating course assignments with hands-on components, and integrating case studies and reflections” (p. 206).

2) To encourage student engagement, Martin and Bolliger (2018) suggest three strategies be employed: student-to-student, student-to-instructor, and student-to-content. Students need engagement with the instructor, their peers, and the content to be successful in online learning environments.

a. Online applications, including social media and video conferencing, can support student-to-student and student-to-instructor relationships.

b. Discussion boards can be used to create asynchronous collaboration when video conferencing is not used.

c. Instructor feedback was ranked as one of the most effective strategies to engage students with the content. Students could review their assessments and feedback and alter learning as needed.

d. Comprehensive assessments that allow students to engage with the material in various ways while using the course resources and reviewing interactive materials enable students to engage with the content in a meaningful way.

APA Citation:

Martin, F., & Bolliger, D. U. (2018). Engagement Matters: Student Perceptions on the Importance of Engagement Strategies in the Online Learning Environment. Online Learning, 22(1), 205–222.

Link to article:

Faculty need to interact with students in an online environment beyond regular and timely feedback on assignments and responding to student emails. One example of such interaction is a weekly encouragement email. This email contains words of encouragement and appreciation for a student’s dedication to the course, or if a student is struggling, this email serves as a touchpoint in which the instructor expresses concern for the student’s wellbeing and offers a helping hand to ensure the student gets back on track in the course. According to Anft’s (2021) Trends Snapshot in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Azusa Pacific ��ҹ��1000��ϼ�92 regularly contacts students throughout the semester via text or email to check in (p.4)

Link to article:

“Undergraduate Student Course Engagement and the Influence of Student, Contextual, and Teacher Variables” Article:

1) Classes with 30 or fewer participants allow students to answer questions and engage with the instructor, content, and peers.

2) Courses held earlier in the day are viewed more negatively, and students are less likely to be engaged.

3) A study of more than 5,000 students found that a positive perception of classes correlated with interpersonal relationships between instructors and students. According to Marx, Simonsen, and Kitchel (2016), “[…] interpersonal interaction with faculty positively influenced student effort related to educationally purposeful learning activities and overall student perceptions of the learning environment” (p. 214).

APA Citation:

Marx, A. A., Simonsen, J. C., & Kitchel, T. (2016). Undergraduate Student Course Engagement and the Influence of Student, Contextual, and Teacher Variables. Journal of Agricultural Education, 57(1), 212–228.

Link to the article:

“The Effects of the Flipped Classroom on Deep Learning Strategies and Engagement at the Undergraduate Level” Article:

1) When students watch pre-recorded lectures outside of class, they can engage with the instructor and peers during course time. This leaves more time for students to engage with the content during class.

2) Students can view the lectures at their own pace. The students can stop the recorded lecture and rewind or rewatch any concerning concepts. In class, instructors can address student misconceptions.

3) The flipped classroom requires students to take responsibility for their learning as they are required to view the lectures before class. This forces students to have self-initiative and self-discipline.

4) Using the flipped classroom model is thought to be more engaging than the traditional course model.

5) According to Hava (2021), “It is believed that the flipped classroom will enable students to gain different perspectives through various lecture videos, improve their application and research skills via implementing several assignments, and enhance students’ responsibility for their learning (p. 389).

APA Citation:

Hava, K. (2021). The Effects of the Flipped Classroom on Deep Learning Strategies and Engagement at the Undergraduate Level. Participatory Educational Research, 8(1), 379–394.

Link to the article:

Use icebreakers or utilize student check-ins at the beginning of class. Participating in these activities reduces student anxiety and stress as they prepare for a new course with a potentially new professor. For example, asking a get-to-know-you question, an opinion question, a question concerning the course content, or using a meme scale that allows students to inform faculty how they feel before class begins is a great way to break the ice! Meme scale check-ins provide information that enables faculty members to informally gauge how students may or may not interact during a session.
Organize lectures to promote active learning, thereby promoting student engagement. Strategies include chunking, which involves lecturing in 10 – 15-minute chunks, followed by a short activity or task reinforcing the learning material.
A study conducted by Perrin (2018) found that a high number of college-aged men (78%) and women (49%) play video games (as cited in Barkley & Major, 2020). The use of gamification and simulations in an in-seat course are relatable academic tools that give students opportunities to participate in real-life scenario-based course activities in a continuous learning cycle. Role-playing, decision-making, strategy, and other types of hands-on activities are easy to implement while allowing students to assess a situation, reflect and strategize how they will apply course concepts, act on their decision-making, and understand the potential repercussions and consequences of their actions.

APA Citations:

Barkley, E. F., & Major, C. H. (2020). Student engagement techniques: A handbook for college faculty (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Cadotte, E. (2022). Simulations Spark Engagement and Real Learning. AACSB.

For Further Reading

Use the resources linked below to help further guide your work in the classroom.

Anft, M. (2021). Enhancing student engagement in the remote classroom. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 1-5. Retrieved from
Barkley, E. F., & Major, C. H. (2020). Student engagement techniques: A handbook for college faculty (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Basko, L., & Hartman, J. (2017). Increasing student engagement through paired technologies. Journal of Instructional Research, 6, 24–28. Retrieved from
Cadotte, E. (2022). Simulations Spark Engagement and Real Learning. AACSB.
DeBrock, L., Scagnoli, N. & Taghaboni-Dutta, F. (2020, March 18). The human element in online learning. Inside Higher Ed.
Hartwell, C.J. (2017). Engaging students in a synchronous distance setting: Asking online questions. Journal of Empowering Teaching Excellence, 1(1), 38-47.
Hava, K. (2021). The Effects of the Flipped Classroom on Deep Learning Strategies and Engagement at the Undergraduate Level. Participatory Educational Research, 8(1), 379–394. Retrieved from
Hew, K.F. (2018). Unpacking the strategies of ten highly-rated MOOCs: Implications for engaging students in large online courses. Teachers College Record, 120(1), 1-40.
Kelling, N. J., & Kelling, A. S. (2022). A Case Study Integrating Edutainment to Enhance Student Engagement and Satisfaction in an Online Graduate Psychology Course. Intersection: A Journal at the Intersection of Assessment and Learning, 3(2). Retrieved from
Martin, F., & Bolliger, D. U. (2018). Engagement Matters: Student Perceptions on the Importance of Engagement Strategies in the Online Learning Environment. Online Learning, 22(1), 205–222. Retrieved from
Marx, A. A., Simonsen, J. C., & Kitchel, T. (2016). Undergraduate Student Course Engagement and the Influence of Student, Contextual, and Teacher Variables. Journal of Agricultural Education, 57(1), 212–228. Retrieved from
Sandmann, L., Saltmarsh, J., & O’Meara, K. (2016). An Integrated Model for Advancing the Scholarship of Engagement: Creating Academic Homes for the Engaged Scholar. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, 20(1), 157–174. Retrieved from

Gamification Resources

For those ready to go beyond Kahoot!

Escape Room Resources from Carolyn Stallard, CUNY – this is designed like a digital escape room!
Top 11 Crossword Puzzle Makers – the site briefly lists the benefits of each, then provides a detailed analysis of each.
Free Buzzer!
Bingo card creator
Flippity – create quizzes, flashcards, memory games, word searches and other manipulatives. Works with Google spreadsheets.
Easy tool to create online sorting game:
Jeopardy Labs – Create a Jeopardy Style game
Card Decks for learning game design by : What’s your Game plan?
This site has a pay version (physical cards) and a free digital demo.

Additional Reading:

Vlachopoulos, D. & Makri, A. (2017). The effect of games and simulations on higher education: a systematic literature review. International Journal of Education Technology in Higher Education, 14(22).
The Higher Education Video Game Alliance – the “the leading academic association advocating for the critical role video game programs play in higher education, industry, and government.”
Connected Learning Summit – the annual academic meeting of “innovators harnessing emerging technology to expand access to participatory, playful, and creative learning.
The CUNY Games Network – an organization that “encourages research, scholarship, and teaching in the field of game based learning.”
Crossword Puzzle Design Advice: Tausig, B & Vigeland. (2018, April 11). How to make a crossword puzzle. New York Times.

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