Virtual Learning that Works: 4 Ways to Build Real Engagement

• By Shantanu Bose, Ph.D.
• 08/20/25

Virtual learning has scaled fast — but creating engagement at scale remains a challenge. As colleges and universities expand online offerings, the goal now is clear: Build environments where students actively participate, not passively attend.

To meet this moment, institutions must go beyond convenience and design for real engagement through purposeful pacing, smart technology use, and clear expectations for student accountability. At DeVry University, we’ve embraced this challenge: building virtual classrooms that are not only accessible but alive with engagement at the core.

What’s Holding Back Engagement?

Virtual learning asks a lot of students. It requires more self-motivation, stronger time management, and sharper focus than traditional classrooms. Adult learners juggling jobs, families, and shifting schedules may struggle to consistently show up.

Additionally, there’s also the temptation to multitask. It’s easy to mute your camera, tune out, or split attention during class. Research backs this concern: A 2024 review in Education and Information Technologies found that while online learning offers flexibility, it can reduce engagement and increase isolation if not carefully designed. Key factors include motivation, tool quality, and internet access.

Another study by the Symbiosis International Research Journal on Online and Distance Learning (SIRJODL) found that 44% of students called online lectures boring and hard to follow — highlighting the need for methods that connect.

The solution isn’t more content. It’s better-designed engagement.

Faculty Perspectives on Virtual Engagement

While institutions shape the framework, it’s faculty who bring engagement to life. Their day-to-day interactions — built on empathy, creativity, and practicality — determine how students experience virtual learning.

To explore what drives connection and success, I asked four DeVry faculty members: What teaching approaches best support engagement and success in evolving virtual classrooms?

Their responses reflected a shared truth: Connection fuels engagement.

Health Information Technology Professor Michelle Cranney and Business Information Systems Professor Ellen Jones both draw from the Community of Inquiry framework, emphasizing social, cognitive, and teaching presence. Each fosters a virtual learning space grounded in authenticity and curiosity — helping students feel both supported and challenged.

Accounting Professor Joel Frazier reinforces relevance through live polls, interactive exercises, and real-world application, while Project Management Professor Paul Kohara creates energy by greeting students by name and using active participation tools.

Together, their strategies reflect a shared goal: transforming virtual courses from static to dynamic by centering both what students learn and how they experience learning.

Designing for Active Participation

Online courses have commonly relied on long prerecorded lectures — a passive model. A more effective approach is “chunkifying” videos into shorter segments to help students absorb material in manageable bursts.

Embedding interactive knowledge checks between these segments can prompt reflection, reinforce understanding, and keep students engaged throughout. Additionally, AI-powered virtual assistants and adaptive learning tools help students navigate platforms more efficiently — offering personalized guidance, quick access to content and self-directed learning support.

Data from our partner Engageli, a virtual classroom platform built for higher education, supports this. Recent findings from our implementation show: