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:

• Students in live Engageli lessons or playbacks have higher course pass rates (94–95%) vs. peers who don't engage (about 88%).
• Live learners average 60 minutes of focused time per class.
• Persistence improves among Engageli users.

These outcomes confirm that engagement doesn't happen on its own — it must be intentionally designed.

Rethinking Flexibility for Today's Learners

Flexibility is one of online learning's greatest advantages, but without structure, it can quickly become a barrier to progress.

Institutions can mitigate this risk through structured flexibility: giving students the freedom to engage on their own schedules while maintaining clearly defined weekly expectations. Modules should be paced intentionally, with consistent deadlines to maintain momentum.

This approach helps prevent last-minute cramming, supports time management, and promotes sustained engagement.

For adult learners balancing coursework with work and family obligations, pairing flexibility with structure can be the difference between success and attrition.

Embedding Accountability in Virtual Learning

Engagement isn't just a design element — it's a culture. And accountability is a key part of that culture.

From the start of a course, students need clear expectations, consistent support, and early touchpoints that promote participation. Some institutions embed accountability into the learning experience by assigning points to early actions like reviewing the syllabus or reflecting on goals to promote early investment.

Tools like engagement trackers can help identify patterns and offer timely interventions — reinforcing that students are not alone and that their success is a shared priority.

Academic advisers add another layer of support, especially for students facing life transitions or competing responsibilities.

What's Next in Virtual Learning?

The future of virtual learning will be defined not just by access but by intention.

With thoughtfully paced content, interactive experiences, personalized tech tools, and shared accountability, institutions can create virtual classrooms that support deeper learning — not just convenience.

Already, the results are visible: stronger pass rates, higher persistence, greater classroom satisfaction, and more confident learners.

For colleges and universities seeking to evolve their online strategies, these four principles offer a path forward:

• Empower faculty to teach with authenticity.
• Design for engagement, not just ease.
• Balance flexibility with structure.
• Support students in owning their learning journey.

When students participate — and not just attend — every click becomes a step toward success.