Engaging Learners in Online Environments Utilizing Universal Design for Learning Principles
Student learning outcomes depend on the depth and quality of their engagement in learning. Since the early 2000s, the concept of engagement has gained a lot of attention from researchers. Scholars often define engagement as a complex construct that consists of behavioral, cognitive, and emotional components, and argue instructors should attend to each one of these components to effectively engage their learners. In agreement with Fredricks, Blumenfeld, and Paris [1] and Finn and Zimmer [2], we propose that “sustained student engagement (a) functions as a facilitator of student learning, (b) leads to meaningful outcomes, (c) prevents students from dropping out, and (d) prevents boredom and lack of respect for authority”
