The Perceived Effectiveness of Student Engagement Strategies in Open and Distance Learning

Student engagement is critical in online learning because it makes students feel more satisfied and motivated to learn. This study investigated how university students perceive various engagement tactics employed in online courses during the Covid 19 pandemic. Student engagement was measured using Moore's interaction framework. It implemented non-experimental quantitative research design through a survey with descriptive and causal-comparative approaches. A 29-item survey on learner-to-learner, learner-to-instructor, and learner-to-content engagement strategies was completed by 181 students from School of Engineering at Universiti Teknologi MARA. The students considered learner-to-content interactions to be the most engaging technique, according to the research. Learner-to-instructor interactions were the next most engaging method, while learner-to-learner interactions were the least engaging. Additionally, the most engaging technique is for them to search for and select appropriate materials in the learner-to-content category depending on their interests. Working jointly using online communication technologies to accomplish case studies, projects, or reports was deemed the most interesting technique by students in the learner-to-learner category. In the learner-to-instructor category, an email reminder or periodical notification is likewise regarded as the most engaging method. All three engagement mechanisms were shown to be interrelated, with learner-to-learner interactions heavily influencing learner-to-learner interactions. Mechanical engineering students were shown to be better at perceiving and implementing these tactics than students from the colleges of electrical, chemical, and civil engineering. It is believed that the findings of the present study will assist teachers and lecturers in increasing their participation in online courses.