Designing for behavioural engagement

What is it?

Online learning environments lack the cues and modes of communication associated with face-to-face communication and it is, therefore, essential that the basics in your vUWS site are implemented effectively. Behavioural engagement in your vUWS site is the foundation for cognitive and social engagement. Behavioural engagement includes all areas of interaction with elements in your vUWS site that can be measured quantitatively. This ranges from students accessing your site through to student interaction with learning materials and other tools such as forums.

How do I do it?

To ensure consistent and ongoing interaction in your site, it is important to consider a range of design features that will help to promote cognitive and social engagement. These include elements such as accessibility, tools to promote social engagement, a range of scaffolded activities and clarity on the relationship between learning materials, learning activities and assessments. Other design features include:

• Teacher presence (see ‘ Community of Inquiry ’ model and ‘ conceptual scaffolding ’)
• Strong peer to peer and peer to teacher (see ‘ designing for belonging and social presence ’)
• Active learning strategies that promote sustained and ongoing engagement

High levels of behavioural engagement, therefore, are dependent on online learning environments that have been designed to promote optimal learning experiences.