Online learner engagement: Conceptual definitions, research themes, and supportive practices
Abstract
Online learning has increased in prominence across all levels of education, despite reported learner engagement being lower online than during in-person learning. Most learner engagement research and frameworks have focused on in-person learning environments but new frameworks and strategies for online learner engagement are emerging. In this article, we integrate scholarship from educational technology with scholarship from educational psychology and the learning sciences to argue for a reconceptualization of online learner engagement that considers both critical dimensions of learner engagement and the environmental affordances that influence them. We review literature on cognitive, affective, and behavioral engagement, translating it to online contexts. We introduce five research themes and accompanying frameworks from online learning research that have shaped understanding of learner engagement in online learning environments (i.e., engagement through communication, interaction, presence, collaboration, and community). With this new perspective that synthesizes the dimensions of learner engagement and online environmental affordances, we expand online learner engagement scholarship. Finally, leveraging this reconceptualization, we share an exemplar framework and strategies for supporting online learner engagement followed by recommendations for future research and practice.
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The positive effects of SI are consistent with prior research indicating that social expectations, peer endorsement, and collective support can shape users' acceptance of new technologies.
“Similarly, the positive effects of SI are consistent with prior research indicating that social expectations, peer endorsement, and collective support can shape users’ acceptance of new technologies [61,103,104,105,106].”
Martin and Borup (2022) found that affective engagement can increase when others in a student's course community facilitate communication, develop relationships, and instill an excitement for learning.
“Martin and Borup (2022) found that affective engagement can increase when others in a student’s course community facilitate communication, develop relationships, and instill an excitement for learning.”
From Effects of Generative AI on Engagement and Performance Within Asynchronous Online Courses (2026) · cites this paper as Martin and Borup (2022)
Research presents a struggle to find a clear centralized definition of engagement for online learning, and some have proposed that engagement be clearly defined by the researcher.
“Research presents a struggle to find a clear centralized definition of engagement for online learning (Martin & Borup, 2022), and some have proposed that engagement be clearly defined by the researcher (Christenson et al., 2012).”
From Effects of Generative AI on Engagement and Performance Within Asynchronous Online Courses (2026) · cites this paper as Martin & Borup, 2022
Affective engagement can increase when others in a student's course community facilitate communication, develop relationships, and instill an excitement for learning.
“Martin and Borup (2022) found that affective engagement can increase when others in a student's course community facilitate communication, develop relationships, and instill an excitement for learning.”
From Effects of Generative AI on Engagement and Performance Within Asynchronous Online Courses (2026) · cites this paper as Martin and Borup (2022)
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- Authors
- Martin, F., & Borup, J.
- Affiliations
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte (US)
- George Mason University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Martin, Florence
- Venue
- Educational Psychologist
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2022-07-03
- Volume
- 57
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 162-177
- ISSN
- 0046-1520 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-6985
- OpenAlex
- W4285083760
- Cited by
- 220
- References
- 89
- Citations by year
- 2026: 39 · 2025: 67 · 2024: 58 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 14
- FWCI
- 97.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Educational Psychologist (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Online and Blended Learning
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Science Applications › Online Learning and Analytics
- Keywords
- cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, behavioral engagement, virtual learning environments, environmental affordances, online collaboration, online communities, student interaction, engagement framework
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