Online education can remove geographical barriers and restore scheduling flexibility to students seeking alternatives to the traditional classroom experience. Yet, while the online learning community continues to expand, educators may grapple with a familiar dilemma: how do you engage online students? Though there may never be consensus, evidence suggests that one way to boost student engagement is to integrate variety and diversity into the course structure.
Multimodality in learning content
One way to think about diversifying your online course is to look at the styles and types of course content you’ve selected. Consider asking yourself, “What mode(s) of delivery do I use, and will this be an asset to all learners, including those with disabilities?” Some content to consider integrating into your online course includes recorded lectures with captions and transcripts, visual graphics, charts and diagrams, multimedia, audiobooks or podcasts, written text, and interactive software. When you routinely layer different types of content, you can aid your students by appealing to different learning preferences.
Variety in assignment modality
Another avenue for assisting learners is to revisit their activity and assessment submission options. For instance, if your students predominantly write short answer or essay responses, consider assigning tasks that require students to generate work that is non-text based. One such example is swapping out a standard research question with an assignment to record an interview with a subject matter expert.
Creating connections
Online learners in particular may need additional opportunities to form connections. A good rule 
of thumb is to replace passive learning exercises, such as listening to a lecture, with activities that require deeper forms of participation. For example, students could construct a detailed concept map that demonstrates their critical thinking process. Though reflective in nature, concept maps or flow charts provide a creative outlet for students to document their thought process. Other engaging activities could include asking students to teach a lesson, record a field video, or perform an experiment.
Providing options
If ever in doubt about where to begin inserting alternative assignment formats, instructors should try to offer students a few different assignment options and observe what they select. When students are presented with choices, they may begin to feel empowered and invested in their studies, and you can challenge them to expand their definition of online learning. By utilizing diverse course content and learning activities, instructors have the capacity to help students establish connections between their education and the outside world.
