The core of active learning or student engagement is interaction, getting students to move beyond the passive intake of content and into an active development of knowledge. The following is a few different examples of interactions broken up by interaction type.

Student & Faculty Interaction

Student to faculty interaction can include both formal direct instruction and more informal mentoring and support as discussed in the Online Presence module. Regular and substantive student↔faculty interaction is key for engaging students.

A few examples of student↔faculty interaction include

providing feedback on assignments
participating in discussion forums or chats
sending frequent announcements
providing online office hours
reaching out when students are struggling
delivering current and relevant content that's aligned with the course's learning outcomes

Student & Student Interaction

Interaction between students can include course-related collaboration and interaction as well as more informal social interaction, which can increase students' comfort with each other and with the online environment. Student↔student interaction activities include

group projects and presentations
class discussions
group case studies
peer instruction
peer review assignments
synchronous meet ups
collaborative brainstorming

For resources and tips for successful implementation, check out our module on Strategies for Successful Online Group Work.

Student & Content Interaction

Student↔content interaction includes students' concrete interactions with the course materials. It includes but is not limited to

interactive textbook/publisher activities
embedded quizzes with feedback
reflection activities based on reading/lectures
simulations