Engagement Experiences of the Adult Undergraduate Online: An Analysis of Actions, Attitudes, and Perceptions

https://doi.org/10.9743/JEO.2024.21.3.19

Abstract

The aim of this mixed-methods study was to explore the engagement experiences of undergraduate adult students (n = 77) in fully online courses. Results of the study revealed participants spent approximately half of their educational time per week on engagement activities. Participants in this study frequently interacted with peers in activities such as online discussion and group projects, but they did not value this engagement as much as getting to know and feeling connected to their faculty. The findings of this study highlight the importance of faculty, and specifically faculty involvement, to the engagement experiences of adult online students.

Keywords: adult learning, online learning, online engagement