eLearning

Abstract

This chapter considers the value of engagement in eLearning environments where engagement is, of course, not the end goal of the interaction. Rather, engagement mediates learners’ short- and long-term goals and the formal and self-evaluative outcomes that indicate progress toward those goals. The chapter uses theories of learning to elaborate models of engagement "as a necessary pre-condition to learning" that inform the design of eLearning environments. The full model is then illustrated through two case studies derived from an experiment and a massive open online course. These reinforce the theoretically derived characteristics of engaging eLearning environments within these very different settings.