Improving Student Engagement, Motivation, and Learning Outcomes in Online College Mathematics Courses.

This strategic research project was designed to propose a reasonable solution, strategy, and action plan to address a problem of practice for faculty members teaching mathematics online at the college level, which is the lack of student engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes in online college mathematics courses. This problem presents a significant challenge to practitioners since it undermines instructional effectiveness and student academic success. Creating and delivering meaningful and engaging learning experiences in online environments can prevent poor academic performance, low student retention, and high withdrawal rates. The proposed solution to address this problem of practice is based on current academic literature and best practices from fields such as instructional design and technology, and mathematics education. The proposed solution was to align content, instructional methods, and technology when designing online college mathematics courses. Also, the selected strategy was to implement alternative learning approaches such as inquiry-based learning, technology-based learning, project-based learning, collaborative learning, and the flipped classroom model. The action plan outlined in this project to implement the selected strategy and achieve the proposed solution integrates technology-based learning tools, developing project-based and inquiry-based learning activities, facilitating collaborative learning opportunities, incorporating meaningful formative assessments and feedback mechanisms, and providing training and support for active learning strategies. These actions can be a plausible recipe to address the lack of student engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes in online college mathematics courses. Insights gained as a result of this project can be applied to inform and improve the professional practice of faculty members teaching online courses at the postsecondary level regardless of the discipline.