Maintaining Middle School Students’ Engagement in Virtual Learning Environments

The current COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges for teachers as they transition to teaching in virtual learning environments. Virtual environments have forced educators adapt strategies and become creative innovative maintain student engagement (Korkmaz & Toraman, 2020). Middle school social studies always dealt with a lack of interest history, the instructional setting is requiring reimagined teacher craft deliver high-quality instruction. interaction between students often depends on content, highly effective questioning, choice response methods, technology tools, or platforms (Czerkawski Lyman, 2016). A conceptual understanding types engagement, including cognitive, affective, behavioral (Buric Franzel, 2020; Raes, Vanneste, Pieters, Windey, Van Den Noortgate Depaepe, Uden, Ritzen 2013; Ding, Kim Orey, 2017) will help inform that be most at increasing maintaining engagement. purpose this phenomenological study was describe experiences problems associated engaging middle border district over 40,000 students. overarching theme emerged from data collected play significant role creating environment supports students, encourages participation through interactive technology, nurtures relationships promote Findings suggest understand face keep engaged motivated, some best practices can increase learning.