Online or On-Site, Does It Matter? Behavioural and Cognitive Engagement
with Large Groups of Students
Iñaki Rodriguez Longarela
Stockholm University, Stockholm Business School, Sweden and UiT – The Arctic University of
Norway, School of Business and Economics, Norway
Cormac McGrath
Department of Education, Stockholm University, Sweden
Volume 20: 2025, pp. 000-000; ABSTRACT
The rise of videoconference lectures has sparked concerns about their potential negative
impact on college and university student engagement. In this study, we review prior research on
engagement, focusing on its behavioral and cognitive dimensions, which we investigate empirically
using a novel methodology. Our analysis centers on active-learning approaches in large-group
teaching settings. Contrary to concerns about potential harm, our findings reveal no evidence
supporting the alleged detrimental effects. On the contrary, our results indicate that neither
behavioral engagement nor course cognitive engagement is higher for in-class students, and levels
of engagement may even be greater with virtual live lectures. If taken at face value, these findings
carry significant pedagogical and policy implications.
Keywords: online learning, in-class learning, behavioural engagement, cognitive engagement.
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