The fast growth of distance education, accelerated by technological advancement, presents opportunities and challenges for Comprehensive Open Distance and e-Learning (CODeL) institutions. One of the pressing challenges is ensuring meaningful student engagement in an environment where physical interaction is minimal. The aim of this study is to critically explore and identify effective strategies that enhance student involvement in CODeL institutions, with a particular focus on the South African context.
In South Africa, online learning is gradually becoming popular, allowing students to learn flexibly. E-learning, or online learning, can be described as any form of teaching delivered using digital technologies such as Microsoft Teams, Blackboard, Google Meet, WhatsApp, and Moodle. Such methods combine visual graphics, text, animation videos, and audio. Despite the growing use of these platforms, this study addresses the limited exploration of how lecturers can transform these technologies into interactive, student-centered environments. Moreover, the research paper analyses strategies that specifically foster student engagement in CODeL institutions, an area often overlooked in the South African higher education discourse.

Theoretically, this research paper is grounded in the connectivism learning theory, which emphasises the significance of social networks and digital platforms in the educational process. Methodologically, the study employed a qualitative approach using an exploratory research design, using critical discourse analysis as the guiding framework. Data was collected through an extensive document analysis of academic journals, peer-reviewed articles, conference papers, and credible internet sources, ensuring a rigorous and comprehensive dataset.

The preliminary results in this paper show that student engagement during class is not only crucial for academic success but also directly linked to motivation, retention, and performance in online environments. Findings reveal that students require more interactive sessions during online classes to actively participate and that lecturers often default to one-way communication styles, limiting opportunities for dialogue and collaboration. Furthermore, the study highlights that lecturers play a pivotal role in fostering engagement by creating spaces that encourage active participation, peer collaboration, and consistent attendance. The study recommends structured training for lecturers on interactive pedagogy, integration of collaborative tools, and continuous monitoring of engagement metrics to sustain student involvement.

Keywords: Student Engagement, e-learning, CODeL, Connectivism learning theory, Lecturers.