Universities worldwide have seen a surge in online learning participation. The university in this study has been a leader in online learning since 2011, with over 50% of students now studying online. All students have access to online resources regardless of their study mode, making effective design of active online learning resources imperative.

Students are expected to interact asynchronously via the Learning Management System (LMS) through activities, forums and other means. However, this is often optional and does not always promote ‘active asynchronous’ learning. Teachers often focus on synchronous sessions, despite many students not attending, and do not cultivate asynchronous learning as a priority.