This article presents an autoethnographic account of a project implemented to increase online student engagement in a postgraduate organisational behaviour subject comprised predominantly of international students. Autoethnography provided a lens to critically explore my andragogical practice as an early career academic (ECR) engaged in teaching across multiple campuses and online in a regional university. Following Brookfield's (2017) process of critical reflection whereby the illumination of power is considered, my reflections are presented and the valuable lessons I learned are highlighted. This account aims to extend our sociological understanding of online student engagement and the challenges experienced as an ECR, while navigating the current higher education landscape. Practically, academics can benefit from the reflections and lessons learned from this study to stimulate their own learning and critical reflection of online teaching practices.