This dissertation explores the area of student engagement. Precisely, the dissertation attempts to find out the importance, roles, significance and factors involved in online student engagement and their consequences in achieving a positive learning environment. The first stream of inquiry investigated the perceived links between students' perceived learning, motivation and attitude towards learning, that can be manipulated through careful usage of appropriate instructional strategies. Manuscript one is a literature review, which highlights student engagement strategies in online classes. The strategies revolved around two important domains: Instructor presence and teaching immediacy. The purpose of this was to identify pertinent studies on the important issue of student engagement strategies in online courses and student engagement strategies that work. The second is the extension of the first's findings. Instructor presence and teaching immediacy are two important constructs highlighted in the first. The role and significance of teaching presence and teaching immediacy are presented in the second, which is a literature review to find out the importance of these two constructs in achieving student engagement. The successfully identified three areas of importance in online learning environment are learners' attitude, motivation and learning. The third establishes solid theoretical foundation by asserting the importance of understanding the big picture of learning and teaching through relevant theories. The assumptions for the fourth empirical study are delved from this. The fourth is an empirical study that looks at the effect of teaching presence and teaching immediacy on students' motivation, affective learning, and cognitive learning. The forth study attempts to find out the influence of teaching presence and teaching immediacy on students' motivation, affective learning and cognitive learning. Teaching presence is established to have positive influence on students' motivation, affective learning and cognitive learning. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]