This study is part of a series of in situ design-based research investigations within a large public university in California, assessing undergraduate science instruction while distance learning. It has become increasingly important to identify sustainable learning alternatives to support online teaching and learning while integrating educational technologies informed by evidence-based practices of pedagogical learning experience design (LXD). Consequently, this design-based research efficacy study aimed to test the effectiveness of embedded video questions in supporting or hindering students' learning experience. Results showed that learners who experienced the embedded-video questions had significantly higher quiz grades, page views, and course participation as well as increased levels of online engagement and self regulation, while experiencing lower levels of mind-wandering and cognitive load. Implications on how institutions may iteratively design and effectively foster successful science online teaching and learning with the deployment of innovative "edtech" tools grounded in pedagogical learning experience design are discussed. [This paper was published in: "ICLS 2023 Proceedings," International Society of the Learning Sciences (ICLS), 2023, pp. 1861-1862.]