In response to the COVID pandemic, university classes across the world were forced online. The literature on online learning has traditionally focused on students who choose online learning. In light of recent shifts in education, online learning continues to increase its prevalence in the education of all students, including those who would not have traditionally chosen this medium. In this research, we explore students' experiences in emergency online learning in two undergraduate business classes. Through the use of the learning platform metadata and student survey responses, this research examines the impact of various pedagogical techniques used in the online classroom and their ability to maintain high student motivation to engage with the learning content. Ultimately, we conclude that providing multiple opportunities for engagement through the use of both synchronous and asynchronous tools is crucial to promoting student motivation, learning, and course success. Implications for classroom instruction and further research is also discussed.