While online learning holds many benefits for graduate students, lack of student interaction often found in asynchronous content delivery may negatively impact student engagement. This study examined student perceptions of online lecture-embedded interactive activities that promoted student active engagement through quizzes and gamification. From among 39 course participants, online survey data (n=21) and a single focus group (n=17) were collected following a 16-week graduate level course where students engaged in three types of active learning. From among (1) lecture embedded activities; (2) self-reflection with faculty feedback; and (3) self-reflection posted to a web-enabled community sharing platform, students were generally satisfied overall but reported mixed perceptions and satisfaction with each option. While implementing active learning activities may require greater faculty effort, improved engagement with course content ultimately benefits learners.