The Regents of the University of Colorado, doing business as the University of Colorado Denver, received a $150,000 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering grant program. The grant will fund research and development of a provable differentially private real-time machine learning algorithm to enhance student engagement in online STEM education. Specifically, the University will design a distributed machine learning framework using hierarchical learner nodes and a novel gradient sharing algorithm to estimate student engagement during online lectures. This framework aims to learn engagement patterns in real-time without directly accessing private student data, introducing privacy protections for underrepresented groups. Outcomes will provide immediate benefits to undergraduate STEM students and online instructors at the University. The 12-month period of performance is from June 15, 2023 through May 31, 2024.