This pilot study evaluates two experiential learning workshops for training 32 Chinese ESL teachers to apply the evidence-based online engagement framework (EBOEF) in material design. During the two-hour workshops, participants engaged in group tasks to experience and explain the EBOEF, followed by crafting task scenarios incorporating its components: physical, technological, social, psychological, and pedagogical. Results show all eight participant groups adequately explained the EBOEF and designed tasks; however, some EBEOF components were harder to integrate in the material design. The pedagogical component surfaced as the easiest to grasp, whereas the social component, concerned with nurturing a learner community, proved to be notably challenging. While developing a robust learner community significantly enriches collaborative learning, its establishment requires more time and effort. Although the physical component holds a central position within the framework, it falls somewhere in the middle of the difficulty scale. Finally, defining the technological component proves easier than integrating it into the task, while the psychological component is the reverse. The study recommends longer training periods and practical application of the framework in real classroom settings.