Distance education at scale presents unique opportunities and challenges, especially in public systems designed for broad access. The goal of this study is to explore how students engage with educational technologies and navigate online learning, using data from a Brazilian statewide virtual university. We investigate usage patterns, learning difficulties, and the early adoption of emerging tools (e.g., ChatGPT). Our methodology combines both statistical analysis and topic modeling to uncover behavioral profiles and factors influencing engagement. The results reveal distinct trends across age groups and academic areas, including a counterintuitive finding: younger students, often seen as digital natives, reported more difficulty with focus and engagement than older peers. These patterns suggest the existence of at-risk profiles that can benefit from targeted support strategies. Our findings offer practical implications for improving online learning experiences and inform future research on how digital platforms and AI tools can support inclusive, flexible education in public settings.