As more classes are being taught online, the need has arisen for exercises to involve the class in discussion. An engaging virtual training session begins from the moment participants join in. Set the stage for interactivity right from the start. In typical face-to-face classes, trainers often spend the first minutes asking participants to share something about themselves. This practice is just as important as reviewing the course agenda and should be maintained in the online setting as well. Here are a few ideas to make an engaging introduction for your next virtual class as well as a few ideas for fun activities. The activities listed here will require the use of standard tools found in any platform (poll, annotation, raise hand, screen sharing, test, documents sharing, use of audio) Creatively mixing how and when to use each of these tools and weaving it into the fabric of your training program is limitless.
Type of Material:
Collection
Recommended Uses:
This may be used in class,
Could be assigned for homework,
Could use in individual group assignments
Technical Requirements:
Browser used for this review: Mozilla Firefox 108.0.1, Chrome 103 on Windows 10
Identify Major Learning Goals:
Learn about engaging activities for virtual sessions.
Use of standard tools found in any platform (poll, annotation, raise hand, screen sharing, test, documents sharing, use of audio)
Creatively mix how and when to use each of these tools
Weave the tools into a training program
Engage the next virtual class and face-to-face training
Target Student Population:
Any undergraduate course
Any graduate course
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Users need to know how to access a website, use a keyboard, and scroll through the website.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
Appropriate links are included so that reviewers can view supporting documentation.
The author(s) explain very well how each aspect of the collection is used to strengthen the overall content and as a result student learning can be impacted.
The collection is well organized and includes clear and concise information that is very detailed and relevant to the content covered.
A summary of the content is provided as well as anticipated learning outcomes.
There is a free review game available for download.
These activities can also be accomplished in face-to-face training situations.
Concerns:
There is a significant amount of advertising on the site that can be distracting.
Full training packages are offered on-site, and there is a customer service training program and other packaged programs offered for sale embedded in the text. These are also distracting.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
Identifies learning objectives.
Builds on prior concepts.
Demonstrates relationships between concepts.
This content would be easy to integrate into the curriculum as a supplement
This would be an effective resource for departments and organizations looking to add a new virtual and live training delivery.
This content would be very easy for faculty and curriculum developers to follow in course development.
A wide variety of activities are offered that can be used as icebreakers or for team building.
This can add entertainment to the online training environment.
Concerns:
Because the purpose of these is to increase engagement and promote active participation prior to training or as an addition to training, the material does not add much to the training situation. Instead, it’s focused on entertainment.
This could not be stand alone curriculum. It would need to be supplementary curriculum that augments existing textbook for undergraduate coursework or department/workplace training.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The collection is easy to view, search, and understand.
The collection is visually appealing, clean, and easy to follow.
The collection is easily accessible.
The collection has several options for tools (poll, annotation, raise hand, screen sharing, test, documents sharing, use of audio).
The content from the collection may be used on multiple mobile devices
The instructions are easy to follow for each activity.
There are a variety of activities to encourage participation, and some such as screenshots or pictures to encourage personalization.
There is a tab at the top that provides other free training resources.
Concerns:
The site is intended to provide ideas, so reading is the only thing involved and there is no usability issue, other than reading the instructions from the website.
Again, extensive advertising can be distracting.
There is at least one misspelled word on the site.
Creative Commons:
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