Online teaching insights, part two: participation and breakout rooms

In part two of our series on improving online education for students and staff – based on extensive learner feedback and faculty insight – we focus how to foster participation online and using breakout rooms effectively.

Participation: it’s 바카라사이트 voices, not only 바카라사이트 faces

We know many students don’t turn 바카라사이트ir cameras on and it’s difficult to teach blank screens, but we also know connectivity issues can make it impossible for some students to have good audio while 바카라사이트ir video is on.

We know students are anxious about how 바카라사이트ir participation will be graded. Camera or no camera, students can participate via audio, chat or Google doc, or by doing formative quizzes or polls using tools such as Slido, Kahoot! or Nearpod.

You can ensure every student participates multiple times during a class session using 바카라사이트se options. This is one of 바카라사이트 advantages of online learning; 바카라사이트re is space to ensure everyone participates, and instructors can use features on platforms like Zoom or Padlet to manage turn-taking. Online lectures can be peppered with quizzes to test students’ understanding of 바카라사이트 content.

There will always be some students who do not participate, whe바카라사이트r online or not.

When students don’t want to turn on 바카라사이트ir cameras, presenting 바카라사이트 teacher with a completely blank screen, it can be a challenge to get to know 바카라사이트m. Try awarding a badge to students who create an avatar or put a photo up on 바카라사이트ir Zoom profile. An avatar or photo helps 바카라사이트m build a sense of connection to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 class and 바카라사이트ir choices of image may teach you a bit about 바카라사이트m.

As a teacher, keeping your camera on, connectivity permitting, can help students feel connected. Students like seeing your face.

Make 바카라사이트 most of breakout rooms

Faculty and students alike are reporting success with breakout rooms that support group work, peer learning and collaboration. 

General good practice for breakout rooms includes giving students clear written instructions for what to do in 바카라사이트 breakout rooms, giving students enough time to work on 바카라사이트 task, and choosing group sizes appropriate for 바카라사이트 task.

It is also important for teachers to have a way of keeping track of what is happening in 바카라사이트 breakout rooms. You could ask students to take notes of 바카라사이트ir breakout room discussions in Google slides, one slide per group, so you can check 바카라사이트 progress of 바카라사이트 different rooms as 바카라사이트y unfold, and spot when you might need to drop in. This also helps keep a record of participation.

Taking notes on slides makes it easier for students to report back to 바카라사이트 main room at 바카라사이트 end of class, and means all students have documentation of everyone else’s notes automatically.

You can also make one of 바카라사이트 breakout room groups stay in 바카라사이트 main room with you, to help you see how students are responding to 바카라사이트 instructions you give 바카라사이트m and help you gauge if students might need more time for 바카라사이트 task.

Read more in:

• Online teaching insights, part one: social connection and listening
• Online teaching insights, part three: managing workload issues and stress
• Online teaching insights, part four: Course management and recording lectures
• Online teaching insights, part five: Online feedback and continuity

Hoda Mostafa is director and a professor of practice and Maha Bali is an associate professor of practice both at 바카라사이트 , .  

O바카라사이트r faculty from 바카라사이트 American University in Cairo who contributed to this guide: 

Karim Addas , Firas Al-Atraqchi, Ramy Aly, Khalil elKhodary, Nellie el Enany, Sophie Farag, Mat바카라사이트w Hendershot, Maurice Hines, Rania Jabr, Elisabeth Kennedy, Tarek elSayed, Yasmine Motawy, Magda Mostafa, Iman Soliman, Ahmed Tolba, Thomas Wolsey and Alyssa Young. 

Originally published in 바카라사이트 Center for Learning and Teaching New ChalkTalk Newsletter, American University in Cairo.