As college students, we are constantly told to be engaged in our studies and find ways to stay active on campus. But what happens when the weather doesn’t permit us to go outside or the workload is too much? Luckily, there are plenty of virtual activities out there that can keep us entertained and engaged. Here are some great ideas for staying connected and active while studying from home, from online learning communities to social media groups.
Strategies to improve participation in your virtual classroom
When it comes to online learning, student engagement is essential to success. If your students are not engaged, they are less likely to retain information and may become quickly discouraged.
There are a number of strategies you can use to improve participation in your virtual classroom:
- Make sure your content is engaging.
Your students will quickly tune out if your content is boring or difficult to follow. Therefore, try to make your lessons as interactive and visually appealing as possible. Use videos, infographics, and other multimedia elements to break up the text and keep your students engaged.
- Encourage interaction.
In a virtual classroom, students can easily feel isolated and disconnected from their classmates. Make an effort to encourage interaction by incorporating group work, discussions, and other collaborative activities into your lessons.
- Keep it personal.
In a virtual setting, it can be easy to feel like a faceless name on a screen. Instead, make an effort to connect with your students on a personal level. Get to know them and their interests, and find ways to incorporate those things into your lessons.
- Make use of technology.
There are a number of tools and technologies available that can make your virtual classroom more interactive and engaging. For example, utilize video conferencing, chat features, and other tools to help facilitate communication and collaboration among your students.
- Be flexible.
One of the benefits of a virtual classroom is that it can be more flexible than a traditional brick-and-mortar classroom. If your students struggle to engage in a particular way, be willing to adjust and try something new.
Using these strategies, you can create a more engaging and effective virtual classroom environment for your students.
Student engagement activities for online learning
- Online scavenger hunt: This can be done as a group or individually. Give students a list of items to find online, such as websites, pictures, articles, etc. The first person to find all the items wins.
- Create a social media profile for a historical figure: Have students create a social media profile for a historical figure. They can choose anyone from any period. Students should include posts, photos, and anything else on a real social media profile.
- Make a movie trailer for a book: Assign each student or group of students a book to read. Once they have finished reading it, they should make a movie trailer for the book using only clips from movies that have already been made.
- Have a virtual dance party: Invite students to join you for a virtual dance party! Play some music and get everyone moving. This is a great way to get some exercise and have some fun.
- Learn a new skill: Challenge students to learn a new skill during their time at home. This could be anything from cooking to playing an instrument to coding. There are endless possibilities!
- Build a fort: Get creative and build the best fort using materials around your house. Take pictures or even make a video tour of your finished product.
- Create an art gallery: Hang up some artwork around your house and invite others to “visit” your gallery. This is a great way to show off your talents and get feedback from your peers.
- Have a virtual game night: Get together with friends online and play some of your favorite games. There are many options, from classic board games to online multiplayer games.
- Do a puzzle: Puzzles are a great way to pass the time and can be quite challenging. See how quickly you can complete one or try to beat your previous record.
- Make a music video: One person sings or lips syncs while the rest of the group makes a music video for the song. This is a great way to be creative and have fun with your friends.