A Game a Day: Fun and Dynamic Synchronous Online Learning
A Game a Day: Fun and Dynamic Synchronous Online Learning
A Game a Day: Fun and Dynamic Synchronous Online Learning
By Lisa K. Forbes, PhD
August 17, 2020
Summary
I was in the middle of conducting a research study, examining my own teaching of implementing fun and play into learning, when COVID-19 hit, and we were forced to transition from face-to-face courses to fully online classes.
Play to build community and “hook” learners
I think icebreakers are underused in higher education. You don’t start playing a sport without stretching, so why do we expect students to jump straight into learning and without a warm-up? I have found that icebreakers build a sense of community and also prepare students for learning. One example includes using PollEverywhere to ask a prompt where students text in their current mood by only using an emoji. Another idea is to split the class into separate Zoom breakout rooms and instruct each group to design their own secret, virtual group handshake. Or you could have them take a virtual group “selfie” screenshot.
Death to the synchronous lecture
I have found that heavy lecturing does not work in my virtual courses. I believe that online learning should be more of a hybrid approach, where the majority of the content learning takes place asynchronously, so synchronous class time is reserved for discussions, role-playing, and interactive games. I find that it’s important to make students responsible for their learning. So, instead of me lecturing about something, I have students research the topic on their own time and come back to class prepared to discuss and share an interesting and related blog, video, or resource with their group.
Dynamic and unpredictable
In order to keep students’ attention, you have to design classes so they never know what is going to happen next. The ever-changing nature keeps them more engaged because they don’t want to miss what is going to happen. They never know when there’s going to be a game or a shift in visual scenery. Some of my students said if they weren't paying attention, they worried they would let down their peers if they were later expected to engage in a group competition. It might not seem as though you’re able to “move around” a lot while sitting in front of computer screens, but think about it as moving visually instead of physically.
Reference
Forbes, L. K. (2020, August 17). A Game a Day: Fun and Dynamic Synchronous Online Learning: Faculty Focus. Retrieved August 18, 2020, from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/a-game-a-day-fun-and-dynamic-synchronous-online-learning/