Polling

Various question types (multiple choice, multiple answer, true/false, fill-in-the-blank. Can take the form of a game. Examples include: “Temperature checks” to see if students did the reading prior to class, or if they’re following along during class, or to see what their confidence levels are at the end of class.

• Watch: Basics on PollEverywhere
• Watch: Introducing SMART Learning Suite online
• Watch: Kahoot! Walkthrough for Teachers
• Watch: Microsoft Forms

• SMART Suite: Requires license (email Natalie); records student responses; instructor can create polls in advance
• Poll Everywhere: Free account limited to 40 participants and allows instructors to download participant responses; instructor can create polls in advance
• Blackboard Collaborate: Records student responses; instructor must create questions in real time
• Blackboard Collaborate: Students respond to a question in the chat; instructor can review the chat after class or take a picture of the chat window to capture participation
• Kahoot!: Free account limited to 20 participants and responses can be downloaded
• Microsoft or Google Forms: Set questions up ahead of time; responses recorded in a spreadsheet.

x

x

x

Minute paper/Application Cards

Minute Paper: Students have 1-2 minutes to write a summary of or reflection on the day’s activities [traditionally on an index card]. Variations include asking students to submit a response to the assigned readings to a discussion forum prior to the start of class and prompting students for a one-sentence summary of the assigned reading or class session.

Application Cards: Have students explain how what they have just learned applies to their future professions.

• Watch: OneNote basics
• Read: OneNote
• Watch: Sharing documents in Microsoft 365

• Blackboard Discussion Board, Assignment, or Journal
• SMART Suite: Shout it Out!, short answer polling question, individual worksheet
• PollEverywhere: Open-Ended question, Short Answer
• Chat
• Shared Office 365 document (you may want to create a table with student names)
• Class Notebook (OneNote)

x

x

Brainstorming

Students collaborate to make connections to a theme or project development. Use at the beginning of class to get a picture of student understanding of assigned readings and videos.

• Watch: Alternatives to Collaborate’s whiteboard
• Watch: Introduction to Padlet
• Miro Tutorials

• SMART Suite: Shout it Out!, Short Answer
• Padlet
• Poll Everywhere: Word Cloud
• Miro (Formerly AWW) 
• Chat

x

x

x

Mindmapping

Working together, students create a visual representation of content. A related assignment is team creation of a timeline.

• Watch: Coggle introduction
• Watch: Mind42 Tutorial
• Watch: MindMup Tutorial

Dozens, if not hundreds of tools exist for mindmapping. Here are the ones we suggest:

• Coggle
• Mind42
• MindMup
• Miro  (Formerly AWW)

x

Peer Instruction/Traveling Heads

Students privately respond to a multiple-choice question via polling tool. Partners discuss their answers and defend them. Students answer the question a second time (results visible to the class). The instructor decides whether to review question further based on the percentage of correct answers.

• Watch: Eric Mazur - Peer Instruction
• Read: How to Make Breakout Rooms Work Better
• Read and Watch: Breakout Groups in Blackboard

• Breakout rooms (Collaborate, Teams)
• Texting

x

Random Name Picker

Keep students focused by randomly calling a name and asking them to respond to a question or be the spokesperson following a breakout group.

Do a search for “random name picker” to find hundreds of options

• Wheel of Names
• Random Lists

x

x

x

Reflection

Get students to share what they have learned, what questions they have, or what connections they have made across disciplines, with other courses, or with material from early portions of the class. 

• Shared Office 365 Documents
• Blackboard Assignment, Discussion Forum, Assignment, Blog, or Wiki
• SMART Suite: Collaborative worksheet

x

x

Using Objects or Images as Discussion Starters

Submitted by Rene O. Guillaume and Elizabeth C. Apodaca (58-59)

Students bring an object or image to class in response to a discussion question or topic.

Both in-person and virtual students can share their object via webcam or can provide a digital image.

Students post an image and written response to the discussion forum (traditional) or discuss via video on Flipgrid or similar.

Use as an icebreaker or as a “place-based learning where students go into the community to find information—grocery stores, parks, hospitals, etc.—to bring back via an image” (58). Use as a small-group activity synchronously or asynchronously.

Traveling Heads

Submitted by Enoch Hale and David Adams (60-61)

This activity follows an eight-step process that begins with students responding independently to a prompt and then meeting in groups of four to reach a consensus about the answer. Each group has a Recorder/note taker, who summarizes the ideas and consensus. The Presenter shares the consensus finding with the class. 

Students meet with team members in the classroom and/or in breakout rooms. Students can collaborate using a shared document, as well.  

Team members are given cascading deadlines for submitting their responses and responding to teammates. Each group can be assigned its own thread or assigned to a “group” in Blackboard. Each group’s findings are shared in a common discussion forum, preferably with both written and video explanation.

Prepare students for asynchronous version of the activity by engaging them in conversation about what the term “discussion” means. Reframing their expectations prior to beginning is helpful. Consider a follow-up activity: Ask students “How has this activity helped deepen your understanding of the topic?” (61).

Eight-Step Process:

1. Instructor provides prompt.
2. Students develop a response individually.
3. Instructor forms groups.
4. Instructor/team members assign the Recorder and Presenter roles.
5. Students share responses one at a time.
6. Group comes to consensus.
7. Recorders prepare summary of discussion and findings.
8. Presenters share team consensus with the whole class.

Structured Debates

Submitted by Jessica A. Kurr and Paul E. Mabrey III (62-63)

Individual students or pairs “advocat[e] for or against a proposition of policy, fact, or value” (62).

Technical considerations, such as low bandwidth, will affect students’ ability to participate live. In such situations, consider alternatives such as having students record their debate prior to class and using class time to ask follow-up questions and/or to provide feedback.

Students can meet synchronously to record their debate using Blackboard Collaborate, Teams, or YuJa. Others can respond to the debate via a discussion forum, Flipgrid comments, or the commenting feature in YuJa.

“If your emphasis is research and critical thinking, design…debates where quality of evidence and critical examination weighs heavily in graded feedback” (63).

Decrease student anxiety and increase buy-in by explaining the purpose of the debates. Link this explanation to course learning goals or objectives.

If students are new to debating, chunk the assignment into small, manageable pieces, such as “…annotated research bibliographies, group/class argument brainstorming, opposing team speech outlines, debates proper, and reflection” (63). 

Small Group Learning

Submitted by Kathleen Weiss and Brian Pinney (64-65)

Students meet in small groups during or outside of scheduled class meetings to collaborate on an activity that results in the creation of a deliverable of some kind.

Both in-person and virtual students can meet in virtual meeting spaces. Prior to meeting, students can complete an individual Readiness Assurance Test (iRAT),  which can shorten the time required for the group members to meet.

Groups share their findings on a discussion forum. Students respond to others’ results. The instructor monitors discussions to look for evidence for assessment and to provide feedback.

Provide examples of high- and low-quality feedback, including how to ask probing questions. Share the activity rubric or a checklist with students and demonstrate how to root feedback in the information provided. 

Situated-Learning of Content-Area Reading and Writing Strategies

Submitted by Rachelle S. Savitz (66-67)

This specific example describes how pre-service teachers practice using a technique that teaches students how to analyze a text. However, the framework can be applied to demonstration of intangible skills in many disciplines. In a “Think Aloud,” the teacher explains what she is thinking as she reads a text. In psychology, one can apply the same concept by explaining to students how the client’s body language is affecting the counselor’s line of questioning.

The instructor models how to use the RAFT writing strategy during a Think Aloud. Afterward, students bring in a text from their field experience and work in small groups to implement a different reading strategy for their selected texts.

Students watch the demonstration live during the synchronous session. Groups meet using a virtual space. A group representative shares pros and cons of the strategy with the class.

Students watch the demonstration via recording (each step explained on its own slide in VoiceThread or via another tool). Students respond to the recording by posting questions and/or examples. They meet with group members to develop their own examples and choose the format fpr presenting the strategy to others in the course.

Students appreciate being able to practice a skill they can take directly to the workplace.

Role Play

Submitted by Robert Cliver and Enoch Hale (68-69)

This real-time activity follows a 5-step process:

1. Instructor introduces topic.
2. Students review activity, rules, roles, and guiding questions.
3. Students choose a role.
4. Students meet in groups outside of class to prepare responses to instructor-created questions and rehearse.
5. Role play is followed by whole class discussion.

If technological issues are not a barrier, conduct the role play  as you would in a face-to-face course.

Otherwise, modify the role play for a smaller group. Students attending in-person form one group; virtual students are divided into small groups, as well.

Students participate in the role play using a tool such as Flipgrid or VoiceThread. Students have a deadline for contributing their responses, a deadline for making and responding to comments, and a deadline for participating in a whole class discussion.

Give students playing the same role time to meet before the role play takes place. After the assignment is complete, ask students to submit a reflection of the activity and its purpose in relation to learning objectives.

You can modify this assignment to function as a “debate with role play” (86).

Reacting to the Past Mini Role Play Games

Submitted by Sandra Sousa and Ann Neville Miller (70-71)

Students take on the role of an assigned person in a historic incident. They research the role they play and participate in classroom activities as that person. Reacting to the Past (RTTP) games typically span five weeks but can be conducted over one to two sessions.

Students with similar roles or assigned perspectives meet in breakout rooms to plan responses to the role play. During the synchronous role play, one student has a decision-making role.

Students present their responses via video and reply to one another in character. If using the asynchronous option, do not pair it with a synchronous role play.

Provide a rubric that explains the number of sources that should be referenced in writing their speech/part. Include the number of times the character should reply to others, as well as expectations related to dressing in character.

Peer Instruction

Submitted by Cazembe Kennedy (72)

Students privately respond to a multiple-choice question via polling tool. Partners discuss their answers and defend them. Students answer the question a second time (results visible to the class). The instructor explains the answer and moves on.

Replicate the activity by pairing students up in breakout rooms.

Replicate the activity by creating a quiz question in Blackboard that students answer individually. Peers would have to meet afterward and within a specific timeframe. The instructor explanation would be made available using adaptive release at a specific time or after completion of the above activities.

Assign partners based on their availability during the week. You can collect this information via a poll or sign-up sheet.

Kahoot! Games

Submitted by Jennifer Morin, Sara Willox, and Sandra Avila (73)

Create multiple choice questions for students to answer on a personal device at the start of class. Students receive immediate feedback when they answer questions, and the tool shows a leaderboard at the end of each game.

To play synchronously, share the game screen with virtual and in-person learners. Virtual learners will need two screens (one to see the game; one to submit answers) or will have to flip back and forth between pages or browsers on a single device.

Use Kahoot! games to reinforce knowledge or provide review opportunities. Games can bet set up as individual challenges with a deadline.

Many students will enjoy the competitive nature of the game; some students may find the competitive element stressful. Alternative tools include SMART Suite’s premium tools (email Help Desk for a license), Poll Everywhere, and Jeopardy

Know-Want-Learn (KWL) Charts

Submitted by Cazembe Kennedy (75)

Students complete a three-column chart in two phases. At the start of a class or unit, students list what the already know (K) and what they want (W) to know in the chart. The chart can be completed individually, in groups, or as a whole class. At the end of the lesson or unit, students list what they have learned. An alternative version, K-L-E-W, has four columns: what I know (K), what I learned (L) and supported by evidence (E), and what else I want (W) to learn.

Encourage peer-to-peer learning by having students answer one another’s questions.

Have students convert the KWL chart into a concept map, FAQ, or use it is a mini wiki.

Students add to a shared document that contains the K-W-L table. Students can also meet in breakout rooms to discuss the information in the table.

Students interact via contributions to a shared document. Specify how many contributions each student should make and by what deadline.

Use the KWL chart as scaffolding for a larger assignment. For example, in a subsequent assignment students can draw on the information in the KWL chart to develop a presentation, written response, role play part, or solution to a case study.

Jigsaw

Submitted by Carla C. Hozebin (76-77)

The instructor divides students into groups. Each group answers a specific question or explores an assigned topic. Each group is assigned a letter (A, B, C, etc.). Once groups have come to a common understanding of their answer or topic, they form new groups that contain one “expert” from each of the original groups (e.g., each group consists of an ABC).

Groups A, B, C, etc., meet outside of class to discuss content. During class, the heterogeneous groups (ABC) meet in breakout rooms or in person to share information.

Create groups A, B, and C using the Groups tool in Blackboard. Group members can meet virtually or collaborate in the group discussion forum.

Create a second set of groups (ABC1, ABC2, ABC3) for students to share information with one another.

Frame the conversations by providing an overarching question that students must respond to after participating in the jigsaw. Grade student responses to the question  individually.

Gallery Walk

Submitted by Susan Wegmann (78-79)

*Note: In K-12 education, this activity may be referred to as “Four Corners” and a Gallery Walk described differently.

Divide students into groups of no more than six. Assign each group to a question or topic, written on a large sheet of poster paper stuck to the classroom wall. The groups rotate through the room, visiting each station to add new information or make corrections. When groups reach the final poster, they summarize its contents and present to the whole class.

Instructor creates 4-5 questions and shares them with students. Students have 8-10 minutes to write down individual responses to the questions. Students divide into smaller groups and discuss their answers with one another. One person in each group records responses in a shared document. The instructor brings the groups back to together and leads a whole class discussion about the questions.

Students answer 4-5 questions as they consume the week’s content (video lectures, readings, etc.). Students contribute responses in a shared PowerPoint or Word file (one slide/page per question) by deadline A. By deadline B, students review all contributions. Students participate in an asynchronous conversation about the questions with assigned peers.

Provide students with frequent reminders about deadlines when doing this assignment asynchronously.

Escape Room

Submitted by Kersten T. Schroeder (82-83)

Create a series of problems that students must solve to “escape” class. Use physical objects and/or images in the classroom environment.

Use online survey tools to create the escape room puzzles. Show students how to navigate through the digital escape room and explain any guidelines. For example, students will need to know if answers are case sensitive. Divide students into groups and send them to breakout rooms to solve the puzzles.

Student groups can meet synchronously to work on the puzzles.

“Design an extra credit assignment for students to create a couple of puzzles, riddles, or problems for a Virtual Escape Room” (83). You can use these in the future.

Make use of tools available in the LMS if you do not want to use an online survey tool.

End of Semester Reflection

Submitted by Elise Verdooner and Matthea Maquart (84-85)

At the end of the semester, students write a letter to themselves based on prompts provided by the instructor. Students self-address an envelope, and the instructor mails the reflections to students after a predetermined amount of time.

Students submit their letters electronically to the instructor. The instructor emails the letters to students after a predetermined amount of time.

Same

Ask students to write a letter to themselves at the beginning of the semester. Share that letter with students before they begin writing the end-of-semester letter.

Application Cards

Submitted by Megan Pietruszewski

(89-90)

At the end of a lesson or unit, students submit “at least one possible, real-world application for what they have just learned” (90). Students can share ideas during a class discussion or on a discussion forum.

Students submit ideas to a discussion forum.

Students submit ideas as comments on a video lecture, or they can submit them to a discussion forum.

Consider doing this activity multiple times throughout the semester. Gen Z students have a strong preference for relevant, career-related educational experiences.

Spotlight Peer Review

Submitted by Julia Mason (92-93)

Select a portion of student essays for peer review (from ¼ to ½). Students prepare feedback to assigned essays and then compare their feedback to the instructor’s (presented during class).

Assign a set of essays or projects to groups of students. Students review the projects using agreed-upon guidelines and submit review notes to the instructor prior to the next synchronous session. In the synchronous session, students explain their feedback with additional input from the instructor. Discussion includes explaining how to respond to peer comments.

Students review assigned essays or projects and share responses in a discussion forum or via comments on a shared copy of the assignment. The instructor reviews the comments from each group and then discusses common findings in a screencast. Instructor feedback may also include commentary on how to improve peer feedback.

After the peer review is complete, ask reviewers and authors to reflect on what they have learned during the process and how they will apply the feedback to future assignments.