Pump Students Up with Digital Icebreakers. “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” by Plato Included in the Digital Ideas Advent Calendar with a new idea each day! Throughout my teaching years, I’ve struggled with getting my students or trainees to readily participate. Learners are shy about exposing themselves to peers, especially if they do not know them well.
Icebreakers can help alleviate our learners’ hesitation, because they relax the atmosphere, allow learners to share without the pressure of being graded, and help our learners get to know each other. In the slide presentation below I share some digital icebreakers I have used with learners of various ages. Icebreakers Here are a few of the ideas I talked about during my presentation: Mobile Show and Tell– Divide students into small groups (3 to 5 students). 10 Techy Icebreakers for The 21st Century Teacher.
Here are some great icebreakers you can work on using technology : 1- Self PortraitHave your students draw themselves.
After they have done this, collect the papers and hang them up for the whole class to see. Now have students try to guess who the artists was for each picture. Here are the web tools to do that : 2- Video/ audio introductions Encourage students to record a short video clip in which they introduce themselves to their peers. The teacher generates a list of words related to a topic to be taught. 5- Prior Knowledge check Giving multiple choice tests or true and false quizzes before introducing a topic or reading engages students, activates a student’s prior knowledge, and will encourage the sharing of information and resources. 6- Personalize it Teacher writes the topic to be taught on the board and then talks about how the topic relates to them by using a personal reference or story.
Icebreakers, Online Learning, Active Learning. If you read the Chronicle Of Higher Education or follow coverage about online learning in popular media, a persistent question emerges: How can teachers build community in online courses?
These publications frequently cite the importance of creating community in online courses. But, as instructors and designers, how do we do that? How do we create a supportive, friendly, intellectually stimulating learning environment among adult learners who may never see each other in person? One way to create this sense of community is through the use of icebreakers. Adult Virtual Icebreakers - Adult Online Teaching Strategies. What is an "Icebreaker?
" "Icebreakers in the classroom help create safe environments where learners and facilitators can begin to navigate new and uncertain waters by getting to know each other. " From: Icebreakers Build E-Learning Communities, Gregory A. Kompe, More Resources As the number of virtual classrooms increases, as does the resources available to the online instructor. Why Use Icebreakers? "...icebreakers reduce both student and instructor anxiety; foster both student-student and faculty-student interactions; create an environment where the learner is expected to participate, the instructor is willing to listen, and where learners are actively engaged from the onset; convey the message that the instructor cares about getting to know the students; and, make it easier for students to form relationships early in the semester so they can work together, both in and out of class. " Technology-Driven Community Building Activities - Home.
21st Century Icebreakers: 13 Ways To Get To Know Your Students with Technology. In honor of the start of a new school year, I am sharing one of my popular posts again with you with a couple of new additions!
On Monday I will begin my new job. As I’ve mentioned before, I will be working as a Technology Resource Specialist as well as teaching a couple of classes. As always, I am nervous and excited for the first day of school, and eager to meet a new group of students. As an educator, I often find myself repeating the same icebreakers each year, trying to quickly get to know my students through “Two Truths and a Lie” or a “Getting To Know You” fact sheet. 8 Online Icebreakers. Download the PDF 1.
Animal Haiku Topic: If you were an animal, which animal would you be? Description: Write a haiku to highlight the traits that you think you have in common with this animal. The word haiku means “light verse” in Japanese, and it does not rhyme. Once the question has been posted, suggest the following animals to initiate the students’ participation. Elephant Lion Rabbit Owl Dog Flamingo House cat Type: Vote or Suggest 2. Topic: If you could travel back in time to one of the following time periods in American history, which would you choose and why? Description: After selecting the time period you would visit, explain your choice in 2 to 4 sentences. Type: Multiple Choice - Post the following choices or make up your own. 1830s: Wild West 1920s: Roaring 20s 1950s: Rock ‘n Roll/Suburbia 1960s: Hippie Generation/Anti-War Movement/Civil Rights Movement 1970s: Disco Fever 1980s: Wild Fashion/Brat Pack 2025: The Future I am happy in 2011 3. 4.