This Week We Are Thinking About Reenergizing The Classroom

This Week We Are Thinking About Re Energizing The Classroom This

This week, we are thinking about "re-energizing the classroom". This comes at a time when we are faced with new challenges: people are staying in their homes; many are not working, or are working from home; clinical practice is changing, due to social distancing; students are not on campus. How is this affecting higher education? Across the country, colleges and universities are sending students home and converting to distance or remote education. For some, this may consist of one or two discussion questions per week, with a few comments from the instructor.

For others, it may entail the use of videos, presentations, group projects, and other interactive assignments. There are many possibilities. My challenge to you is to develop a number of methods and strategies to avoid the "lecture/discussion" or "discussion only" trap of online education. How can you connect with each student in a more personal way? How can students connect with each other, aside from "I totally agree with everything you said in your discussion post! Great job!!?"

What kinds of activities can you develop that get students out of simply reading a textbook and responding to questions or quizzes? For this discussion, please reflect on the above questions. Then, share your ideas, ones that you actually plan to use, for enriching and re-energizing your online classroom. Use the discussion post as a place to think creatively; you can ask your peers for assistance in problem-solving elements of a particular strategy you'd like to use; or ask for critiques of your ideas. As you respond to peers, please avoid the "greatest post ever" response, and think critically.

Are the methods your classmate is discussing ones that you might want to use? Why, or why not? Do you have ways to improve or expand on a method someone else is suggesting? Let's really try to have a discussion here--talk to each other and share ideas. For this to work well, we will all need to have posts by Wednesday, giving everyone time to read, think, and respond by Saturday night.

Paper For Above instruction

The ongoing shift to online education, catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic, demands innovative strategies to foster engagement, connection, and active learning beyond traditional lecture and discussion formats. Re-energizing the virtual classroom requires a deliberate effort to incorporate diverse, interactive, and personalized activities that motivate students and promote meaningful interactions.

One effective approach is the integration of multimedia tools, such as videos, podcasts, and interactive simulations, to cater to various learning styles and break the monotony of textual learning. For instance, incorporating short, topic-specific videos can pique students’ interest and provide visual and auditory stimuli that enhance understanding. Furthermore, group projects facilitated through online collaboration platforms like Google Workspace or Microsoft Teams encourage peer-to-peer interaction, building a sense of community despite physical separation.

To foster personal connections, instructors can implement regular virtual office hours, personalized feedback, and one-on-one check-ins that demonstrate genuine interest in students' progress. These methods humanize the online experience, making students feel valued and supported. Incorporating reflective journals or learning logs can also promote self-awareness and allow students to express their insights and challenges privately, which can then inform individualized support strategies.

Active learning can be further promoted through gamification, such as incorporating quizzes with leaderboards, badge systems, or scenario-based role-plays relevant to course content. These activities increase motivation and make learning more engaging. For example, scenario-based simulations relevant to clinical practice or case studies in social sciences help students apply theoretical knowledge in practical contexts, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Discussion forums should be designed thoughtfully to encourage deeper engagement. Instead of simple agreement posts, prompts can require students to analyze differing perspectives, evaluate evidence, or reflect on personal experiences related to the topic. Peer review activities, where students evaluate each other’s work, can also enhance critical thinking and collaborative learning.

Technological tools such as polling apps (Kahoot, Mentimeter), collaborative whiteboards (Jamboard, Miro), and virtual visual boards can facilitate real-time interaction, making sessions lively and participatory. These tools help replicate aspects of in-person discussions and can be used for brainstorming, mind-mapping, or quick assessments.

Finally, creating a community of learners online involves establishing clear expectations, fostering an inclusive environment, and encouraging peer support through informal virtual social gatherings or study groups. When students feel part of a supportive community, their motivation and engagement tend to increase.

In summary, re-energizing the online classroom involves blending diverse instructional strategies that go beyond traditional lecture formats. Incorporating multimedia, fostering personal connections, promoting active learning through gamification and real-world scenarios, and utilizing interactive technologies can significantly enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. Thoughtful design of activities and fostering a sense of community are key to making the virtual learning experience more dynamic, interactive, and impactful.

References

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