ON DEMAND: Maximizing Engagement in Live Virtual Activities

Abstract

Have you ever assigned a task or activity for your learners to complete individually or in a virtual breakout room? Maybe you assigned a series of discussion questions that were supposed to lead to a deliverable or a task that required using a virtual collaboration space and everyone ended up confused. As an instructor or trainer, you cannot be everywhere at once—particularly in virtual environments. So, how do you maximize activity engagement and avoid confusion during live virtual classes and trainings when you cannot be in every breakout room at the same time or reasonably field questions from numerous individuals or groups? A simple solution can be ensuring effective modeling of the activity before you start. Sometimes clear instructions are simply not enough. Effective modeling ensures that the assigned live virtual activity runs smoothly and does not leave you scrambling or your learners confused. In this video, participants will be shown various ways to virtually model an activity prior to starting it. Strategies will also be shared on how to check for understanding of live virtual activities before they begin, and how to evaluate their success upon completion. Lastly, participants will be encouraged to apply what they have learned to their role as an instructor, trainer, or anyone leading a virtual meeting.