Technology has rapidly developed during the last decade. Getting virtually connected with the rest of the world has made our lives simpler than ever. Now, everything can be achieved in the comfort of your room with a decent internet connection. And, it’s no surprise that education has also stepped into the world of remaining connected 24/7 virtually. Virtual classroom icebreakers helps students remain actively engaged in the virtual classroom, which leads to more incredible academic achievement. However, students getting their syllabus completed in time doesn’t help them effectively achieve their academic success. That’s where virtual classroom icebreakers come into play. Virtual classrooms icebreakers are nothing but the exercise of assisting students in forming a group or team and interacting with each other to help each group member achieve success.
Significance of Virtual Classroom Icebreakers
Small classes facilitate students’ access to more classes, teachers, flexibility, and accommodate specific needs. Still, they lack the development of social skills that help them interact with each other and help each other accomplish academic success.
Online learning sessions are isolating. Teachers and educational organizations need to consider methods to encourage and engage their students in the virtual classroom, just like the physical classroom.
For example, if any student is shy speaking up in front of the entire class, they catch the back row and wait for the course to end. Similarly, if a student turns off the web camera in the virtual classroom, they also slide even further back than in the physical classroom. This can result in poorer academic performance.
The success of a virtual classroom depends upon the functional relationship between the students and the lesson materials. Using Virtual classroom icebreakers can help students know each other, build friendships, and learn better as a group.
Social Presence and Engagement
Virtual classroom icebreakers can endorse social presence, which helps students feel connected to their fellow students, and their teachers. Icebreaker surroundings help students stay motivated to learn and succeed when they feel connected to their online course community.
Emotional and cognitive engagement in a virtual classroom can help achieve social presence in a course. It plays a significant role in facilitating interactions between the students and encourages meaningful engagement with course content.
Right Time to Use an Icebreaker During a Virtual Class
We can use a virtual class icebreaker during:
- First day of school
- After holidays
- Start of the week
- End of the week
Keep in mind that the main motive of using virtual classroom icebreakers for students is to get them comfortable with each other and the material.
Icebreaker Ideas – How to Keep Students Socially Connected during the class?
Let’s find out some excellent virtual icebreakers for students. We have covered several options that will resonate with different age groups.
Present and tell
It is one of the best classic icebreakers. The present and tell option allows students to share their personalities with their classmates. Additionally, it facilitates them to speak about something they are both passionate about and comfortable with. Present and tell is an exciting exercise in the virtual classroom webinar as it allows them to share ideas in their mind.
Video show and tell
Students spend a lot of time online finding a video on YouTube that fascinates them, and the video also helps them learn something. Video show and tell is an exercise that allows students to share their favorite YouTube videos in the class. It makes them be in a movie theater and watch something together, bringing them closer.
Dance party
We can start getting up and moving in front of the computer. Playing a music video or sing-along video, tell everybody to stand up and start the party! Dance is an excellent opportunity to let loose and break out. Dance is one of the great virtual classroom icebreakers that allows students to shake their nerves and is an ideal virtual classroom icebreaker for students.
A Place I Would Wish to Go
What could be more exciting than expressing your dreams. Divide the virtual class students into groups and let them discuss where they dream of going. After the team discussion, ask students from each group to share where other students in the group would like to go and why. This could also be one of the exciting Virtual classroom icebreakers.
Group Projects
Send out students to make mini group projects. They can record a video telling stories or work together to explain how to do something in the virtual classroom. When they return, teachers can play the recording for the class.
Guess Who
Teachers can also ask students to send fun facts about themselves, such as their favorite hobbies, where they were born, anything. Teachers can then put these statements on a slide and share them with the whole class and ask students to read the fun facts and guess that student’s name.
Interview of any preferred celebrity
Divide students of the virtual classroom into pairs in their breakout rooms. One student is the interviewer, while the other is their preferred celebrity or any famous historical personality. The interviewer’s task is to ask questions, and the interviewee replies to the questions as if they are a celebrity or their preferred historical character.
Muvi’s Virtual Classroom Platform
Online meeting platforms are not virtual classrooms, and they miss out on many features that should be there in a top-class virtual classroom platform. Muvi’s virtual classroom platform is designed for the online teaching and learning process. Muvi One allows educational institutions to live-stream classes on a virtual education platform. It supports RTMP and HLS feeds and processes RAW feeds from the camera. So, what are you waiting for? Have your own virtual classroom icebreakers session with Muvi. Take a 14-days free trial and experience a hassle-free virtual classroom with tons of features.
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