Strategies for Virtual Live Class Discussions

Amanda Adams

Personalized Learning Specialist

aadams@kpbsd.org

Norms...

• Mute when not speaking
• Engage in the meeting
• Be responsive to prompts
• Have an open mind

What we DO want!

COGNITIVE ENGAGEMENT!

COLLABORATION!

FUN

What we don’t want...

FUSTRATION…

DISENGAGEMENT…

TALKING OVER

Setting the Stage

Start with the norms… ALWAYS...

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Have Norms, Use Norms

Keys…

1. Tailor your norms
2. Hold them actively accountable

Commonly Norms…

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Define the expected engagement

Customize for specific expectations…

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Class Culture = If you step away, let us know

Collaborative Task = Contribute to the doc

Offer multiple venues to contribute!

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Layers of Engagement

Keys…

• Value the chat & non-verbals
• Have at least 3 ways to contribute

Create a ratio of contributions…

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Audio : Chat : Task Actions

Strategy…

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Have Roles Assigned or for Student Choice!

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(Chat moderator, Breakout Faciliator, Discussion Leader)

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Strategy…

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Have a shared & collaborative workspace!

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(Shared Slides, Whiteboard, Document)

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Connect the learning by offering source material

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Incorporate Resources!

Keys…

• The live discussion should be necessary to the learning.

Have a launching point for the discussion…

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Video : Novel : Image : Assignment : Current Event

Strategy…

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Have them bring something to contribute to the meeting!

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(driving question, their teddy bear, a link, an image they put in slide deck)

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Strategy…

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Have an order of activities!

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(Soft entry through break out rooms or exploration and comments on a resource)

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We can step back in favor of students leading!

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Offer Leadership!

Keys…

• Start by supporting a few leaders and train them. They can then support others.
• Make it about them!

Rotate the roles through the students according to their personalities…

Role Examples…

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Breakout Room Leaders

Resource Selectors

Discussion Leader

Timekeeper

Chat Moderator

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Strategy…

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Peer to Peer Questions & Comments

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Self-select Breakout Rooms & Topics

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Students Generate driving questions

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Be transparent about why you are meeting!

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Have Purpose & Accountability!

Keys…

• The live discussion should clearly be the best way to accomplish the goal.

Establish what they are accountable for =

At the end of our discussion today, you must...

Examples…

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Student identifies Next Steps in learning or project

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Student submits follow-up assignment based from discussion

Use Discussions for...

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Launching new topics

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Exploring Content

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Identifying topics of interest to pursue (with others! Team!)

Other Suggestions!

Limit meetings to 30 minutes!

Break up the time into 3 Parts!

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1. Soft Entry activity and Welcome!

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2 & 3. Whole Group & Small Group at 10-15 minutes each

Questions...

Strategies for Virtual Live Class Discussions

Amanda Adams

Personalized Learning Specialist

aadams@kpbsd.org

Thank you for attending!