As we navigate the realm of online teaching, one challenge we often face is fostering connections and engagement with our students in the virtual classroom.
Building a sense of community and rapport is crucial, and what better way to break the ice than with some exciting online icebreaker games?
Let’s explore a few fun activities that can help you create a lively and interactive learning environment!
1️⃣ Emoji Introductions: Start the session off with a burst of emotions! Ask your students to introduce themselves using only emojis. Students can choose a few emojis representing their personalities, interests, or moods. Then, have them share their selection and explain why those emojis were chosen. This activity encourages creativity and self-expression and helps students get to know each other.
2️⃣ Two Truths and a Lie: This classic icebreaker works wonders in the online classroom, too! Ask each student to come up with two factual statements and one false statement about themselves. Then, have them share their statements while the rest of the class guesses which lie is the best. It’s a fantastic way to learn interesting facts about your students and encourages active listening and critical thinking. We hear this from customers seeking training course material to present Change Management Courses.
3️⃣ Virtual Scavenger Hunt: Get your students up and moving around, even in the virtual world! Create a list of items or tasks for them to find or complete within a specified time frame. For example, they might be challenged to find something green, take a selfie with their favorite book, or show an object representing their favorite hobby. This game promotes engagement, encourages exploration, and sparks conversations among students.
4️⃣ “Would You Rather?” Polls: Create a series of “Would You Rather?” questions and turn them into live polls using polling platforms like Mentimeter or Kahoot. Pose fun and thought-provoking dilemmas, such as “Would you rather have the ability to fly or become invisible?” or “Would you rather live in a world with no technology or a world with no art?” Students can cast their votes and explain their choices in the chat or through short discussions. It’s a fantastic way to get students talking and sharing their perspectives.
5️⃣ Collaborative Storytelling: Foster creativity and teamwork with a collaborative storytelling activity. Begin a story with a few sentences, and then have each student add a sentence or two to continue the narrative. Alternatively, you can assign different students to write the next part of the story during each session. This game encourages active participation and imagination and enhances students’ writing skills.
Conclusion:
Remember, the key to successful online icebreakers is to create a safe and inclusive environment where students feel comfortable participating.
Establish clear guidelines for respectful communication, encourage active listening, use time management icebreakers, and provide positive feedback.
These icebreaker games are the starting point for building a robust online community.
With time and consistent effort, your virtual classroom will blossom into a vibrant hub of engagement and collaboration.
So, let the virtual icebreaking adventures begin! Have fun, get to know your students, and make online teaching an enjoyable experience for everyone involved!
With 30+ years of training experience, I founded Oak Innovation (oakinnovation.com) in 1995. I help busy training professionals and business managers deliver better training courses in less time by giving them instant access to editable training course material. I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from University College Cork. I hold qualifications in Professional Development And Training from University College Galway. Clients include Apple, Time Warner, and Harvard University.
