Browse the following example activities to learn about strategies that can be used in online synchronous class sessions.

Whole class group activities

Whole class activities can be as simple as having students raise their virtual hand to share their ideas with the class using their microphone and/or camera or share their ideas in the chat. The following activity examples involve the whole class in different ways.

If you’re using a virtual classroom tool that allows students to send private messages to each other. Think Pair Share can easily be replicated in the virtual classroom.

  • Pose a question for students. Give them time to think about and prepare a response. Silent wait time is best. Give the students 30sec-2min. 
  • Have students share their response with a partner. Students should send a private chat to the person below them in the participant list of the synchronous session. If a student is at the bottom of the participant list, they will send their chat to the person at the top of the participant list.  
  • Students will be managing two chat conversations – the person they are sending a chat to and the person that is sending a chat to them. Give students 2-3 minutes to complete their conversations. 

Students write ideas on a shared whiteboard (if your virtual classroom has that feature) or work in a collaborative document that all students have access to.

Students share their screen and deliver a presentation using their microphone and/or camera. Students will need to be given moderator permissions to share their screen.

Polls

Polls provide an opportunity for instructors and students to receive real-time feedback. They also support the introduction, clarification, and reinforcement of concepts introduced in the learning. They can be used to start a discussion, periodically throughout the session, or as a closing poll to set up the next assignment or class session. 

Ask a question and tell your students to type in their answer but wait before hitting send until you tell them to. This allows for students to not see each other’s answers until all are shared. It will show common answers and keep your students from being influenced by other’s perspectives.

Ask students to make a prediction about data, rules, outcomes, or future events.

Ask students to consider implications, connections, and application of concepts to what they have just learned.

Ask questions to gather information about student behaviour, tasks, and experiences that can help you with course planning or identifying needed learning support resources.

Building community at the start of the session

Ice breakers and check in activities can help students get to know each other and build a welcoming classroom climate.

Ask students to share how they’re feeling today, what’s on their mind, what they’re worried about, etc. through the chat or a word cloud through Slido. 

Icebreakers can focus on personal background, academic topics, or fun topics that are light and easy to answer (ie. what is a boring fact about you?)

At the beginning of a session, “hook” students into the content by sharing something that grabs their attention (ie. a staggering statistic, an emotional quote, a unique image, etc.). Facilitate a discussion around the material shared.

Small group activities using breakout rooms

Breakout rooms require thoughtful planning and facilitation in order for them to be meaningful. Simply putting students into breakout rooms without other thought or consideration will lead to a poor experience. Read the Getting Students to Participate in Breakout Rooms (link opens in a new tab) guide for excellent advice to help you set up for success.

Ask students to create, design or summarize an artifact that support the learning outcomes of the session. For example, provide each group with their own Word Doc, Google Doc, PowerPoint slide, or Google Slide (with the prompt at the top) and ask the breakout groups to:

  • Present a summary of ideas (Google/Word Doc)
  • Brainstorm ideas (Google/Word Doc)
  • Create a mind map (Google/PowerPoint slide)
  • Post annotated resources (Google/Word Doc)
  • List characteristics or features related to a concept (Google/Word Doc)
  • Create a case study (Google/Word Doc)
  • Solve a problem (Google/PowerPoint slide)

Ask students to work as a team to solve a case study. Having students discuss or create case studies encourages them to consider various factors influencing a particular situation which helps them become aware of the complexities of real-life decision-making. Good case studies can bring learning to life and help students understand, synthesize and apply their knowledge to authentic, relevant situations.

Identify 4-6 topics you want students to teach each other. Break students into “expert” groups where they learn about and discuss the topic to become the “expert.” Then, you can reorganize the groups so there is 1 expert of every topic in a group and they take turns teaching each other. Or, if you don’t want to shuffle students, have students identify a spokesperson from the “expert” group who will teach the topic to the whole class.

References

Brennan, J. (2021). Engaging Learners through Zoom: Strategies for virtual teaching across disciplines. Jossey-Bass.

Engagement and Community-Building Activities: Synchronous and Asynchronous Equivalents recreated by the Centre for Extended Learning, University of Waterloo, derived from Teaching Art and Design Online: A Toolkit for Faculty, Ontario College of Art and Design, is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA.

Kay, R. H. (n.d.). Creating Engaging Online Synchronous Activities. Open Library. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/aguideforbusyeducators/chapter/creating-engaging-online-synchronous-activities/

Teaching and Learning Services. (2024, February 13). Synchronous Learning Lessons. Carleton University. https://carleton.ca/tls/teachingresources/teaching-online/synchronous-learning-tools/ 

Teaching and Learning Services. (n.d.). Online Teaching Strategies. Carleton University. https://carleton.ca/tls/online-teaching-strategies/