Engaging Students in a Synchronous Class Session
This training led me to reflect on engaging students in class discussions in a synchronous session. While it is important to learn the technical components, posting assignments, discussions, and more, synchronous engagement can be challenging. I use online tools and apps such as Padlet, Google Forms, Chat, Breakout Rooms in Zoom to engage students in peer discussions and idea sharing. I have realized that many students experience anxiety in unmuting and speaking online, while some may dominate the verbal exchange. For this reason, a variety of tools are necessary to increase engagement. In my next class, I am planning to assign a number to each student and call on students randomly to share and respond to questions. I am hoping that this strategy may also help in increasing engagement.
How do you engage students in a synchronous class session?
That's such a thoughtful and proactive approach to increasing student engagement—especially your insight into students' hesitation to speak up and the tendency for certain voices to dominate. Using tools like Padlet, Google Forms, and breakout rooms really helps create low-pressure ways for students to participate.
In my synchronous sessions, I also try to mix it up. I’ve found success with live polls, collaborative Google Docs, and structured turn-taking in breakout rooms where each student has a role (e.g., note-taker, presenter, timer). I also like using the Zoom “reactions” and quick chat prompts like “type one word to describe your week” as warm-ups. It gets everyone involved without putting anyone on the spot too quickly.
I love your idea of numbering students for random participation. How do you plan to introduce that so students feel safe and not caught off guard?
