Engaging Students Online Part 1: Chat and Polling √ §
How do we engage the whole class without relying on video?
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 · Noon - 1 PM · Online · REGISTER HERE
How do we engage students as a whole class without relying on video? Students may have good reasons for keeping their video off, so it’s important to measure their engagement through other means, including polling, chat, and discussions. In this session, faculty panelists will share their experiences, lessons learned, and strategies to successfully engage students online. The panelists represent a diverse set of disciplines and teach courses ranging in size from 30-300. Many of the strategies they will be describing are not discipline-specific and are adaptable to any course. Panelists include Kristen Anchor (MCS), Tamra Mendelson and Mercedes Burns (BIOL), and Tanya Olson (ENGL).
Engaging Students Online Part 2: Gamification √ §
Energize your online classroom & motivate students to engage
Wednesday, February 10, 2021 · Noon - 1 PM · Online · REGISTER HERE
How can you energize your online classroom and engage students through games and gamification techniques? Well-designed games for learning motivate players to work through challenging problems that require them to engage with concepts, take calculated risks, and reflect on the learning process--collaboration and/or competition can heighten this enjoyment (Gee, 2007; Smith-Robbins, 2011). Join us as we explore general principles about using games for learning, specific examples from UMBC colleagues, and applications to our own online classrooms. Faculty panelists will present examples designed to engage students, motivate them to learn, and create social connections as they collaborate or compete to demonstrate their learning. The strategies are not discipline-specific and are adaptable to many courses. Panelists include Kerri Evans (SOWK) and Caitlin Kowalewski (BIOL).