Better Learning Virtually
Like many students, going back to school virtually was not how I imagined my last year as an undergrad. Online school has been difficult and brings challenges for different types of learners. See What I Mean believes that we learn by doing, not passively listening -- which is not as easy in a virtual setting.
Unlike in the classroom, online platforms make it difficult to network and collaborate with one another. Virtual learning makes it harder to be fully engaged in the material and give everyone an opportunity to share their thoughts. With understanding these challenges, it is hyper necessary to think about the resources we use to facilitate virtual experiences. Virtual learning provides new challenges that must be addressed with various strategies to ensure participants are learning the content to its fullest.
See What I Mean’s tool, Better Learning offers alternative learning strategies to deliver information during meetings. Below are three examples of the Better Learning strategies for virtual experiences that focus on the tools and resources used to engage all learners in the virtual setting.
Low Prep Strategy
Can be used with very minimal prep by a facilitator.
Strategy: Stand the Line/Value
Participants reflect and turn their camera on or off to express their thinking on a certain topic. Participants visually and verbally share thinking with the option to discuss more.
Why It Works:
This strategy encourages participants to feel comfortable sharing their video. It provides dialogue, personal connection, and a visual depiction of participants' opinions and understandings. This allows further engagement with the information.
How It Works Virtually:
Ask all participants to turn their camera off. Then, the facilitator presents an issue, topic or question. After presenting the topic, the facilitator asks participants to turn on their camera if they agree or keep their camera off if they disagree. The facilitator then guides a discussion about the topic. Participants listen to other responses to add to their own understanding and/or adjust their thinking/stance on the topic.
When To Use:
This strategy is best used after short amounts of information are shared and participants are asked to have an opinion or connection. It is better for sharing ideas or opinions rather than discussing facts.
Medium Prep Strategy
Requires some gathering of materials or resources by the facilitator.
Strategy: Visual Frameworks
Using a visual representation of the concept being presented so participants can see and hear the concept.
Why It Works:
We process information both visually and verbally. Visual frameworks use images or graphs to depict how the pieces of a concept are related or connected. This creates a better understanding of the entire concept that is accessible to all learners.
How It Works Virtually:
At See What I Mean we utilize a tool, Mural, which acts as a virtual whiteboard. This gives participants a way to see the connections among concepts by providing participants with a visual framework to take notes or collaborate. The visual then becomes the take-away from the training that can be referenced later. Check out one of our Mural templates that follows this strategy: Planning during disruption.
When To Use:
This strategy is best used when people need to consider how ideas relate to one another.
High Prep Strategy
Requires both planning and gathering of materials before implementing strategy.
Strategy: Pecha Kucha
20x20: 20 slides, 20 seconds per slide. This is an alternative to a lecture. The facilitator only puts visuals on each slide and then has 20 seconds to explain each visual.
Why It Works:
This is a concise way to present information that engages participants as they only need to look at a single image with limited information while the facilitator explains it.
How It Works Virtually:
On your virtual platform, share your slides with the participants. This strategy can also be group sourced. The participants can complete a pre-read and then during the meeting, each person suggests one image with 20 seconds of text.
When To Use:
This strategy is best used when the facilitator is an expert on the topic and has specific details and knowledge to share.
All of these strategies have one goal in mind, to combat the challenges of virtual learning and help participants learn the content to its fullest. Active and complete engagement is essential to process and learn information. So as I head into my fourth week of classes or as you head into your next virtual meeting, start thinking about what tools are being used to engage everyone. Are these tools accessible to all participants? Do they provide a platform and opportunity for all voices to be heard? And lastly, does it enhance the learners experience by keeping them personally and emotionally engaged?
In the month of October, we will be hosting a learning series called Effective Meetings in Uncertain Times. If you are interested, learn more and let us know by completing this short survey.
Author: Jenna Hoover