Inclusivity in Virtual Discussions

Making sure that everyone participates in class discussions is vital for building community in a flex-hybrid course. We know how to get students to participate in discussions in our physical classrooms, and the good news is that we can emulate those same techniques for virtual or hybrid class meetings as well. In some cases, it’s even easier to use these techniques virtually than in-person. This is because flex-hybrid teaching naturally lends itself to using a wider range of modalities for discussion, which allows a more diverse set of voices to “have the floor”. Here are some techniques that you can use to include everyone in your flex-hybrid class discussions. ... Read More
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Developing Community with Breakout Discussion Groups and Other Group Work

Breakout group activities during synchronous class sessions can be a great way to build community, and although they require a bit more initial setup for video class sessions than in a fully in-person classroom, once you have the basic infrastructure in place, breakout groups are quite easy to manage. In fact, in some ways the management of virtual breakout groups is easier than in-person breakout groups. ... Read More
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Leveraging Videoconference Chat Tools

Zoom chat should not be dismissed as a "distraction" - it can be a great way to promote inclusion and encourage participation. This post covers ways you can use chat in your classroom and teaches you the tech you need to know to make it happen. ... Read More
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Classroom Expectations

How do you provide consistent patterns and rules that support the learning of all students? Are you able to set... ... Read More
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Articulating Shared Values

In all communities, both virtual and in-person, balancing freedom/openness and inclusivity/safety is a fundamental tension. This includes helping students set high expectations for... ... Read More
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Names, Pronunciation, and Pronouns

Learning and using your students’ names and pronouns is an essential aspect of managing your classroom, recognizing individuals’ worth, and... ... Read More
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Digital Polling Tools

Active learning activities such as polls and clicker questions test students’ comprehension on the fly. While some approaches to in-class... ... Read More
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Designing Major Projects

The final project or paper (or any other major project) is a classic assessment strategy. It works best when it... ... Read More
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