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49 Communication Activities, Exercises & Games

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Ideas, tips, and exercises to help you better communicate.

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Learning Activities for Asynchronous Online Classes

Asynchronous online classes offer students more flexibility and reduce access challenges, although large files such as streaming video can still present internet bandwidth challenges. You can help students succeed in asynchronous courses through careful course design, including building a community of inquiry that includes cognitive presence, instructor presence, and social presence.

Since building a community of inquiry is important to student success in asynchronous courses, these courses can especially benefit from a constructivist approach, which focuses on students constructing their understanding of content together. For more information on the constructive approach you can also see Assignment Templates and Examples from The Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Designing and Teaching Online Courses and Cornell University's Group Work: How to Create & Manage Groups.

Asynchronous active learning can take many forms, including:

Course content can come from different sources and be delivered in different formats. You can locate relevant content created by others from a variety of sources, including the River Campus Libraries.

Open pedagogy can be particularly useful in online education and encompasses not just open education resources (OER: freely available content), but also other aspects of openness such as collaborative construction of materials as part of a course. Open pedagogy is supported by outreach librarians such as Kim Hoffman, who has co-edited an OER book on open pedagogy.

STEM instructors can consult this Online Resources for Science Laboratories developed by the POD Network.

Discussion Boards

Discussion boards are a central learning activity in many asynchronous courses, and they can allow students to interact using a variety of media, including text, images, audio, and video. Discussion board software options have different strengths, and the University of Rochester provides access to a range of choices.

When setting up a discussion board, you will need to make a number of choices about how to structure and manage student interactions. The following resources address key areas:

"Creating and Managing Discussion Posts" in The Online Teaching Survival Guide: Simple and Practical Pedagogical Tips by Judith V. Boettcher and Rita-Marie Conrad: This primer on discussion board basics is especially helpful in explaining how to write good questions, but covers everything from post timing and duration of each board to ways to wrap up online discussions.

Breaking the Humdrum of "Post Once and Reply to Two Others" by Lisa Kidder and Mark Cooper, Idaho State University: This presentation and accompanying handout reviews a wide range of types of discussion board activities, including case studies, debates, and challenge questions.

"Developing Cognitive, Social, and Teaching Presence Online" in Tina Stavredes, Effective Online Teaching: Foundations and Strategies for Student Success: Constructed specifically around the community of inquiry framework, these four short chapters are full of options, practical tips, and structured aids such as rubrics. In particular, the chapter on instructor presence offers an overview of productive ways for instructors to engage in discussion boards such as weaving, implications, inferences, and summaries.

Meaningful Online Learning: Integrating Strategies, Activities, and Learning Technologies for Effective Designs by Nada Dabbagh, Rose M. Marra, and Jane L. Howland: Using a lens of meaningful learning, this book offers online learning activities categorized by supportive, dialogic, and exploratory options.

Videos

Another way to deliver course content is to create videos. Best practices suggest that these should be short (less than six minutes) to increase student engagement and reduce cognitive load, so consider chunking your lecture material accordingly. To get started, try consulting the following:

Record Effective Microlectures from the Online Teaching Tookit by the Association of College and University Educators: This two-and-a-half minute micro-lecture by Michael Wesch explains micro-lectures, and Wesch has a YouTube channel with additional content.

Screencasting 101 by Kristin Palmer, University of Virginia: Learn about the basics of screencasting, which combines instructor audio with screen content from a computer.

Effective educational videos by Vanderbilt University: This longer webpage goes through the research to make evidence-based suggestions about how to use videos to teach and has several convenient summary graphics.

Education Technology Tools

Asynchronous learning activities can benefit from a seemingly endless array of tools. When selecting your tools, consider carefully how many tools you are introducing. While students will likely use common tools such as Blackboard, Zoom, and Panopto in many of their courses, student time investments will get increasingly steep if each of their instructors introduces a large number of additional tools. Also consider whether a particular tool has been vetted by the University of Rochester for security and privacy issues, particularly if the tool requires students to set up an account. AS&E Instructional Technology maintains a list of vetted tools.

Each time you use a new tool in a course, you will need to teach students how to use it. An easy way to do that is to embed a link to a video tutorial at the location where the student is expected to use the tool. Many software providers offer these video tutorials on their website or YouTube channel. Offer students a low-stakes introduction to any tool that will be used for a graded assessment later in the course.

To locate tools that will work for you and tutorials on their use, consult the following resources:

If you have questions about how to select and use software (tools), contact AS&E Instructional Technology. If you have questions about how to teach (pedagogy), contact the Teaching Center.

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Learning Activities for Asynchronous Online Classes

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Asynchronous online classes offer students more flexibility and reduce access challenges, although large files such as streaming video can still present interne

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Begin Your Asynchronous Learning Journey With 8 Activities

Asynchronous learning is online learning that allows students to schedule and learn at their own pace. This learning method has become increasingly popular in recent years, as it offers many benefits over traditional classroom learning. With asynchronous learning, students can study and complete coursework when convenient, allowing them to balance their studies with work and other commitments. Additionally, asynchronous learning can be more engaging and interactive than traditional classroom learning. As a result, students can engage in many asynchronous activities and get their desired results.

8 Asynchronous Activities To Implement Today

1. Create Interactive Discussions With Collaborative Tools

One of the best things about asynchronous learning is its interactive discussions and collaboration opportunities. Many asynchronous learning platforms offer a range of collaborative tools, such as discussion boards, chat rooms, and video conferencing, which allow students to interact with their peers and instructors in real time. By engaging in these asynchronous activities, students can ask questions, share ideas, and work together to solve problems, all while building important communication and collaboration skills.

2. Watch And Learn: Make The Most Of Video Content

Video content is an important component of many asynchronous learning courses, providing an engaging and interactive way to learn new material. By using videos, instructors can convey complex ideas and concepts in a way that is easy to understand and follow. Additionally, videos can provide real-world examples and case studies, making the learning experience more relevant and practical.

3. Explore New Ideas With Online Debates And Forums

Online debates and forums are another great way to engage in asynchronous learning. By participating in online discussions, students can explore new ideas and perspectives, challenge their assumptions, and learn from the experiences and viewpoints of their peers. Additionally, online debates and forums can be a great way to build critical thinking and communication skills, requiring students to articulate and defend their ideas clearly and concisely.

4. Reflect And Share With Learning Journals

Learning journals are a valuable tool for students engaging in asynchronous activities. Using a learning journal, students can reflect on their learning experiences, track their progress, and identify areas where they may need additional support or resources. Additionally, learning journals can be shared with instructors and peers, providing an opportunity for feedback and collaboration.

5. Gamify Your Learning Experience With Interactive Games

Gamification is a popular trend in asynchronous learning, providing an engaging and interactive way to learn new material. Using games and simulations, instructors can create an immersive learning experience that encourages students to explore and experiment with new ideas and concepts. Additionally, games and simulations can be used to assess student understanding and provide immediate feedback on their performance.

6. Independent Research: Expand Your Knowledge Base

Asynchronous learning allows students to conduct independent research and expand their knowledge base. Using various online resources, students can explore new topics and ideas, conduct research, and develop their unique perspectives on complex issues. Additionally, independent research can be a great way to build critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as it requires students to analyze and interpret complex information.

7. Learning At Your Own Pace With Self-Paced Courses

Self-paced courses are a key component of asynchronous learning, allowing students to learn at their own pace and on their own schedule. Using self-paced courses, students can review and revisit the material as needed, allowing them to fully master key concepts and ideas. Additionally, self-paced courses can be customized to meet the needs of individual learners, providing an opportunity for personalized learning and support. Many websites provide resources to help students choose the best online courses and platforms for their self-paced journey.

8. Engage In Collaborative Learning With Group Projects

Group projects are valuable to asynchronous learning, allowing collaboration and teamwork. Students can develop essential communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills by working on group projects. Additionally, group projects can provide students with real-world experience in working with others, preparing them for success in their future careers. By using asynchronous activities and learning tools, students can easily collaborate and communicate with their peers, regardless of time or location, making group projects a seamless and productive experience.

Get Started With Asynchronous Learning Today!

Asynchronous learning offers a range of benefits over traditional classroom learning, providing students with flexibility, interactivity, and the opportunity for personalized learning. By using a range of asynchronous learning tools and activities, such as collaborative discussions, video content, online debates and forums, learning journals, interactive games, independent research, self-paced courses, and group projects, students can engage with their coursework in meaningful and impactful ways. If you're interested in exploring the world of asynchronous learning, there's never been a better time to get started. With the many tools and resources available today, you can elevate your learning experience and achieve your educational goals on your terms.

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Elevate Your Learning Experience: 8 Asynchronous Activities To Try Today

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In this article, you will learn about asynchronous learning, its benefits, and asynchronous activities you should use in your course.

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Aim: to give students the role of communicating with others by giving feedback

Students will be asked to share their storyboards with each other on padlet where they will give positive feedback to one another.

Resources: padlet link.

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Aim: to test the knowledge of the students from the course.

Students will be asked to create a presentation based on what they have learnt, with a broad title 'It's all about communication'. They can present it using infographics, Google Slides or Canva.

Timing: 45 minutes.

Resources: Pre-made example using infographics.

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Resources I need to create:

1. Make a video on communication and a supporting quiz on Google Forms for task 1.

2. Find useful websites and add the link for Task 2.

3. Provide students with a storyboard example of different types of communication.

4. Create padlet link to give students platform to share their ideas and give feedback.

5. Give students an example of a presentation using infographics.

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Aim: to give the students an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.

Students will have to create a storyboard for preparing a video lesson on the topic of 'communication', where they will be required to demonstrate 5 different types of communication within the lesson. They will not be required to produce a video, only the storyboard.

Timing: 30 minutes.

Resources: storyboard template

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Aim: to encourage students to investigate the different modes of communication.

Students will be asked to research different ways of communicating verbally and non-verbally and will be asked to contribute to this padlet to share their information. There will be website links to help the students.

Timing: 20 minutes.

Resources: Padlet link, link to websites to retrieve information

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Aim: to introduce the topic of communication to the students and look into the importance of effective communication.

Students will watch a short video on 'Communication'. They will then answer questions in relation to the video on Google Forms.

Timing: 15 minutes

Resources: Online video, Google Forms

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Communication

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Further Education

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Further education students studying the for the Level 5 Education and Training Award in Whitehall College of Further Education.

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ABC learning design

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Students will be able to:

1. Define communication in their own words.

2. List 5 different ways of verbal and non-verbal communication.

3. Demonstrate 5 different types of effective communication.