As a new college instructor, I have struggled to understand what students are thinking about, hope to learn, and already are familiar with on the first day of class. I’ve used online and live information collecting ideas to some success but I believe this activity would be really well received as well as being a great icebreaker. I can imagine having a much-improved understanding of the participants earlier in the semester than my previous approaches and this would be an engaging lead-in to orienting the class to the syllabus. This is similar to what Barkley et al. (2014) write about in reference to Problem Posting and would be best used within a course plan that left some room for updating once receiving this student feedback, where appropriate. 

This activity appealed to me for several reasons. The first reason is that it encourages participants to use things they are familiar with and allows others to get to know them without them having to reveal any personal information about themselves that they may not be comfortable sharing. Second, it is appealing to me because it allows the participants to identify people with similar interests which is useful for relationship building. 

An activity like this would be appropriate to use in a setting where participants will learn or work together long-term such as in a workplace training program or perhaps a master’s level course where the entire cohort is together for the length of the program. 

Barkley, B.F, Major, C.H., & Cross, K.P. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques: A

handbook for college faculty (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

He, G. (2023, May 1). 17 fun icebreaker games for adults. teambuilding.com. https://teambuilding.com/blog/icebreaker-games-for-adults 

This game appealed to me because it takes the name game one step further.  Opportunities for students to relate to each other by personal likes may be beneficial to build a comfortable learning environment.  I think this game would be most appropriate in the first part of the class on the first day and can be a means of informal introductions. 

This particular name game may be something I would use in the fall.  My only concern would be first impressions, I would hate to be “that girl who likes tarts.”  

 

Barkley, B.F., Major, C.H., & Cross, K.P. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. pp 58-75.

Modern Campus (n.d.). 60 awesome icebreakers for orientation and beyond. https://sapro.moderncampus.com/blog/60-awesome-icebreakers-for-orientation-and-beyond

This activity appealed to me because it is helpful when people are meeting for the first time and need to establish connections quickly to help break the ice and ease the tension or anxiety they may be feeling. This activity is also helpful for building rapport and social interaction for individuals to find common ground, create a sense of community within the group, and foster a more positive and collaborative learning environment. Thus, this activity can be used in various settings, such as classrooms, team-building workshops, and community events.

Reference

Barkley, B.F, Major, C.H., & Cross, K.P. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Velde, L. (2018) 60 Awesome Icebreakers for Orientation and Beyond https://sapro.moderncampus.com/blog/60-awesome-icebreakers-for-orientation-and-beyond

Furthermore, because these introductions will be made one on one, or in small groups, this may appeal to learners who are introverted or who may be uncomfortable speaking in front of the larger group. As a facilitator, it would be interesting to learn about the commonalities the learners identify between themselves and their peers. Some may focus on similarities related to their involvement in the learning (I.e. reasons for which they are participating in the course, common objectives), or others may be personal in nature. One challenge that may arise with this onboarding activity is the content of the discussions. Some individuals may limit their disclosures to surface level content: “I work in business”; “I live in X town”. Obviously, some participants will have different comfort levels disclosing information with new acquaintances, but easy connections won’t be as effective in building relationships.

Cross, K. Patricia, et al. Collaborative Learning Techniques : A Handbook for College Faculty, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2014. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy.library.brocku.ca/lib/brocku/detail.action?docID=1745058.

60 awesome icebreakers for college students. 60 Awesome Icebreakers for college students. (n.d.). https://sapro.moderncampus.com/blog/60-awesome-icebreakers-for-orientation-and-beyond 

A new one that I came across was “two truths and a lie” (Chandra, 2022). I realized we did this in another course I took - it was fun. We each had to share two truths and a lie in our post and then people had to guess what the lie was. At the end of the week, we revealed the lie. 

According to Cross et al. (2014), this is an icebreaker and an introductory activity.  I am an introvert so many of the traditional icebreakers make me very uncomfortable but when I did this one in an online course, it was fun. It was easy to share some simple things about myself and then add something fun that was not true. 

I would like to do a furniture refinishing workshop for my session and I think this could be a neat activity to do with a group but it would probably not be the best choice for an icebreaker for this type of workshop. Likely I would choose something that would allow the learners to get to know each other (Cross et al., 2014) a bit more for my workshop since they will be spending 6 hours working together. Having a bit more information about each other might help them to have more conversations as the day goes on.

References

Chandra, S. (2022, May 31). 16 Fun College Orientation Activities & Icebreakers to Encourage Student Engagement in 2022! CampusGroups. https://blog.campusgroups.com/campusgroups/2022/26/4/fun-college-orientation-ideas-2022

Cross, K. P., Barkley, E. F., & Cross, K. P. (2014). Collaborative Learning Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/brocku/detail.action?docID=1745058

 

Under Barkley et al. (2014), this icebreaker is considered an introduction and an icebreaker, more so through a connections game – it brings out the social aspect in humans when we are in a learning situation. It helps us share and understand each other’s thought processes and helps us become more relaxed as we get to share interests or unique perspectives (Barkley et al., 2014). This is a structured activity as it helps ease any “tension and awkwardness of the initial class”; it helps allow people to make jokes and brainstorm in a non-related work way (Barkley et al., 2014). An activity like this would allow me as a facilitator to remove that awkwardness and re-instill social interaction and foster collaboration between team members. It would allow me to learn and understand a bit more on thought process and how they can connect things. On the flip side, if I did this icebreaker, it would allow me to ease into the facilitation and be mindful of other’s opinions. It also allows us to brainstorm for updates or story ideas if we need to re-do the story. This is an icebreaker that can be used at any event.  

 

 

Barkley, B.F, Major, C.H., & Cross, K.P. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

 

He, G. (2023, May 1). 17 fun icebreaker games for adults. teambuilding.com. https://teambuilding.com/blog/icebreaker-games-for-adults 

I liked this activity because of how simple it is. Sometimes I find that for students who are shy, having activities that involve extensive speaking about yourself can be stressful. This would be an activity I would try to do on the first day, then follow up with other icebreakers in the next sessions.  This way students can be slowly build community over time. This I think reflects my personal experience with icebreakers. For me, when iv been told to stand up and say my name and something interesting about myself in front of 20-50 people I get really nervous. So for me the ideal first introduction activity would be something simple. 

I think this would be a great first activity for my facilitation plan. I’m currently thinking of a one day lab skills workshop and having students do this would be a relatively quick and simple way to build community. 

 

Barkley, B.F, Major, C.H., & Cross, K.P. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Ice Breakers for Student Organizations | Student Affairs and Campus Diversity | SDSU. (n.d.). Retrieved June 14, 2023, from https://sacd.sdsu.edu/student-life-leadership/student-organizations/info-for-rso/organization-development/icebreakers.aspx

 

Barkley et al (2014) explain the benefits of icebreaker activities for introductions, easing the tension of the first day of class and help students feel comfortable in the learning environment. The Beach Ball Bonding activity is an excellent social icebreaker for students who have never worked together. Students learn their classmates' names and fun facts about each other and build relationships (Brilliant Pathways, 2019).

 

In my role, I teach an Introduction to Computers course and facilitate small group sessions. I am always looking for icebreaker activities to use to engage students. This would be a great icebreaker for me to use as it can work with small and large groups. The questions can be switched up from getting to know you questions to questions focused on course content etc. 

 

 

Reference:

 

Barkley, B.F, Major, C.H., & Cross, K.P. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

 

Brilliant Pathways (2019). Beach Ball Bonding. Retrieved from https://brilliantpathways.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/beach_ball_mentoring.pdf 

Shake the bowl to mix the names together.

Within 10 seconds, the groupmates will draw a piece of paper from the bowl and attempt to guess the proper name. To round up the introductions, have all new members tell fun facts about themselves when their names are drawn. This, I feel, fits under the Barkley et al. (2014) definition of introduction activities since it is utilized to alleviate discomfort and help students to get to know one another. 

I believe I will use this activity in my 6 hours workshop at the end of the session because it fosters group discourse, networking, and a sense of community.

He, G. (2023, May 1). 17 fun icebreaker games for adults. teambuilding.com. https://teambuilding.com/blog/icebreaker-games-for-adults 

Barkley, B.F, Major, C.H., & Cross, K.P. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques: A

handbook for college faculty (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

I’ve found over the years that the purpose of icebreakers went from “this is lame” to a greater understanding how inherently useful an icebreaker activity can be. Allowing people to quickly get familiar with their peers, allow me to familiarize with my students and ultimately opening up casual conversation very quickly. I was drawn to this activity because of its simplicity but also the ability to get multiple questions that can be both innocent and can be catered to my courses and skills as well as introductions make this very easy to prep for. 

According to Barkley et al. (2014), this is introductory, but as I alluded to above, can also introduce course content. The questions can bring out the social aspect of the participants and allowing them to answer and start to get involved even if they are not feeling very chatty/introverted. Additionally, if the questions are changed up, we can start to incorporate course content and what perceptions about the content is before beginning. This can be facilitated with small to medium sized groups and would be ideal for the session I am preparing for in my final project. 

My final project will focus on something that I will actually be translating to the workplace, and will focus on abdominal assessments for paramedics in the field. Getting them introduced to one another and then bringing in the new concepts and their familiarity with them to begin, I believe, will help set a great foundation for the session.

Barkley, B.F., Major, C.H., & Cross, K.P. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

Extremes game: Where do you stand?. Fun Icebreaker Ideas & Activities. (2023, February 9). https://www.icebreakers.ws/medium-group/extremes-game-where-do-you-stand.html

In my opinion, this activity can be classified as an Ice breaker activity. Barkley Major & Cross (2014) writes “Instructors who help students learn each other’s names and identify shared interests and experiences, as well as intriguing differences, demonstrate the value they place on students knowing each other”.  This seems to be an interview activity because the instructor helps students learn about their school and at the same time students share their names and experiences. 

I still do not know if I will include a similar activity for my final assignment. However, I plan to incorporate an ice-breaker activity for I understand they are effective ways to welcome new students.
 

References:

Barkley, B.F. Major, C.H., & Cross, K.P. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Read Chapter 4, Orienting Students, pp. 58

 

I learned about this activity from the teaching and learning centre when I first started teaching. I continue to use this activity on the first day of class for any first-year courses I am teaching. Since the college I teach at has small class sizes, students know each other quite well by the second semester and this activity loses its purpose, which is to build connections. Learners enjoy this activity, as is evidenced by the laughing, smiles, and ensuing conversation. This activity appeals to me for a few reasons. First, it conveys a message to the learners that I care about them and their interests. Second, it helps learners start to feel comfortable amongst their peers. Finally, it results in side conversations which open the lines of communication for future group activities. It is very important to make sure the questions are not too personal so that you are ensuring a psychologically safe place for learners. 

 

Hamilton Wentworth District School Board. (n.d.). Stand-up/sit-down questions. Retrieved June 16, 2023, from https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Stand-up-Sit-down-Questions.pdf 

 

Berkley, B.F., Major C.H., & Cross, K.P. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty (2^nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated.

This type of social icebreaker (Barkley et al., 2014) is especially beneficial in environments where students will be working closely with each other. In my facilitation, I plan to use examples like this to allow my students an opportunity to learn about each other and create connections. 

Barkley, B.F, Major, C.H., & Cross, K.P. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.                          Schweitzer, K. (2019, February 16). Try this toilet paper icebreaker game at your next meeting. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/toilet-paper-icebreaker-466617 

As working with an international audience, icebreakers related to their background is a great way to get people talking and creating interest in each other. This would be a great opening activity for my final project, which is an orientation for international post-secondary students. 

This icebreaker activity would help to create an inclusive atmosphere during the orientation. It can work well in a small group and also a large group and only takes a few minutes. I understand that it can be challenging for new international students to make friends, so this activity provides an opportunity for them to connect and get to know each other better. It will give them ideas to continue the conversation and create a lasting relationship. It also promotes diversity and multiculturalism in Canada. 

Velde, L. (2018, July 2). 60 awesome icebreakers for college students. https://sapro.moderncampus.com/blog/60-awesome-icebreakers-for-orientation-and-beyond

Barkley, B.F, Major, C.H., & Cross, K.P. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

This activity takes 18 minutes but is usually embedded in a one- or two-hour facilitation session, depending on group size. It must be done in person, with a minimum of two and a maximum of eight participants per team.

Each team is given 18 minutes, 20 sticks of spaghetti, a metre of masking tape, a metre of string, and a single jumbo marshmallow. The goal is to build the tallest structure using any iteration of the supplies, but the creation must be free-standing on the table surface, and the marshmallow, in its entirety, must be on top. At the end of the build time, the proctor measures the structures and awards a prize to the winning team.

After the construction session, the teams are guided through a personal and group reflection. Afterwards, the group is moderated through a discussion that helps them identify their teams' skill strengths and weaknesses and collaborative learning styles. In doing this, they understand their team works, learns, and performs under pressure. This allows them to build empathy and connection and gives them space to make proactive decisions about how they will move forward in their continued work together. 

 

Barkley, B.F., Major, C.H., & Cross, K.P. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty 2nd ed. (pp 58-75). Jossey-Bass.

Session Lab. Marshmallow challenge with debriefing. https://www.sessionlab.com/methods/marshmallow-challenge-with-debriefing