Icebreakers for Creating a Sense of Presence - Where in the World Are You?

 

This activity helps learners visualize where everyone in their class is located. It is an excellent activity to use in the first part of the course.

 

In this activity, a flat map is provided, and learners mark their location(s) on the map. The flat map may be of a city, state, a country, or the world. Everyone gains a sense of the geographical spread of their classmates. The map can be posted to the learning management system and downloaded by the learners. After the learners mark the map, they upload it to share. Information about their location, culture, and traditions can also be included.

 

Reference

 

Lehman, R. M., & Conceição, S. C. (2010). Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching: How to “Be There” for Distance Learners. Jossey-Bass. 

 

Icebreakers for Creating a Sense of Presence - Virtual License Plate

 

A useful strategy to encourage relationships among course participants in an online course is to use icebreakers. Three examples of online ice-breakers are the Virtual License Plate, Where in the World Are You?, and What Do You Like?. These icebreakers give learners an opportunity to creatively share personal information with the other course members. This week, we will explain the Virtual License Plate.

A license plate template is posted in the LMS for learners to download (can be done in a PowerPoint format). The instructor asks learners to draw numbers, letters, short phrases, pictures, or symbols in a creative way inside it to design a virtual license plate. The plate’s purpose is to tell something about themselves, their families, their pets, their work, their hobbies, or their other interests.

 

Reference

 

Lehman, R. M., & Conceição, S. C. (2010). Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching: How to “Be There” for Distance Learners. Jossey-Bass.