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Teaching in the virtual classroom (VC) presents unique challenges and opportunities, particularly when it comes to understanding and managing group dynamics. Your experience in the traditional classroom is invaluable. Adapting your approach with subtle modifications will set you and your learners up for success in the virtual classroom.
In both settings, the progression through the four stages of group dynamics—forming, storming, norming, and performing—remains the same. However, in the virtual classroom, these transitions may unfold differently. The learners may not be physically together in the same room, but they are together as a group. The instructor still needs to conduct introductions, icebreakers, and activities to facilitate the group bonding process in the virtual classroom. These exercises are opportunities for learners to participate and engage early in the session.
A virtual classroom producer can be invaluable when it comes to success in the virtual classroom. One of their key roles, as it relates to group dynamics, is interacting with the participants from the moment they join the virtual classroom. VC producers are analogous with the welcoming handshake and smile a learner might experience in the traditional in-person classroom.
VC producers can also facilitate pre-session activities that support participants in learning the virtual classroom tools. This might include a warm-up activity that gets them using the tools and communicating with each other. I find these pre-session activities truly set the stage for the upcoming sessions. Include a brainteaser, warm-up question, or poll to get the learners sharing right away.
If you’re new to the virtual classroom, the experience can be eye-opening as you observe how your learners behave and learn in the online environment. Even with well-designed courses, frequent interaction, and clear and concise content, you’ll want to maximize group dynamics. Here are five tips based on my experience in the virtual classroom:
Use a Variety of Response Options
Recognize that some participants may feel uncomfortable speaking aloud but are willing to participate via chat, feedback status icons, or on the whiteboard. When you incorporate activities that cater to different communication preferences, it will enhance engagement and inclusivity within the virtual classroom.
Engage Quiet Participants
Reach out to quieter participants proactively and ensure their involvement through personalized engagement. This can be done by calling on them by name and providing options for how they can respond in the virtual environment. These strategies ensure all learners can contribute and benefit from the learning experience.
Use Breakouts
Incorporate breakout sessions into your training to allow participants to engage more comfortably with small groups. Breakouts will facilitate opportunities for peer interaction, collaboration, and deeper learning. Make sure to pop into each breakout to answer questions and check that each group is making progress. This action can be vital to the debrief following the breakout activity.
Embrace Tech-Savvy Learners
Acknowledge and embrace the enthusiasm of tech-savvy learners to enhance the learning experience for everyone. When you leverage a variety of features in your platform, it will encourage active participation and create a dynamic learning environment.
Encourage Open-Mindedness
Help learners keep an open mind about virtual classroom learning by setting them up for success with prompts, support, and pre-session training on the virtual classroom tools if needed.
I hope these tips will empower you to effectively enhance group dynamics and optimize the learning experience for all your participants in the virtual classroom.
To learn more about your role as a virtual trainer and how to engage and “read” your learners in a virtual environment, check out Langevin’s The Virtual Trainer workshop. If you’re responsible for designing virtual classroom training that is engaging and maximizes performance, Instructional Design for the Virtual Trainer covers this and more.
This article was first published August 5, 2019
