Online Teaching Toolkit

Using Digital Tools to Improve Online Engagement – Tip Sheet

Tips for Online

• Remember that nonverbal cues are absent in the virtual world, and there may be limits to your video-conferencing tools. You can help combat these issues by using a WIDE variety of interactive tools.
• Try using Mentimeter: Q&A, wordclouds, discussion, polls, etc.
• Kahoots are good, but they can get really old
• Look for and use additional external tools – the more variety at first, the better because it gives youth multiple ways to engage with the content.
• Check in with your youth to ask about what activities they do and don’t like. Don’t just assume you know.
• Engage students as soon as you start the call. Welcome them by name, ask if they prefer nicknames.
• Get connected: Ask unrelated and fun questions to get started
• Try 2-3 “Would you rather..?” questions. Have each student answer. ie. “If you had to give up one of these three, what would it be? Pizza, Nachos, or Ice cream?”
• Ask students to share favorite music
• Tie in student responses throughout multiple classes to show that you are paying attention to them
• Try using incentives like Gift cards, fast food, or a Disney+ subscription for students.
• Ask students to find music that ties to the theme of the lesson they just learned. Have a contest with prizes for the best song(s).
• Flipped Classrooms – give students the content (workbook pages and video clips) to work on in advance, then use class time to have them interact with the materials.
• Send print materials home for students to work on with their regular classwork.
• Invite teaching staff from outside your organization (ie classroom teachers) to a ZOOM meeting to learn from each other and develop community.

Tips for Hybrid

1. Make an ally of the adult in the room with the students. Acknowledge them as part of your team, and ask for their assistance in reading the room during activities. They can also give you tips and information about your students that may inform your facilitation methods.
2. Flipped Classrooms – give students the content (workbook pages and video clips) to work on in advance, then use class time to have them interact with the materials.
3. Send print materials home for students to work on with their regular classwork.

Creating a Safe Space

• In a virtual setting, ask 3 things before starting sensitive content
• Ask the adult responsible for the youth, or a counselor to be present
• Ask youth to create their own safe space around them at home before you begin (i.e. pillow fort, quiet room, etc)
• Ask youth to get a pair of earbuds so the conversation does not extend to others in the room around them.
• Allow youth to change their virtual background so they are more comfortable with their cameras on. Allow them some grace and space over difficult material when it comes to having their cameras turned on.
• Use framing and debriefing before starting sensitive content.
• Timing is everything, don’t end and begin the next section in the middle of difficult material
• Frame and debrief the conversation.
• Explain WHY you are going to be covering the content, rather than just WHAT you will cover
• Before starting content, create a group agreement as a class. Let them know what is coming and make a plan for how you will support each other through it.
• Check in with your students
• Privately message them during class
• Go around the room asking if they have questions, so it does not call out one person
• Make a habit of staying after class so you can be present for questions or concerns.
• Encourage students to confide in a trusted adult.
• If the comments or questions are disrupting to the whole class, try having a “Parking lot.” Ask the student for permission to talk about it together privately after class and revisit it later.  This also puts the other adults in the room on notice that this agreement is taking place.

Dive into Facilitating XYZ – a free online resource for all facilitators. We especially like this video on facilitating on camera.

• Aiming 4 Healthy Families created this Zoom Social Agreement for their students.
• Tips for Virtual Parent & Caregiver Engagement during Social Distancing
  Parents and other caregivers of adolescents play a key role in supporting young people and helping them navigate adolescence as they transition toward adulthood. This tip sheet provides you with strategies you can use to reach out to parents virtually and provide them with support and information to help them cope with the challenges during times of stress and change, such as the current public health pandemic

If you intend to use digital face-to-face meetings in your program facilitation, consider the tips in this article when setting up:

“Facilitating On-Camera: A Jumpstart into Video-Based Facilitation” from Facilitation XYZ

Zoom (Non-profits get half off at TechSoup. Plan ahead, it can take some time.)
Zoom offers large face-to-face digital meeting rooms with capabilities for breakout rooms, polling, whiteboards, and more. Check your organization’s policies to see if Zoom is an approved platform. Here are some articles to give best practice tips for using Zoom:

Best Practices for Securing Your Virtual Classroom
How to Keep Uninvited Guests Out of Your Zoom Event

Google classroom
Google Classroom is a paid service allowing instructors to share files and manage student submissions for remote learning.

Nearpod
Nearpod is an instructional platform in real-time with capabilities for slide presentations, open-ended questions, quizzes, discussions, and more. Participation is anonymous to other students.

Canvas
Canvas is a cloud-based classroom management system complete with file sharing, assignment submission, quizzes, and more.

BlackBoard
Blackboard is another learning management system for managing courses online in a comprehensive digital experience.

Google Hangout
Google Hangouts provide another option for video conferencing features for class interaction. All participants need a Google Account.

Facebook Live
Facebook Live gives an option of filming class lectures in real-time with chat interaction in the comments section from participants. Facebook Live videos are saved as replay videos after their completion.

YouTube Live
YouTube is another place for live streaming and comment features. Be careful what permissions and viewing is available to others if you want to protect classroom interaction.

We’d like to express our deep appreciation to the following clients who shared their creative ideas for moving instruction online!

Aiming for Healthy Families (MS)
Nikki Harvell
Sylvia Dick
Tracy Barber

Community College Foundation (CA)
Darryl Marini

Community Services Learning Center of Lexington (MS)
Beulah Greer
Gail Brown

Delaware Adolescent Program, Inc. (DE)
Eileen Wilkerson

Eastern Utah Women’s Health (UT)
Danielle Price

Healthy Visions (OH)
Jonelle Zachary

Adam Simmons

Life Skills, Empowerment and Development Services (FL)
Vicki Draeger

More Than Conquerors (GA)
Phillippia Faust

OMNI Youth Services (IL)
Brenda Najera
Sharena Domingo

SR1 (MS)
DorLisa Hutton

Strong Families, Strong Wyoming (WY)
Jackie Parker
Jerry Ferris
Kelsey Giroux
Tammy Fletcher

University of Texas – Teen Health (TX)
Jenn Todd

Esmerelda Jeffries

Urban League of the Upstate (SC)
Charlene Jones

Urban Strategies LLC (VA)
John Lewis

Youth and Family Services (SD) 
Cory Odle
Mary Ann Slanina

And Others…
Adam Simmons
Antwan Clark & Co.
Ashley Williams
Ben Fichter
Bridgett Sumner
Charles Maxwell
Denise Lewis
Jasmira Ross