17 Group Application Activities

Zoom

Zoom is one example of a video conferencing platform that has seen exponential implementation since the COVID-19 pandemic. While it cannot be ignored that conducting classes via a webcam and computer screen have greatly impacted the human connection of teaching, video conferencing has also afforded some valuable strategies that can be integrated into TBL delivery to meet the integral components and concepts. Within Zoom, instructors can facilitate TRATs and group application activities using breakout rooms, large group discussions and clarification lectures with screen sharing, and students response tracking with Zoom polling or augmented by specific platforms.

Zoom provides a number of resources to support users in the varied functionality, but a few features summarized below in their specific use related to TBL.

Screen Sharing on Zoom

Screen sharing within Zoom allows the instructor to share entire screens, portions of a screen or specific applications from their computer to the entire class of participants. This can be useful to share a PowerPoint presentation or other materials in a clarification lecture. It is especially useful in soliciting and displaying responses from a group application activity either with the native Zoom polling or with a student response tool, such as Poll Everywhere, described below.

Breakout Rooms on Zoom

Breakout rooms give the instructor the ability to facilitate small group work, or in the case of TBL, team learning activities, such as the TRAT and group application activities.

Zoom Polling

Zoom polling offers one method of soliciting feedback from the group application activities, but is limited to multiple choice responses. Application activity questions need to be constructed prior to the synchronous session.

Zoom Chat

The native Zoom chat window is not only an alternate mode of interaction during a class, but can also be used to solicit and display responses from group application activities by having students enter their responses in the chat in a near simultaneous fashion.

Poll Everywhere

Poll Everywhere is a digital student response system that has been effective in facilitating group application activities in the remote setting and would also be functional for the face to face context.

Poll Everywhere offers both a free and paid subscription account. The free version has substantial functionality and variety of interactive elements. Instructors can create multiple choice questions, ranking questions and constructed response type activities to meet a variety of group application activities and response types.

While the instructor must create an account, students merely need to access a link via web browser or mobile app to contribute. The platform only collects an IP address (which is easily spoofed with a VPN) and any name that the student chooses to enter when prompted. As such, Poll Everywhere is a viable digital solution that falls within the FIPPA legislation requirements.

(Brunton, 2020)

Utilizing Poll Everywhere in a team context takes some planning.

There are a multitude of alternate digital student response systems, but each should be evaluated against the SAMR and SECTIONS models to ensure security, appropriateness and support of learning outcomes.