speech on how can online learning be fun

Speech on Online Classes

Online classes are changing how you learn new things. They bring the classroom to your home through your computer screen.

You might be wondering, what exactly are online classes? They are just like regular classes, but they take place over the internet.

1-minute Speech on Online Classes

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, let’s talk about online classes today.

The best part about online classes is that they are flexible. If you have a computer with an internet connection, you can learn from anywhere, at any time. You can be in your room, in the park, or even on vacation. You don’t need to wake up early to catch the school bus or worry about missing classes when you are sick.

Another great thing about online classes is that they offer a wide range of subjects. You can learn anything from math to music, science to sports. There are so many choices and you can learn what you love the most.

We also have to remember that online classes are different from regular classrooms. You need to have self-discipline and manage your time well. There aren’t teachers around to make you sit and study. It’s all up to you. But don’t worry, with a bit of practice, you will get the hang of it.

In conclusion, online classes are a new and exciting way to learn. They are flexible, offer a wide range of subjects, and can be done from anywhere. All you need is a computer, an internet connection, and a bit of self-discipline. So, get ready to explore this amazing world of learning.

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2-minute Speech on Online Classes

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, today’s topic is something that has recently become a big part of our lives – online classes.

Online classes are a type of teaching where we use computers, internet, and digital tools to learn. We can take classes from our homes, gardens, or anywhere we have an internet connection. No more being late because of traffic or bad weather. It’s like having your school or college right in your pocket.

But like every good thing, online classes also have some challenges. For one, you need a good internet connection and a device like a computer, tablet, or phone to take classes. This can be hard for some students. Also, not being in the same room as your teacher and classmates can make you feel lonely. You might also get distracted by things at home.

So, what can we do to make online classes better? First, schools and governments can help students get the devices and internet they need. Teachers can also make sure that classes are fun and engaging. And just because you’re not in school doesn’t mean you can’t be social. You can chat with your classmates, join online clubs, or even play games together.

We also have speeches on more interesting topics that you may want to explore.

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8 ways to make lessons fun and engaging in an online classroom

Connecting via webcam isn’t always easy and it takes creativity to keep students’ brains stimulated!

In fact, teaching online requires you to use completely different skillsets compared to those used to teach in-person!

With the home environment being surrounded by potential distractions, keeping students engaged, motivated, and interested in their lessons can be one of the biggest challenges online teachers face.

The question most of us online teachers ask ourselves at least once is: “How can I make the online classroom experience more exciting for my students?”

Luckily, there are plenty of tips and tricks to help you increase engagement in the classroom

Let’s dive right in then.

Here are the 8 best tips that will help you learn how to make lessons fun and engaging in an online classroom:

• Present your best (online) self
• Use technology to your advantage
• Find what inspires your students
• Set goals and help students stick to them
• Keep it interactive
• Break down the lessons and make it digestible
• Make your students feel valued
• Be patient with your students

1. Present your best (online) self

If your students can see you via a webcam, make sure that not only do you look presentable, but the location that you’re in does too.

Tip: a simple background works best to eliminate any distractions.

And that’s just the first step!

If students can see your face, it’s going to be 100 times more motivating for them if you look engaged and interested in what they are saying (even if sometimes this requires all your saintly teacher patience!).

Also, your visual materials must be up to scratch.

Make sure your slides look clean and clear and any videos you use are of good quality.

Try changing the tone of your voice to introduce new activities or mix up the tempo of your class!

Practice your storytelling skills and offer praise out loud. This can make a huge difference in encouraging your students.

And, again, make sure any audio clips you plan to use are of good quality.

Finally, this might be stating the obvious, but make sure you can teach your online lessons from somewhere with a reliable internet connection.

Nothing will have students switching off their attention quicker than a crackly connection that keeps on cutting out.

2. Use technology to your advantage

Teaching online comes with its challenges , but it also puts a whole load of really cool tools at your fingertips.

Whether you use whiteboards, pointers, virtual games, text editors, drawing tools, file editors, breakout rooms, or screen-sharing tools, you can use the technology you have to add variety to your lessons and keep students on their toes.

First of all, make sure you know how to use these virtual tools and take time to explain them to students, so they feel confident with using them too.

Then think about how you might use them to liven up your lessons.

For example, you could use fun rewards to entice students.

There is no kid out there whose eyes don’t light up at the prospect of 30 seconds of free play on a drawing tool!

3. Find what inspires your students

The good news is, just like in any face-to-face classroom, the real key to getting your online students involved is to find out what inspires them and gives them a reason to be engaged in the classroom.

Whether you’re teaching English online or you are a classroom teacher turned virtual, use the same mediums you would use in a real-life classroom.

Turn up the fun by playing music or just go to town with the drawing tool!

Don’t be afraid to try different things with your students until you find something that works for them.

4. Set goals and help your students stick to them

Another way to help online students stay on track with their studies (and keep a sense of purpose) is to set goals and remind them of their progress.

Setting goals for online learners

One simple way to introduce short-term goals into your online classroom is to make sure each lesson has a clear outline that you share with your student so they know where they are in the learning process and the context for any activity they are doing.

Then think about how you might reward students for finishing tasks (or, even better, for working hard) during a lesson.

You could try positive feedback, badges, points, playing games or doing other fun learning activities your students would like.

When it comes to long-term goals, going too far into the future might not be effective, but try taking time now and then to check in with your students and set goals together for the next month, three months, or six months down the line.

Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world.

Progress checks for online learners.

For short-term progress checks, make sure you build continuity between lessons by doing quick revisions or quizzes on previous topics.

A great way to remind students of their long-term progress is by building up a portfolio of work with them so they can look back themselves and see how far they’ve come.

One way of doing this online is to start an achievement page.

If you are teaching kids, every time they achieve something, you can go to the achievement page and ask them to draw something that reminds them of what they’ve learned (you might want to make it an achievement tree they can add to or a trophy shelf.) With teens or adult learners, you might prefer asking them to write something.

As the course progresses, the page will fill up with reminders of successes and proud moments for your students.

5. Keep it interactive

In a face-to-face class, it’s typical to give students some quiet reflection time to work alone or read a text.

But these kinds of activities don’t translate well in online classrooms.

Long, dense texts are challenging to read on a screen (it’s much easier to break things into chunks).

Silence just doesn’t translate that well in virtual classrooms as it provides the perfect excuse for a student’s attention to drift elsewhere!

Planning activities that keep your students actively clicking, typing or talking throughout the lesson is the way to go.

You can do this by asking lots of questions, including games and making sure learners have to physically do things like use drawing tools or type in the dialogue boxes.

And when you’re planning your lesson, you can make sure your student has to say something every three minutes or so.

6. Break down the lesson and make it digestible

Timing is crucial in online teaching, and you might find you need to break up your online lessons differently than you would with face-to-face ones.

As a general rule, it’s a good idea to keep a fast pace and break down information into small, easily digestible chunks.

In practical terms, this means to steer clear of lengthy explanations and slides with too much text!

Mixing up the tempo of your lessons by adding a variety of activity types is also a great way to make the time fly by for your students .

You can also write your lesson plans for the online classroom with free lesson planners like Planboard .

And for online English teachers, there are plenty of free resources out there to get you started.

7. Make your students feel valued

The truth is, the isolation experienced by students studying in online classrooms can be a huge factor in making them feel demotivated.

They might think that no one will notice or care if they miss a class, or find it all too tempting to not log in to the classroom if they’re feeling tired.

The best way online teachers can help remedy this is by making their students feel valued in the classroom.

How do I do that, you ask?

Here are some suggestions:

• Learn your student’s name and use their name throughout the lesson, and make sure they learn yours
• Follow up on what you did in previous lessons so your students know that you’re on top of what they’re learning (and they should be too)
• Find out about your student’s interests and incorporate them into the lesson where possible
• Give regular feedback on your students’ work
• Aim to be a positive, encouraging and present

8. Be patient with your students

As anyone can tell you, keeping students engaged and stimulated is no easy task. Remember that young kids sometimes don’t have very high attention spans, so it can be hard for them to sit still and focus at times.

This is totally normal and okay!

It’s essential to give them a break now and then and be patient with them.

Your students can easily pick up whether you’re annoyed or frustrated when something isn’t clicking.

And that makes matters worse.

Give them a short break every now and then.

It’ll make a difference!

Create a more engaging virtual classroom

Teaching online takes creativity.

Online environments can be challenging to master at first, but with a little effort and time, your students will be getting the best experience possible.

And, they’ll be excited to log into your classroom.

To recap, here are the 8 ways to increase engagement online:

We hope these tips gave you a great foundation for building better online classrooms, but don’t be discouraged if you still need a little more help.

If you need more help, you can always try our Online Teaching Strategies course to give you more confidence and ensure you smoothly transition into the world of online teaching.

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Distance education: Do students believe it should be fun?

Due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak, many schools and universities have now closed their buildings, and have moved to learning at distance. Distance education Institutions are also affected, with face-to-face learning activities and fieldwork being curtailed.

During this disruptive time, new alternatives need to be provided and many universities are facing the task of developing their online learning provision as quickly as possible, in order to reduce the negative impact on their curriculum and their students study experience.

Various universities in Europe, South America and Africa have highlighted that many students are not prepared for the replacement of their full face-to-face learning with distance education. Consequently, understanding factors that influence learners’ engagement and enjoyment with online studies has been foregrounded for many educators, and their students, for the first time.  

UNESCO indicate that COVID-19 virus affected 1,576,767,997 learners, which refers to 91.4% of total enrolled learners in 192 country-wide closures. Various universities in Europe, South America and Africa have highlighted that many students are not prepared for the replacement of their full face-to-face learning with distance education. Course teams are faced with the challenge of making their established learning programme available online in a short time and in ways that enhance students’ learning experience during difficult times.

Being responsive to students’ views about their learning, in this new context, is an important part of developing online pedagogies that might support learner well-being, and this includes a potentially controversial consideration of the role of fun.

In this article, I present preliminary research findings about online learning and fun, that are part of a series of research work of the Rumpus Research group of The Open University. ( http://wels.open.ac.uk/rumpus ). The aim is to open up discussion with all OpenLearners – students and educators across the world – interested in the topic of fun, and its role in enhancing students online distance education experiences.

What does research tell us about the effect of fun in learning? 

Fun is seen as having different meanings by different researchers, so there is not a commonly agreed definition. Similarly, the effect of fun on learning is not agreed. Some studies suggest that fun has a positive impact to promote an enjoyable and self-motivating learning, instead of the unfruitful and boring teaching-centred experience. In stark contrast are beliefs that fun is not appropriate in the serious business of higher education.

These negative beliefs sometimes associate fun with being merely entertainment, or a ‘trivial experience’, and unconnected to the hard and effortful work required for learning. For example, according to the Centre for Education Economics (CEE, 2018) : ‘Making lessons fun does not help students to learn’. Fun is considered unnecessary with little value for many institutions, mainly due to the belief that strict traditional teaching methods are the most effective, even those that are not enjoyable for students.

Conversely, other researchers have identified the positive impacts of fun in learning. For example, it produces positive physiological effects, such as reducing stress and improving alertness, which can enhance ‘performance’. This perspective has supported arguments that fun has a helpful effect on learning as it is associated with enjoyment, engagement and optimal experience, which draws on the concept of ‘flow’ developed by Csikszentmihalyi.

This study considers that understanding students' perceptions and beliefs about fun and learning will be useful to promote engagement and enjoyment with distance education.

What are students’ views about fun in learning? 

To explore students’ views about this topic, an anonymous mixed‐method research study was carried out with students from an introductory online module offered by The Open University (OU). In this study, 551 students completed a questionnaire, 206 of these participants also described their views about online learning and fun.

Participants were from a nine-month-module, which has twenty-four weekly units and four assessment activities. Data was generated in the last three weeks of February 2020 during the middle of the module. Two instruments provided for student-volunteers: a self-reflective structured questionnaire developed by Sheehy and an open and optional question created for them to give their individual views on any factor they wished. The instruments for data generation were developed in Qualtrics – with a special code to enable withdrawal without personal data collection.

A variety of students-volunteers joined the study. As an introductory course, this included a sample of ‘novice’ undergraduates who came from secondary schools. As this module is open to any interested learner; there were also undergraduates from other levels of study as indicated in Figure 2.

Findings from quantitative data (Figure 3) suggested a broadly positive view about the relationship between fun and learning in distance higher education.

The majority students – more than 90% – strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that

• To learn effectively, students must enjoy their learning
• To learn effectively, students must be happy while learning
• Learning should involve fun
• I am enjoying studying this module

However, a small group, approximately 19% of students, strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that

• Fun activities can get in the way of student learning.

Results drawn from qualitative data were summarised through two word-clouds based on the frequency of themes that emerged during the exploratory thematic analysis. This qualitative analysis indicated that the effect of fun in online learning varied according to the different meanings attributed to it by students.

A significant number of students presented positive views regarding the impact of fun in online learning. They identified various factors that students believed existed, for example, freedom, engagement, real scenarios, personalised learning, meeting people and sense of humour. These were associated with various benefits, for instance, to take the stress out, to better themselves, to keep up and catch up with learning with a better mindset. The following statements provide an overview of these.

There were students who also reported that fun is needed for academic engagement but felt that this was difficult to achieve in an online context, and so felt isolated and were ‘missing out’ from closer (and possibly fun) interactions with peers.

Students' views:

- It’s more about having the freedom to fit it in around my work, child and homelife so it takes the stress out of trying to better myself - so not being stressed and finding ways to keep up and catch up is definitely a better mindset to be in!

- Those who chose distance learning may still need some form of fun element to break up the intensity of learning

- It is fun to see other students’ comments on the forum, also nice to see our tutors get involved and crack jokes . It lightens the mood or pressure.

- The fun part is the interaction and meeting new people ... Distance learning gives me the opportunity to carry on with life and enjoy my studies at the same time. I think that would be called fun?!? 

- Lots of relevant up to date/current activities , that can be related to in real life .  Meeting other students doing the same course is good, and feels supportive , but not many take up the opportunity .

- Fun to have a non-serious outlook helps for some and at different times through their learning experience ; to be able to cope and show self-competence will make you feel good . 

- It helps me engage more with the content so therefore learning more effectively .

The following statements present a few examples from a minority of students who found it difficult to describe what fun means in online learning in general, because of the ambiguous and subjective nature of the concept.

More student's views:

- I think fun is a very ambiguous term, what might be fun to one person might be another person's idea of absolute boredom.

- How do you go about deciding what fun would be in distance learning? In what context? In a classroom? On a computer? It is a hard question to answer .

- Distance learning is more about the academic learning than the experience of university, and with such a wide range of students with regards to age, ethnicity, financial responsibilities etc, "fun" would mean too many different things to be effective

- I think ’ fun’ is subjective . Some people find the online activities fun, others find reading about a subject that interests them is fun. Some may find engaging with other students at a tutorial to be fun, for others it may be the opposite of fun

However, negative views about fun and learning were also mentioned by a small group of students. The following examples indicate why for some students having fun is difficult or may get them out of learning. In other words, fun for some students is distraction and they prefer to study without wasting time. Some considered fun as part of social interaction, and not work, and so would prefer to work on their own ie. without fun. Some students felt that online activities were repetitive and that associated reading activities were boring, linking distance education with an explicit lack of fun. Furthermore, some students reported feeling under pressure or stressed, and that they did not expect online learning to be fun. For them fun is irrelevant, or antagonistic, to their stated need for more support from tutors. 

Even more students' views:

- Trying to work my way through the module on my own , without distractions.

- How can it be applied in distance learning, without forcing students to interact with other peers? Fun activities could be viewed as a waste of time by certain students.  

- Fun helps engagement, but... I'm struggling to stay on top of work and I'm constantly stressed   …

- It’s hard because you feel kind of isolated , it’d be nice to see others more as I feel I’m missing out.

- Some activities can be rather repetitive which can lose my interest and I just find myself skim reading rather than taking it all in. I like watching videos and breaking the videos down, but when there is a lot of reading to do, it can become boring and tenuous . 

- I have health issues, so to me having a tutor who emails regularly would be the best. Fun can aid learning but at the moment fun is not a state of mind that I have. I would find the addition of ' fun' or forced socia l activities tortuous.

To conclude this article, some recommendations were drawn from students’ reflective views about the relationship between fun and learning. This list was organised through the distinctive groups that might utilize the findings.

Recommendations for students

• Be aware of your personal views about fun to help you identify factors that affect your enjoyment and engagement with distance online learning.
•  Identify what is difficult or boring during your own learning and discuss it to find alternatives, in order to avoid anxiety or lack of interest.
• Distance learning can potentially be lonely and isolating, so being open-minded to experience social online activities might be useful to be engaged with informal online learning.
• Fun can have a positive impact on your learning when you have enjoyable activities, feel motivated, focused and engaged with your studies. It is also an art form knowing when to have fun; how and why.
• Keep your study engaging using time allocation will be helpful; many students have busy lives and lack of time.
• Interact with other students on online and face-to-face tutorials who are doing the same course may be fun. You should be open to take up this opportunity.

Final Remarks

This article presented an exploratory study about students’ views related to fun and online learning through an open question for them to express with freedom their opinions anonymously and share what they considered significant about this topic.

Findings revealed that most of students find fun important with positive views about its value and effect. There are a few students who mentioned that learning is a difficult concept to describe and some of them presented negative views of fun.

This article invites anyone interested in online learning – including students, course teams, life-long learners and educational researchers to discuss this study about the value of fun for enjoyable, meaningful and productive online learning!

What is your opinion about fun in distance learning?

Should online learning be fun?

Please leave your comments on this brief questionnaire survey

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• Originally published: Thursday, 23 April 2020
• Body text - Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 : The Open University
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The Human Element in Online Learning

By  Larry DeBrock , Norma Scagnoli and Fataneh Taghaboni-Dutta

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As the nation prepares to meet the threat of COVID-19, we are surrounded by the language of loneliness. We move from “social distancing” to “self-isolation” to even the prospect of avoiding the people we love. At colleges and universities across the country, we are pivoting quickly toward online learning, or as it is often called, distance learning.

But here’s the secret most educators and students don’t yet know: done right, online education is surprisingly intimate.

That student who’s sitting far enough away in the lecture hall that you can’t quite read her expression amid the proverbial sea of faces? When you call on her in a live Zoom session, she pops up right in front of you, one on one, looking you straight in the eye. There is no back seat in online education -- every student is in the front row.

That other student in back who never raises his hand? You might be surprised at how willing he is to open up and share his ideas in the live chat room that’s running alongside your primary content.

When you create small breakout groups online, you eliminate not only the chair shuffling and wasted time of moving people around, but also much of the awkward social dance that human beings do as they try to find their place in a new group. Over and over, we find that group work online creates strong team bonds in amazingly short periods of time. After all, many of our students grew up cultivating and navigating their social lives on screens and keyboards.

Three years ago, our institution, the University of Illinois’ Gies College of Business, created a new kind of online M.B.A., designed from the ground up. We certainly had more time to plan for it than do our colleagues who are now going online in the face of an epidemic. But for many of us, it was still a daunting dive into unknown waters. We all wondered what we would be missing.

The online program has been phenomenally successful, growing from 114 students its first year to 3,200 students this year, with high rates of retention and satisfaction. Students tell us they find great value in the educational experience. There are many reasons for that. But when faculty and staff members gather to talk about what is working, one theme that arises over and over is the level of engagement. And not just intellectual engagement with the course content, but human engagement -- between faculty and students, and even more strikingly, among students from around the world whose main commonality is this shared digital adventure.

That is not to say that this emotional component in online education comes automatically or easily. Effective online teaching often requires more planning and more overall effort than traditional classroom teaching of the same material. Running useful office hours online, for a group of several dozen students at once, requires strict discipline and a lot of energy. And for those of us who did not grow up digital natives, it can still take some mental gymnastics to look into a camera as we would into a human eye -- not to mention to perform the multitasking required to manage a good platform in real time.

But after immersing ourselves in this modality for a few years, we do have several practical ideas that might help you get the best out of this medium and create a compelling, engaging, enjoyable learning environment for students who might need that more than ever.

Use your students’ exploring, editing and creative skills. As you plan assignments, think about what students do so well in the digital environment and build their work around those skills and behaviors. Online, students quickly shift from consumers to producers of content, and sharing is easy. Build activities that encourage them to co-create and peer review. Have students create or improve wiki pages on key topics.

Emphasize group projects. Figure out what students should be practicing and create exercises that help them reflect on their own perspectives and learn from one another.

Interact with students as they work. Whether it is commenting on a document as it is drafted online, dropping into a chat room or simply acknowledging students in live sessions, make the journey with them. This environment is very appropriate for the constructivist role of “the guide on the side.” Let them know that not only are they looking at you, you are looking at them.

Solicit questions. Hold online office hours and encourage students to come and bring their questions. The barrier to entry is lower than it would be coming to your physical office, and it is one of the best ways that faculty members can create relationships with students.

Mix it up. In class, think of what you are teaching in smaller “chunks” -- micro-lectures, interspersed with silent activities and group work.

Highlight students’ individual experiences. Unlike a physical classroom, students online are in different places, living different lives. Encourage them to share those distinct experiences and help them tap such experiences for their coursework.

For those of you venturing into online education for the first time, we should share one more secret: the distinct engagement and bonds we build online don’t just enhance the student experience. They breathe a whole new life into the teaching experience, as well.

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6 ways to make online learning engaging and fun

Online learning ( or eLearning) has opened up some incredible opportunities for students all around the world to study any subject, at any time. Though convenience is one of the main selling points, there can be difficulties in keeping your students engaged throughout the entirety of the course. It takes creativity and thinking outside of the box to accomplish this.

At Archy Learning , we aim to allow anyone to create fun and engaging online courses. We have put together 6 simple ways for you to do this. Let’s go over them in this blog!

Here are the 6 best tips that will help you learn how to make lessons fun and engaging in a virtual classroom:

1) Present quality content 2) Use technology 3) Know your audience 4) Set goals 5) Use gamification 6) Break down the lessons and make them digestible 

1) Present quality content

Having good audio and visual content is one of the most important aspects of a successful online course. If your video quality is blurry or pixelated, and your audio keeps cutting out, how can you expect your students to pay attention the entire time?

Ensure when recording, or conducting live classes that you have a good internet connection and a microphone that can provide great audio quality. Ensuring a quality experience for your students will help them stay focused and engaged for longer.

2) Use technology

Leveraging tech into your learning journey is one of the best things you can do! Using elements like screen sharing, virtual mini-games, virtual whiteboards, etc can really help add variety to your courses. Using these will no doubt raise the engagement levels of your course.

Do some research, and look at what other course creators are doing and the tech they are leveraging, and don’t be afraid to add it into your own learning activities. Tech will help liven up your lessons.

3) Know your audience

Knowing your audience and students is great and you should keep this in mind while creating your content. Content for a class of students in middle school would be very different in comparison to content created for adults.

For younger online students, you might want to speak in simpler and more animated ways.

Keep your online classes engaged by giving fun activities that require imagination and creativity. Encourage students to try new things, and measure their progress and engagement throughout the course.

4) Set goals 

A way to track and ensure the success of your students’ learnings is to set clear goals and monitor them throughout the course. Let your students see how they are tracking and succeeding as well, as this will help them stay motivated and continue.

Goals should be set throughout the course. Even small victories ensure your students that they are on the path to success. Start with a clear outline of the course and introduce short-term goals throughout it. Provide positive feedback throughout the course as well.

Implementing elements such as quizzes will help you see how your students are learning the content. This can also help you know what you need to revise later.

5) Use gamification

Using gamification in your eLearning is one of the best strategies you can implement . It makes your entire learning pathway more fun, just like a game. You can implement elements such as badges, leaderboards, points, and mini-games.

You can even create different levels of the learning course and create “quests” for your students. They can use these quests as motivators to complete as they travel through and learn all of the content.

Reward your users with points and allow them to show off their scores on a leaderboard. You can even create fun real-life rewards, instead of just digital. Gifts such as gift cards can help motivate your users and create fun competition amongst their peers.

Archy Learning has partnered its LMS with Gamify , allowing users to add gamification elements and mini-games with ease, no coding required! You can even brand them to your business branding guidelines and add in custom content and characters. Make the game look like your very own!

6) Break down the lesson and make it digestible

The general population’s attention span is shrinking, with statistics showing that it has gone down to about 6 seconds. We as course creators need to keep this in mind while creating our course content. Microlearning has proven to be much more effective than having 3 hour-long lectures.

If you break down course content into intervals of about 10-15 minutes, students can achieve more in less time. Not only that, but they’ll actually retain the content better.

Repetition is incredibly important as well. Breaking down concepts and then summarising them helps for memorization. Adding in mini-games in between lessons will help learners with retention rates as well.

Online learning has opened up brand new opportunities for everyone, allowing for courses to be studied across an array of subjects by anyone with internet access. The quality of online learning has also developed tremendously in the last decade, with technology advancing, online learning can provide a more engaging and fun experience.

You can start by creating your own online course for free, today!

Alex Mospanyuk

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Online learning can be fun, if you let it

UTSoC’s Director of Publications Alex Turner-Cohen reckons online learning can be fun, as long as you follow one important rule. Hint: It all depends on you.

Members of the UTS Law Student Society meet online

Every profession has had to adapt to this strange new world we find ourselves in, faced with a pandemic on one hand and social isolation on the other. And the university education system is no exception. Classes have pivoted to online settings. The days of talking to a tutor face-to-face feel like a lifetime ago. 

I’ll admit, I wasn’t keen on the idea of online learning at first. How could university be the same as it was before?

I was right. Online learning is not the same. But that doesn’t mean it’s bad — it’s just different. 

Tutors and lecturers are trying their hardest to make the virtual classroom come to life. Even though you might be hundreds, sometimes even thousands of kilometres away from your tutor, it’s easy to forget that there’s a global pandemic. As long as you don’t have any internet issues, most of the time, the difference is negligible between an online class and the real deal. 

Essentially, online learning can be fun. If you let it. From what I’ve observed after a semester of classes, here’s how. 

The joys of technology

Zoom has become the new god, and us university students are now its devout worshippers. 

Like any technology, it has a number of features which are ideal for online learning. And tutors are making the most of it. 

First of all: Break out rooms. With a simple click of a button, tutors can break the class up into different groups to engender discussions. With this feature, it feels just like any normal tutorial — except for the fact I haven’t had to leave my bed. 

Breakout rooms aren’t the only godly feature of the video calling platform — it also has a bunch of other interactive options including polls and an online chat. The latter comes in handy whenever you want to access a link and don’t want to waste time searching for it in your inbox or on Canvas. Tutors can send it quickly through the chatbox. 

Share Screen is one of my favourites. If you need help or want to present to the class, you can just share your screen with the tutor and the rest of the students. (Although you will need to ask your tutor to enable this function in order for it to work.)

The mute feature is also a dream come true. It means you can keep your full attention on whoever’s speaking, without having any annoying background noise.  Maybe it’s not ideal if you wanted to make friends in the tutorial, but it’s the perfect environment for learning. 

Last but not least: Good ol’ technology also makes it super easy for you to get ahold of your tutor. It’s never been easier to arrange one-on-one sessions. If you need help, they really can’t avoid you now. 

Zoom really is quite amazing when you think about it.

For instance, I’ve just finished a group assignment where I was the only in my team from Australia - the rest were international or exchange students who had returned home. So despite I and my group members being in five different countries across the world, we were able to chat in real time and even hand our assignment in without any hitches. What a time to be alive!

Everyone is more real with each other

Life in lockdown has provided students and their tutors with a rare opportunity to be real with each other. 

By this, I mean that we all get a glimpse into each other’s lives, that would otherwise have remained forever hidden. As soon as we turn on Zoom’s video feature, we get a window into everyone’s lives. We can see the posters on the walls of other students’ rooms (I will admit I have some embarrassing pictures of Heath Ledger on my wall), we can see how neat (or messy) their homes are. Sometimes we even see a family member/roommate/partner walk past or talk to them. Most of the time I’d never let my friends near my mum!

If we’re super lucky, we might even get to see someone’s pet on the other side of the screen. And if you’re anything like me, you’re wearing pyjamas to your tutes and you don’t wear makeup anymore, because the picture quality is too grainy for people to notice anyway. The makeup is a good metaphor for this whole situation. We’ve taken off the foundation and realised that everyone is pretty much the same. 

I’ve had one tutor who had to leave the class for five minutes because her cat was meowing a lot. It might not be much, but all these things do a lot to humanise your peers and tutors. Honestly, it’s quite refreshing. It also helps build rapport with your class, which in turn makes it easier and more enjoyable to learn. 

Tutors also recognise that people in their classes might be struggling. So one of my tutors took matters into her own hands, using class as an opportunity to check in on everyone. Instead of calling the roll, she made us all say how we were coping during lockdown. Everyone spoke candidly about their situations — including the tutor. 

It was nice to find out everyone was in the same boat. Even if some of us are on different sides of the world. 

Pyjamas and sleep-ins

Let’s not forget one more added bonus of online learning. The convenience. 

Gone are the days where you had to set your alarm for ridiculously early in the morning to make it in time for class (especially if you lived outside of Sydney and had to make that 9.am lecture). Now, we simply have to roll out of bed, switch on our laptops and we’re good to go. 

I don’t need to go through the struggle of choosing what to wear and trying to remember if my classmates had already seen me in that outfit. Now, I can just wear whatever is comfortable — be that fluffy socks or my night gown. 

No matter which way you spin it, learning from home is pretty damn convenient. Especially if you’re an international student — you don’t even need to leave your family behind!

Tutors are trying their hardest, but they need your help. At the end of the day, an engaging class all depends on you. You only get out of something as much as you give — though it pains me to use that cliche. 

If you show up, engage in class discussions, maybe even crack the odd joke or two, online learning will be a blast. 

Remember, there’s nothing worse than when a tutor asks a question and no-one answers. The awkward silence is so thick in the air you can almost smell it. So be that person who answers. For the sake of the tutors, if not for your own.

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.

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7 Ways to Make Virtual Learning More Fun

Did you go to college and major in Virtual Education? I’m gonna guess that’s a great big “No!” You are a classroom teacher and you aren’t wimpy. You know how to make your lessons fun and effective. But, then everything changed. Without much notice, you became an online teacher. You’ve been learning new software, attending countless Zoom meetings, and teaching students where to find the mute button. It’s overwhelming, but you still want to make virtual learning fun for your students. You’re amazing! I am inspired by you, and I want to help…

I brainstormed some of my favorite (but simple) ways to make learning fun in a virtual classroom. Check it out…

I love centers because they are a hands-on and engaging way to practice almost any skill. Students love centers because they are a million times more fun than filling in a worksheet.

Typically, my students got out of their seats and used printed center materials that they were sorting, matching and manipulating. Using these printed materials is not possible in a virtual classroom. (Parents would lose their minds if we asked them to print and cut all of those materials!)

But, just because you are virtual, does not mean you have to give up centers all together! It will look different, but engaging center activities are still possible.

Use digital centers!

Look for centers that have movable pieces that will provide more engagement than a digitalized worksheet. Students can still sort, color code, match, roll dice and use spinners. And it can all be done from their computer or device.

We have created digital centers for reading and math. They are Google Slides activities that are a piece of cake to upload into Google Classroom. Not using Google Classroom? No worries! We have included directions to download the activities as a PowerPoint. You can use the PowerPoint on platforms such as Schoology, Teams and Canvas.

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2nd Grade Digital Math Centers

3rd Grade Digital Math Centers

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5th Grade Digital Math Centers

Digital Third Grade Reading Units With Centers

Students feel like they are playing a game, but we know that they are completing valuable practice activities!

2. Book Clubs

Prior to the Covid Craziness of 2020, book clubs were an integral part of my reading routine in the classroom.

I actually used book clubs in all of my guided reading groups. Yup, even my struggling readers got to participate in book clubs!

Because reading books helps kids to develop a lifelong love for reading! You very rarely find someone who declares their love for reading passages. (My husband is one of those rare exceptions.)

The good news is that you CAN still do book clubs in a virtual classroom.

One way to run your books clubs is to split your class into 3-4 leveled groups where each group is reading a different book. If possible, I recommend scheduling Zoom or Google Meet calls to choral read the book together. This helps to increase comprehension, accountability and fun!

After you read a chapter or two together, you can assign a graphic organizer based on the skill that you are currently working on as a whole class.

We have added digital versions of all of our book club graphic organizers to the original resource! There are tons of graphic organizers for fiction and nonfiction books.

Book Clubs Fiction and Nonfiction Bundle

This is a crazy year and so it is perfectly ok to modify book clubs. (Not that you needed my permission!) Maybe the whole class is reading the same book. Heck, you might even be reading the book to your class! Do what works best for your learners.

3. Virtual Field Trips

I want to tell you that I loved taking my students on field trips. I want to tell you that it was a magical time where lifelong memories were made. But I am just not a good liar… I actually hated field trips.

Why does someone barf on every single field trip, but almost never in the classroom? Why does someone always end up bleeding? And why in the world was the weather always so miserable every time we planned an outdoor field trip?

I guess those are just teacher mysteries that will never be solved.??‍♀️

And even though field trip days were hard, I do know that my students loved them. For some of my students it was the only time they got to leave their hometown. It was their first time seeing a live play or the only time that they will ever pet a sting ray.

So maybe I do kinda sorta like those darn field trips.

We can still do virtual field trips with our students!

Virtual field trips are generally videos or interactive tours of a place that are completely online. A good virtual field trip makes you feel like you are right there visiting this new place.

Virtual field trips are amazing because they are free, the weather never gets in the way, almost no one throws up and you don’t have to stress about losing a kid! Plus, you can do field trips all over the world in less than an hour. No bus rides needed!

You can use virtual field trips to supplement your social studies and science curriculum. You can also use them as a reward for participation and behavior in your virtual classroom.

Click HERE to read about some of our very favorite virtual field trips around the country.

4. Lunch Clubs

For some reason kids love to eat with their teacher. I used to use this as a reward in my classroom and I was shocked that so many students were motivated to earn an opportunity to watch me stuff my face with a PB & J.

The reality is that students look up to their teacher and enjoy the opportunity to connect on a more personal level.

Lunch clubs give students the chance to build a relationship with you!

I would suggest breaking students into groups of 4-6 students. You can decide how often you want to eat lunch with your students (because sometimes you need to eat privately because you feel less judged for eating an entire package of Oreos).

So you might decide that Tuesdays and Thursdays are for lunch club. Invite a different group each time to join you via Zoom or Google Meet. Everyone brings their lunch and you can chat.

This is a great time to talk about things other than school. Ask about their pets, siblings, favorite TV shows and games that they like to play. Use the time to get to know each of your students.

Relationship building is even more essential in a virtual classroom!

5. Change the Location

Almost all of my lessons happened in the classroom. Sometimes they were in their desks. Sometimes they came to the carpet, but we rarely did our lesson outside of the classroom.

When I am recording videos or doing live video chats, I almost always do them from the same place. I have a comfortable chair and a small desk in a spare room. It’s comfortable and routine.

But sometimes we need to break the routine!

Every now and again, switch up the location where you record your lessons or lead your live video calls.

Can you take the laptop outside for a video? Can you move from the dining room to the living room couch? Or, can you use a fun digital background to make it look like you are on the beach?

Students love to see your home (even the stacks of laundry and dirty dishes) because it’s a glimpse into who you are. Plus, they love to be surprised!

It’s ok to have a routine, but don’t be scared to get creative every now and again.

I love music. Country music is my favorite, but I love to sing along to almost any genre (even though I can’t hit one single correct note).

I use music to change my mood. When I am tired, I put on some Michael Jackson and my body instantly wakes up and starts to dance. When I have to do something that I am not excited about, I turn on some Katy Perry. I’m invincible after a little Roar!

Music can also change the mood in our classroom!

Using music in a virtual classroom is as easy as playing a song at the start of every video call or prerecorded video. Students will be excited to log in and find out which song you are playing today.

To make this even more fun, ask students what their favorite songs are. You might send them a Google Form.

Then, rotate through their favorite songs.

This probably doesn’t need to be said, but I am the Queen of Stating the Obvious… listen to the song ahead of time and make sure it is appropriate. Sometimes you can play part of the song and stop before an F bomb gets dropped. But be careful! I also find that Kidz Bop does remakes of many popular pop songs. They are generally more appropriate.

7. Mix in Non-Academic Activities

Yes, you need to be teaching reading, writing and math. You are probably throwing in a little science and social studies. And that is so overwhelming…

But adding in a simple and quick game or conversation starter can make your lessons afterwards a million times more effective. It breaks up the video watching.

Adding in a surprise challenge or movement activity will get your students excited about logging in to your Zoom Call or Google Meet. Heck, it might even improve your participation rate!

Click HERE to read more about these simple activities and how they can be done virtually.

I know that you miss your classroom and your students. But I also know that you CAN make virtual learning fun! Your students are so darn lucky to have you.

Have a Not So Wimpy day,

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Reader Interactions

September 18, 2020 at 9:39 am

How do you suggest using your math centers that I purchased last year without sharing the materials? My kids loved them last year and I would like to incorporate them in our learning environment.

September 18, 2020 at 3:11 pm

Hi! I was wondering if there was a way to use your digital center resources on Seesaw?

February 9, 2021 at 4:55 pm

You are so right about mixing in non-academic activities with virtual learning; building that rapport is so important and makes online learning better. I love using Go Noodle brain breaks with my students online. Plus, I need to move too! Thanks for sharing these tips. 🙂

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• I believe that students need to be the leaders of the classroom. Even third graders are old enough to be held accountable and to take responsibility for their learning.
• I do not believe that kids were made to sit in seats. They need to get up and move around.
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What can you do to make learning fun and engaging?

Casey Brown March 27, 2019

Ideally, we want every student to be ecstatic about learning and school. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

As teachers, we’re not only worried about clearly presenting material to students in a way they can understand, we’re also focused on making them want to learn. With every lesson, we find ourselves wondering how we can spark some interest in what we’re teaching. Let’s explore some ways to help make learning in our classrooms more engaging and fun.

How to make learning fun for your students

1. Connect learning to real life

“ Will I ever use this in real life?” Ah, the eternal question. You’ll often hear this when students are learning new material, and it’s a very valid concern — one you should address if you want to engage your students.

When teaching a mathematical concept like averages, for example, show your students how they can use those calculations to find their average grades. You can also link averages to sports statistics for students who are interested in athletics to help them understand batting averages in baseball and shooting percentages in basketball.

When teaching science concepts, bring them to life with a science experiment. Don’t just talk about life cycles — get a caterpillar in your classroom, and have students journal its day-to-day changes. If possible, have a class pet around to help demonstrate various biology concepts. Students can take turns feeding the pet and giving it exercise and water. You can also discuss its environment and needs. And if you’re teaching students about plants, there are plenty o utside !

Teaching students effective writing in English class? Show how being a good writer can help them express their thoughts more clearly in real-life scenarios. For example, students can publish small pieces online through personal blogs, enter writing contests, or even create cards and write letters to loved ones. Anything that makes an assignment more meaningful and engaging is definitely a plus.

Remember, u ntil you show that the material you teach has practical applications, students will treat learning as a chore.

2. Engage all kinds of intelligences

Students have many different gifts to offer. To get students more engaged in a new concept, let them use their strongest intelligence to work through it. In other words, whenever possible, give students a choice in the way they learn and demonstrate their knowledge. If you’re asking students to summarize a lesson, don’t just force everyone to write an essay or paragraph response. Instead, you could allow students to:

• Create a song to highlight the important points of the lesson.
• Draw a picture to illustrate what they learned or found most interesting.
• Deliver a quick, one-minute presentation in front of the class.
• And, of course, simply write an essay response (because there are students who enjoy this!).

By giving students some choices, you’ll be able to better engage them. If everyone is required to write a paragraph, you might lose some students who don’t enjoy writing. Yet if everyone is required to write and perform a song, you might lose the students who don’t enjoy singing in front of classmates. But if you offer a variety of options, students can choose what they do best and that sounds like fun. This gets the whole class involved, not just a few students.

3. Encourage movement in the classroom

Let’s face it, nobody enjoys sitting still for hours on end. This is the reason students tend to get antsy! But if your students are up and about, they’ll be more alert and engaged. Whenever you can add some movement to a lesson, make it happen — it’ll make things more lively and exciting for everyone.

When teaching new vocabulary, in addition to writing it down (or creating an accompanying illustration), you could have students demonstrate a movement that relates to the word, sort of like a reverse game of charades. Your entire vocabulary list then becomes an exercise in movement!

Have students clap once for agree and two times for disagree, or give answers in the form of a thumbs up or thumbs down. They can also respond by moving to different corners of the room.

If your school allows it and weather permits, take your class outside for a lesson. They can sit in circles and work on something together in small groups. Students are often inspired by some fresh air and sunshine.

Change the physical space of the learning environment. Move your desks around. Get rid of desks on certain days and only use chairs. Head to the gym if you can do a lesson on physics or math involving movement.

Be on the lookout for ways to sneak some movement into your lesson plans. Students are definitely more engaged when they’re not just sitting the entire time.

4. Integrate technology into learning

Kids love technology. And in moderation, technology can be a valuable tool in the classroom. Students have fun (and learn) while playing educational computer games and doing online practice activities.

One big advantage technology offers is the ability to engage students via differentiation — students can work on what they each need the most. If you have 30 students, they can all be working at different levels of the same material and simultaneously getting feedback about how they’re doing. Technology can offer easier (or more complex) questions depending on the individual student.

Technology can also bring a lesson to life for students. Virtual reality field trips are becoming increasingly popular and affordable for school districts. An art teacher can use virtual reality (VR) to take students on a trip through the Louvre Museum in Paris. A science teacher can use VR to show students the inside of a human body or the ecosystem of the ocean. Students can visit places such as the Grand Canyon, Washington, D.C., and the pyramids of Egypt.

With the popularity of cell phones, students are able to engage in whole-class reviews through apps like Kahoot , where they compete with classmates to see how many answers they can get correct. Students can also use cell phones to look up information about anything being taught in class. Need to know how to say a word in Spanish? Look it up. Wondering how many miles New York is from Los Angeles? Look it up. Students have a wealth of interactive information in the palm of their hands, and they enjoy when they’re given the chance to use it.

5. Encourage interaction

Two heads truly are better than one. When students are learning, it can be much more fun and engaging for them to work with a classmate. Look for ways for students to work with each other in the classroom. Think-pair-share activities are a great method. Give a student individual time to think, let them pair up and discuss with a partner, and then have them share ideas with the entire class.

You can assign partners or simply let students choose a learning buddy. You can also encourage students to change partners often. Set a timer and let them work with a person for two minutes. Once the time is up, they must pick a new partner. Do this for an entire activity, and a student may work with 15 others in the classroom! All of those interactions will make the learning process a lot more fun.

6. Host some friendly competitions

Students have fun playing games. And sometimes, they don’t even realize that they’re learning because a game is so amusing!

Teachers can have prizes or incentives like homework passes for winners. Some classrooms use a sticker chart to have an on-going competition that can last all semester long. Candy is always a big hit with students as well. There are review games like bingo and Pictionary. Some teachers have a Jeopardy template they use to play games in class. The Internet offers a lot of interactive games as well.

Learning is fun (if done correctly!)

Making learning fun and engaging can be difficult, but it’s definitely rewarding when you pull it off. When lessons are interactive and apply to real life, students are more likely to follow along and retain what they learn. As students are more engaged and have fun with lessons, you also end up enjoying class even more because it’s rewarding to see the positive impact that your material is having on your students. It’s a win-win for everyone!

Photo credit: Pixabay / Pexels.com

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Dear teachers and students!

Greetings to all. and thank you to all of your to give me a chance to give a speech on Online Education.

Since more and more individuals are using the internet to better their education, online education has grown in popularity. There are numerous advantages to online learning, such as the freedom to attend classes from any location and the chance to enrol in courses that might not be available locally. Additionally, compared to traditional in-person programmes, online education can sometimes be more affordable.

The flexibility that online education provides is one of its major benefits. No matter what time of day, whether early in the morning or late at night, students are free to attend class. Adults who are working or have family responsibilities who might not be able to attend typical programmes during traditional hours would particularly benefit from this.

The opportunity to enrol in courses that may not be available locally is another advantage of online education. Students now have access to a wide range of educational possibilities, regardless of where they reside. Additionally, compared to conventional in-person sessions, online education might be more affordable.

Online learning does, however, have certain disadvantages. The absence of direct connection with professors and students is one of the main obstacles. Further students are not aware to use the online devices . It may be challenging to remain motivated and interested in the subject matter as a result. In order to stay up with the curriculum, online schools frequently call for a high level of self-motivation and discipline.

Online learning has many advantages and is a fantastic alternative for many students, but it also needs a lot of self-discipline and drive. Before making a choice, it’s crucial to assess the benefits and drawbacks of online learning and to be sure that it is the best option for your requirements and learning preferences.

Quotes of some internationally famous personalities for Speech on Online education

• “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
• “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.”
• “The internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.”
• “In a world of complex threats, our security and leadership depend on all elements of our power – including strong and principled diplomacy.”
• “The future of nations is being decided in classrooms today.”
• “Any product that needs a manual to work is broken.”
• “The biggest risks are not taking any risks… In a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.”
• “Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom.”
• “Technology is a tool that, when used effectively, can help support and enhance the learning experience.”
• “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.”
• “We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored.”
• “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”
• “The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”
• “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”
• “The original idea of the web was that it should be a collaborative space where you can communicate through sharing information.”

5 Minutes Speech on Online Education

Today’s students may learn from anywhere thanks to online schooling. Courses are available on several platforms, including Coursera, edX, Udacity, and Khan Academy. These courses, which are provided for free or at a minimal cost, were developed by renowned academics and specialists.

The advantages of online learning include:

– It makes high-quality material available to everyone, wherever they are.

– The student may enrol in any course at any time, making it convenient.

– It offers a variety of courses.

– The information is constantly current.

People may study without being in the same physical area through online education. It may be done from any location with internet connectivity and serves as an alternative to conventional classroom-based education. Flexibility, convenience, and a broad selection of course options are all advantages of online education. However, there are also certain drawbacks to online learning.

Some students could have problems with the social components of studying or grasping the subject matter because they aren’t getting immediate feedback from their instructors or peers. Additionally, individuals could have a sense of loneliness or despair as a result of feeling alone while they are studying.

Examples of sentences that can be used in starting of this speech

Examples of sentences that can be used in closing of this speech, speeches in english.

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Writing and Differentiated Instruction: Everything You Need to Know

Improving language proficiency and scientific literacy in learners, how to teach spelling: everything you need to know, product review of ticktalk 5, product review of the grid duffle backpack, product review of naturopathica’s active body bundle, the benefits of differentiated instruction: everything you need to know, teaching children inferential thinking: everything you need to know, why choose sharepoint learning management system, good readers and reading strategies: everything you need to know, fun resources for online learning.

Since the closing of schools around the world, online learning has become an essential part of the education process, as now, it is the only way that many students can receive their education. For teachers and learners that have never experienced the online learning process, a few challenges can present themselves, with one of the most prevalent being engagement. 

One of the best ways to make sure that learners are engaged with their content is to make it fun. We’re going to show you some resources that can make online learning fun, and thus, more engaging. 

Daily DE , from Discovery Education, is a series of free student tasks and activities that are meant to keep families and learners engaged with their content while practicing online learning and social distancing. The hub is updated daily, with new activities that are themes, such as ‘virtual field trips’, that complement regular schooling.

Students will not only find exciting opportunities to keep them engaged and busy, but parents are also able to depend upon a new learning tool supply while adapting to having their kids at home for the majority of the day. 

LEGO Let’s Build Together

Many parents and educators have had to adapt to remote and online learning and need all the resources they can get. This is also an essential period for learners of all ages to stay creative, engaged, and to have fun by learning through play – a method called gamification . 

Drawing inspiration from the awe-inspiring LEGO creations that are shared on social media, LEGO delved deep into its archives and created a team of play experts, creatives, and designers from throughout the organization to develop new ways to help families get creative while learning from home. Let’s Build Together features new play ideas, daily challenges, and live-build-alongs that they share via social media. 

Explorer Classroom Live Broadcasts

National Geographic has been enhancing efforts to offer easy-to-implement, free online learning resources that help teach, inspire, and explore. Explorer Classroom Live Broadcasts allows learners to virtually connect with NatGeo explorers so that they can hear about their adventure and findings throughout the continents. 

In an effort to aid the online learning experience, National Geographic is offering Explorer Classroom every week at 2 PM EDT.

This service is a digital library that offers day-in, day-out access to nonfiction, and fiction books. They are available in English and Spanish, and the myON news service provides daily articles that are engaging. They report on world and US events that are reviewed by a child psychologist to be as accessible as possible. 

These articles are available in English, Spanish, and French. myON is the perfect service for assigning reading work in virtual classroom environments. 

Concluding Thoughts

Who says that online learning can’t be fun? With the resources mentioned above, your students are going to stay engaged and interactive for as long as they need to participate in online learning. If you’re trying to boost the fun in the online classroom, be sure to check out these resources.

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7 ways schools are making e-learning more fun and interactive for kids

The age of e-learning is upon us due to the covid-19 pandemic and schools are now devising new ways to make e-learning more fun and interactive for kids. here are 7 methods being used for the same..

Listen to Story

What Benjamin Franklin quoted generations ago, stands true even today! The best kind of learning is the one that engages and involves a student. A mere exchange of information doesn’t engross a child and does not add to his wisdom in any manner.

Understanding that, schools around the globe have adopted a few ways that make online lessons more fun, engaging, interactive, and appealing.

Schools have introduced or incorporated activities to delineate a course of action for students to inculcate a sense of school even at home.

They have been promoting activities and recommendations to create an engaging, colorful, and educational space at home through various methods.

1. Dedicated spaces for learning

This is the first step towards creating a school-like learning environment at home. This space doesn’t have to be vast or expensive; it can be a separate room or even a spot in a room with the least distraction, ample lighting and low noise, with proper oversight from parents or guardians.

2. Accessibility and appeal

Easy access to study materials and engaging courses can improve interest in education. Courses should be based on bilateral engagements to facilitate better learning.

The classes should also include parents in the process to help them experience their child’s development through understanding, awareness, and provides them with the joy of witnessing their kids grow.

6. Promoting playful methods

Open-ended play-centric learning methods that incorporate stories are effective for better development of imagination, which helps strengthen creative and cognitive functions.

Enabling students to use the information they have acquired to overcome the in-game obstacles, helps promote the gamification approach by integrating game mechanics into the e-learning course design.

7. Online safety of children

Digital platforms provide a chance for children to keep learning and keep in touch with their classmates and teachers. However, the increased online experience can raise concerns regarding safety, protection and privacy.

Proper awareness and discussion about the internet can help students to know what appropriate behavior looks like on the platforms they use. Usage of widely accepted safe media for education is recommended by schools.

Although the adoption of e-learning methods was based on necessity more than choice, the concept of being able to learn from home is appealing at least for the students.

Schools have to utilize this trend to improve the overall development of future generations, at least till the time schools can be fully reopened.

Even after resuming regular school work, the impact of technology on education cannot be overlooked. Schools will have to introduce digitally-assisted learning methods to improve learning and teaching capabilities.

- Article by Anirudh Khaitan, Vice- Chairman, Khaitan Public School, Ghaziabad

Read: 5 ways to make remote learning effective

Read: 5 ways to help kids to focus at e-learning

7 Ways to make fun and engaging online lessons

For teachers who are used to the classroom, online teaching is a starting point and a new challenge. Meeting students and giving them lessons through a webcam is not as easy as imagined. A classroom without creativity will bring boredom to students. Online teaching requires some specific skills, such as having students to actively participate in classroom interaction, study hard and maintain interest in English. So how to make online classes interesting?

The question you might need to think about is:  

How to balance teaching your students with fun and engaging teaching activities?

1. break down the lesson and make it digestible..

Time scheduling is one of the most important part of online teaching jobs . Compared with face-to-face learning courses, you need to break down online courses in a different way.

Long notes and slides with too much text can make students feel tired and bored quickly. Breaking down knowledge and information into small sections allows students to learn and accept better. Also adding different kinds of activities will make the learning time fly by.

2. Adapt in-class activities to the virtual classroom.

Offline classroom activities such as meditation or reading texts are not suitable for online classrooms, because students may use this quiet time to do other things that are impossible, and long articles are not easy to read on the screen., therefore, you must adjust classroom activities to adapt to the online teaching model. for example, your students type or speak to answer your questions to make sure they are actually doing things., remember, don't let your class be silent for more than three minutes., 3. make your students feel valued..

Isolation is a factor that makes students lose motivation to study because they may think that missing a class or log out to the classroom to do something more attractive will not be noticed or even worse, online teachers do not care them whatever they do offline.

Here are some suggestions to make you students feel cared in the online classroom.

· Make sure that you know your students’ names and call them on the class, and don’t forget let them know yours.

· Mention and review the knowledge that you have taught in previous lessons and make sure that your students know what you’re teaching now.

· Do some research on your student's hobbies and interests and incorporate them into the courses if possible.

· Regular feedback on students’ work

· Strive to be an optimistic and encouraging teacher

4. Set goals and help your students stick to them.

Setting goals and reminding you students’ learning progress will a great way them to keep learning or maintain a sense of target.

Setting goals for online learners

In order for students to learn about the situation and the background of any activities they are engaged in, you need to set up a clear outline for each lesson , which  is also a good way to introduce short-term goals into the classroom., you can try positive feedback, badges, play games or do other interesting learning activities to reward those students who complete tasks., long-term goals are not very effective or practical for engaging online lessons, but try to check the progress of the goals with students and set the next long-term goals together., progress checks for online learners.

Doing revisions or quizzes on previous topics constantly is an effective way to check short-term progress.

Establishing a system to work with students so that they are able to the process of their long-term goals and keep them going faster.

You can create an achievement page and have students post their achievements and awards on it. You can ask kids to draw about things they've learned, and for teens or adult learners, you can ask them to write study reviews. The page will be filled with reminders of students' moments of success and pride as time goes by.

5. Use technology to your advantage!

Online teaching not only brings challenges, but also brings a lot of powerful electronic tools to teachers. Discussion boards, pointers, virtual games, text editors, drawing tools, file editors, breakout rooms, or screen sharing tools can all make your class more interesting and keep your students’ attention. Of course, you must first understand how these virtual tools are used and spend time on introducing them to students so that they will feel confident when using them. You can also think about using them to motivate your students to study hard, like using them as a reward.

6. Present your best (online) self.

How to look clean and confident is a question every online teacher must consider. A good image will also earn you the respect of your students. But online teachers may need to address this issue a little differently than today's teachers. Compared with offline teachers, online teachers may need different approaches to deal with this problem.

Adjust your camera and position until you can be clearly seen by the students. The fact that students can see your face means they know if you're paying attention and listening to them. Be patient, even if the process can get a little boring. In addition, your visual materials must be of high quality, such as clear and concise slides and high-definition videos.

A note-taking class is equivalent to boring and boring. Introducing new activities or changing the rhythm of your class by changing the tone and manner of your speech will make the class alive. For example, tell stories emotionally, give instructions seriously, and praise loudly, even imitating the voices of animated characters.

Moreover, make sure you plan to use any audio clips of good quality.

Finally, it is obvious that your students will not hesitate to cut off the Internet if your online classroom is not connected to a reliable Internet.

7. Bring fun into the classroom.

Finding ways to motivate students can effectively involve online students in classroom activities, which is not much different from offline classrooms. The best media to work in real life, can also be used in an online environment.

Talk about a specific topic, such as music and sports which connect with what you do in real life. Dare to try different things and share them with your students until they also find something that suits them.

Give them some time to take a break, and you can see the difference!

Find more how to make class interactive when teaching online.

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Methods to Make Your Students Talk More in The ESL Classroom

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15 Engaging Speaking Activities For Online Classes

Coming up with online speaking activities for ESL students might seem like a challenge, however, a lot of the old classic classroom based speaking activities can be successfully moved to online conversation classes with a little thought.

Puppet Shows

This is just a fun way of getting students talking, especially for those that are often too shy to speak normally. There is something about putting a hand puppet on and showing it in front of the computer rather than your face it seems to lift the veil of shyness .

You can give students a situation and then ask them to create a dialogue between their two hand puppets, or with a partner across Zoom breakout rooms. 

Support: Get students to rearrange a dialogue first either as a group, or individually. Then have students read out the dialogue between their own hand puppets. Then set a situation that is similar to the first one so they can use the first dialogue as a model for the text.

Here is a nice wikihow on making sock puppets that students can use.

What Happens Next?

Select some interesting pictures displaying odd or strange situations, good or bad. Screen share them with students. Give them time to figure out what they think has happened just before the picture and what will happen subsequently.

You can then have students discuss either in pairs or as a whole class what they think happened and you can award points for the most realistic, creative, or funny.

This can act as a free talking fluency practise exercise or you can drill down on some grammar with grammatical forms . Some that would work well are: ‘must have’, if/would (3rd conditional), present perfect continuous and simple, future simple. All could be used easily to talk about the situation.

At this point you might also want to check out: How To Make My Students Speak English , here.

Picture That Story

Another easy way to use images. Select ten images and tell the students a story using all of the pictures. Examine the pictures again with the students and brainstorm all the verbs that could be used in relation to those pictures.

Revise the past tense form of each verb before allowing the students either individually, or as a group to come up with a story involving all of the pictures. This is a great way to practice past tenses . 

You could also allow students to change three of the pictures themselves through google images to add their own twist to the story.

You might like: 15 Research Projects For ESL Students

Explain That Diagram

For higher level students or for those more academically minded try getting students to explain a technical diagram. Google ‘IELTS academic writing task 1’ to find some suitable diagrams to use, like the one above. This is good for practising the passive voice, and technical vocabulary.

Literally, breaking down how you would explain each phase of a process and getting students to fit it all together is a great way of getting students engaged when the diagram is linked to something they have a real interest in.

Here’s a few diagrams to get started with.

Storyboard s

Storyboardthat.com is a great way to get students to plan out stories which students can then share with the class, or yourself. They can bring their story to life with characters and props which they can easily move onto their storyboard.

Students can get quite involved in this and it is a little more hands on than using the pictures approach outlined above. I tend to give students a title to make a story for which tends to give them a focus to have a go at. Something quite general works well, for example: The Spooky Castle. 

Make sure to outline what a story should contain though: a setting, a problem, a solution, and an ending and then see what students can come up with.

You might also like: 15 Research Projects For ESL Students

Online ESL Battleships

Copy a battleships board on to a google doc and ask students to make their own copy. You could use this one pictured.

The reason for putting the vowels and the numbers 14, 40, 15, 50 etc is that they are letters and numbers that students often struggle with. These can be altered to whatever you want to practise though.

Write ten words in the chat box that you would like your group to practise. Tell the students to write the words anywhere they want on the grid.

Students work in pairs in zoom rooms, and ask questions to find your partner’s words location. E.g. ‘Is there anything in E, 40?’ If there is, they get a ‘hit’ and ask their partner what word they found. If there was nothing in that square they get a ‘miss’ and carry on.

When students hit the words they have to spell the word out and give a definition and use it in a sentence , in order to get the point.

The first student to hit all ten words is the champion. You might also be interested in reading some shortcuts to getting your students to speak fluently, here: How To Make Your Students Speak Fluently .

Online ESL Jigsaw Activity

This is quite a nice way of engaging students in all four skills with a focus on speaking and listening. Simply select an online article on a topic of interest to your students. Use an online snipping tool and, or copy and paste different paragraphs on to separate google docs.

Each student receives one of the paragraphs and this is a great way to differentiate ; give the more detailed and complex paragraphs to higher level students and shorter less complex paragraphs to lower level students. 

Ask the students to read their paragraph carefully and summarise the main points of the paragraph into two or three bullet points.

Students do this part individually. After they have done this they then need to use zoom breakout rooms to work in pairs to explain their paragraph to their partner which makes a note of those points as well. 

Students then change partners which you may have to orchestrate in break out rooms, or you can do this in smaller groups of 4 or 5 who take turns to read their summary in their breakout room.

By the end everyone should have summary notes of each of the different paragraphs. Afterwards you can follow up with some group discussion depending on what the article is about..

Show And Tell

Really nice and easy one here which works well for all ages. Simply ask students to display on the screen an item that has some deep meaning to them. Of course, they will have to explain why it has deep meaning to them including any stories and they will also need to answer any questions about the object.

For example, I display my green rucksack which I have had for 20 years. It is the rucksack I bought for my first around the world trip and went with me to some fascinating places like Everert base camp, Angkor Wat in Cambodia and many other places besides.

I talk about all these places and some stories related to these places.

Students then go away and find their objects to display to the group. You can give it a theme if you like , such as, show us something that brings back childhood memories, something that makes you feel lucky, something spooky or something that makes you angry and so on. 

ESL Online Conversation Questions

This is straight up the easiest way to get through a conversation class . A simple list of questions to ask your partner about. Now, this might sound terrifyingly boring to you, or I, however, when you are the student it is not boring at all.

It requires a lot of concentration and focus to think and speak continually in English for the entire length of an online conversation class. So, don’t dismiss this as too simple , especially for more capable students as they often really enjoy this opportunity for free chat as long as you are considerate with your choice of topics.

Here is one place to get decent lists, esldiscussions .com

ESL Debates

Another oldie but a goodie. Pick a few recent and relevant debate topics matched to the student’s interests. Demonstrate the type of language required first and maybe have it up on the screen so students can refer to them throughout.

Give students time to think about the topic and prepare the points they want to state in favour of their position but importantly, make sure they think ahead to what argument their opponents might make and 

ESL A-B Gap Fill

Another nice easy one here. Take two copies of an article that interests your students and remove keywords from the article, things like place names, dates, people’s names, and other such details.

Remove these words from even number paragraphs from one copy and remove from odd number paragraphs in the other copy.

Handout the articles to partners. You can do this via google docs and google classroom, word, or however is easiest for you. Personally I create a partner A and partner B google doc and ask students to make a copy of their assigned role: A, or B. 

Give students some time to figure out what questions they need to ask their partner in order to fill in the blanks correctly.

Teachthis.com often has these premade for you but you will have to browse around a little.

Online ESL Exam Preparation Material

A lot of students have the goal of achieving a certain level in a specific speaking exam, for example, IELTS and TOEFL. These are extremely popular exams and there is a lot of preparation material for free out there that can be used in conversation lessons.

I particularly like using IELTS speaking task 2 and 3 materials to get students talking.

IELTS speaking part 2 is where students have to speak about a given topic for 2 minus on their own. They get one minute to prepare some notes to talk from and then they get to string their ideas together as fluently as they can.

You can easily then provide feedback to them using the IELTS speaking band criteria and this will give you lots of areas to help your student(s) improve.

IELTS speaking part 3 is a discussion exercise where students are encouraged to explain their thoughts at length as regards some more abstract concepts in a general nature.

There are lots of topics you can speak to students about and you can even take a look at some YouTube videos to see how IELTS tests are actually conducted to help prepare your students better.

The Cambridge English IGCSE ESL also provides some really well put together conversation questions to work through with students as well. Again the marking criteria is available to provide feedback to students and to monitor progress.

ESL News Reporter Activities

Students can either individually or in a small group present a news show . You can assign roles of news presenter, roving reporter, and eye witness. You can give students a category to report on. Something like: crime, natural disaster, cheating, or finance seems to work well.  

Students then come up with the specific situation and make up the details and present a news show based on it. Normally, I get them to watch a news show first as an example and break down the structure of the show and the language to use to give the students a format t follow.

Make sure every student has a decent role assigned to them and make the rule that everyone must be speaking somewhat equally. 

Movie/Book Reviews

Get students to give reviews of books or movies they have watched recently or been assigned. Play a Youtube video of a movie/book review and draw students attention to the review structure, and language of reviews that you would like them to use.

Give students a certain amount of time to put something together.

Ideally, you can work individually with students before they present it to the group, or you can have students create an actual video that other students can watch later.

Making a video is my personal favorite because it forces students to record themselves, watch how they speak, try and improve it and edit it continually until it is the way they want it. 

You could use this review here of Kung Fu Panda but you might need to slow down the speed.

ESL Alibi Activity

Tell students that an evil crime occurred last night. Someone entered the school illegally by breaking a window and wrote something dreadful on the board.

Tell the students they are prime suspects and that they have to agree with a partner what their alibi is, i.e. what were they doing last night . Give students ten minutes to agree on their story/alibi before they are interrogated.

Give students ten minutes to flesh out their alibis and make sure their stories match. 

Pairs are separated and each person is interviewed individually and their partner is interviewed immediately afterwards. The interviewers/police are looking for inconsistencies between their stories. This can be anything from where they went, what they ate, what time they left and so on.

Afterwards, police can interview other pairs and they have to decide which pair are the guilty pair with the most inconsistent story . Of course, there is a bit of work to do here with zoom breakout rooms again but it is well worth it and students can really involved in this one.

You might also want to read another popular article called How To Make ESL Lessons Interesting , here.

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9 Ideas For Making Virtual Learning Joyful and Fun

Finding the delight in remote learning.

No one wants to see our kids sitting in front of a computer screen all day. In the classroom, we make learning fun using stations, hands-on learning, and small group work. There are opportunities to connect, laugh, and play. So, how can we make virtual learning joyful and fun? We were inspired by teachers across the web who are finding creative ways to do just that.

1. Scavenger Hunts

So much fun having a scavenger hunt in our class meeting today. This one was find something you can put on your head? A clothes basket? I guess so! We had some good laughs today! @GordonPrincipal @GORDONElemAP @ccpsGORDONElem pic.twitter.com/Qhzfph5raF — Amy Blaylock (@AmyBlaylock7) May 22, 2020

We love how Amy Blaylock challenged her kids to find something to put on their head during her virtual class meeting (extra creativity points to the kid who used a laundry basket!) The bright smiles on their faces are proof that virtual learning can be fun and full of laughs. Check out our list of scavenger hunt ideas for inspiration.

2. Theme Days

Day 7: Make Online Learning Fun Challenge It really helps if you have themed days for what color or even what shirt 👚 you will wear. (Parents/ This is helpful for kids, too!) ADVERTISEMENT There are so many pieces when… https://t.co/Dr3HKrukla — Gahmya (@gahmyateacher) August 31, 2020

Gaymya Drummond-Bey is running a Make Online Learning Fun Challenge on Instagram. She suggests planning theme days where the class wears the same color (school colors could be fun!). Here are more ideas for virtual theme days.

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3. Mix It Up

PreK can do "virtually" anything! @mhighbces @BCESMustangCity @FCPSchoolsTN pic.twitter.com/vmYpc6yXUn — Joni (@JoniRoni01) September 1, 2020

It’s a best practice to give kids multiple ways to learn a skill. We love how this student uses toys he has at home to learn, and the reminder that our kids can “virtually do anything.”

4. Hand Signals

My 2nd grade heroes are working so hard in Remote Learning! 💜🤗📚💜 #TeamSISD #PHEheroes pic.twitter.com/94iOWX57KQ — Ana Crawford (@acrawford_PHES) August 31, 2020

How cute are Anna Crawford’s second graders? We love how they end virtual meetings by making a heart with their hands. We use hand signals so our kids can share what they are thinking and feeling non-verbally. It’s hard to “read the room” when you are teaching virtually, and seeing each other on a screen can feel isolating. Using hand signals makes virtual learning more fun and interactive. 

5. Hands-on Learning

We had so much fun learning different ways to make 10 this week! 🔴🟡 Even though we are virtual, we can still be hands on 🤚🏼✋🏼 @BlazerWhite2 @Jamie_Staats @BolinElementary @Allen_ISD pic.twitter.com/C4NqPgWU6N — 1st Grade Blazers (@Bolin1stGrade) August 21, 2020

The first graders at Bolin Elementary are learning many different ways to make ten. Kids are learning virtually, but their teacher is also finding creative ways to help them interact with materials they have at home. Learning virtually is more fun when kids have hands-on opportunities to learn. We love using materials kids have at home like dice , LEGO bricks , and decks of cards . 

6. Bitmojis!

Easton’s Pre-K teachers @mhighbces and @JoniRoni01 are so creative and are making this online learning adventure so much fun! @BCESMustangCity #positionalwords #prekfun pic.twitter.com/eWTkbWns1A — Melissa Jones (@MrsMelissaPK) August 25, 2020

There’s a reason Bitmoji classrooms and stickers are so popular this year. Kids love them, and they make virtual learning more fun and interactive. Creating virtual scavenger hunts, field trips, and libraries are just some of the ways teachers are using Bitmojis to make virtual learning more fun. 

7. Play Games

Pulling out an old school game of memory. My Kg1’s loved it for Thursday fun #online -learning#oldschool ⁦ @DAAElementary ⁩ pic.twitter.com/4aN9uzNGir — Clare Hibbard (@ClareHibbard) May 14, 2020

There are a lot of online tools for playing games, but sometimes keeping it simple is the way to go. Our kids are adjusting to so many changes. “Unplugged Learning” gives them a chance to step away from the screen and playing games that students know and love (like Memory) is familiar and fun. 

8. Use Humor

Online learning can be intimidating. I love making fun introductions that make assignments more approachable for my students. #coltsdeserveit #AldineAtHome #AldineAnywhere #AldineMS_AISD @clynvan1 pic.twitter.com/5wMAE4LLU8 — AMSthespians (@amsthespians) September 2, 2020

Online learning can be intimidating! Lower the stakes and use humor. We love her expressions and how she’s created introductions to the content that make it fun and interactive. Check out our humor section for more inspiration!

9. Brain Breaks

Lesson planning for a 80-min online session is stretching my teacher brain to the max. Need a Brain Break! 🧠😴 How many breaks do you usually give your students? Find my template here ➡️ https://t.co/QnYr1rVLmb #BetterTogether #WeCanDoHardThings pic.twitter.com/wctaLb0r54 — Esther Park (@MrsParkShine) August 31, 2020

Esther Park reminds us that we need screen breaks to make virtual learning sustainable and more fun. Modeling self-care for our kids is so important right now. We love how she gives her kids choices. They can rock out to Go Noodle, stretch, rest, or close their eyes. Find more ideas for brain breaks here.

How are you making virtual learning more fun? Share on our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE  Facebook group.

Plus, 10 Ideas For Using Virtual Breakout Rooms During Distance Learning

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• Speech Writing /

2-Minute Speech On What Makes Learning Fun

• Updated on  
• Mar 11, 2024

We all seek fun at school or work. There is no age limit on learning. Whether you are an elementary student or a high school teacher, there is always room for improvement and learning. As an adult we reminisce about our good old school days; all the hours we spend in the playground, music room, art room, and the classroom. Traditional classroom lectures were often boring, where everybody was supposed to sit for long hours and listen to what the teacher was saying. Will you believe me if I say that learning can be a fun and exciting experience? Today, I will guide you through what makes learning speech and some interesting ideas.

Check out our 200+ Essay Topics for Students in English!

Also Read: Essay on Knowledge Is Power

Also Read: Speech on ‘If I Had A Superpower’

10 Ways to Make Learning Fun

Here are 10 ways to make learning fun. Feel free to apply them to your academic realm or any other field to make things fun and interesting.

• Spending time outside the classroom can enhance learning productivity.

2. Using interactive technology such as interactive whiteboards and virtual reality enhances the learning experience.

3. Inviting a guest speaker from an outside community can encourage students to pursue different skills.

4. Using or creating songs or chants related to the subject matter can help students during lessons to keep them engaged.

5. Using play cards with interesting information outside the academic realm.

6. Work for a fun Friday to keep students motivated at the end of the week.

7. Encourage students to participate in science experiments in labs.

8. Create a hands-on challenge for students to complete in time duration with exciting rewards.

9. Perform experiments to spark interest in students about educational content.

10. Plan special days or festivals by dressing like your favourite character or any traditional dress.

2-Minute Speech on What Makes Learning Fun

‘Good morning my friends and teacher (s). Today, I stand before you to present myself on ‘What makes learning fun speech.’ As students, we all struggle to understand long lectures and theory classes. Sometimes, our teachers also find it boring due to a lack of engagement and participation from the student’s side. Learning is a lifelong process and to make it enjoyable, all you have to do is add some fun and engaging activities.’

‘Not everybody is born with good learning skills. There are endless opportunities to discover and it’s up to us how we see the challenges and turn them into opportunities. How we approach learning is the real challenge. What makes learning fun is our ability to tap into our natural curiosity and creativity.’

‘Engagement is one of the important elements in making learning fun. Being engaged and actively involved in the learning process allows us to understand all its dimensions and can be an exciting experience.’

‘During class lectures, teachers often ask random questions. What would your reaction be if any of your classmates gave a satisfactory answer to questions? You probably would be wondering if I should be the one answering that question. It’s all about engagement and it’s not just about class lectures, but hands-on activities and other interactive discussions.’

‘To add a little spice to our learning experience, variety can play an important role. Different teaching methods can enrich our learning experience. Students have their methods of learning things. Some like hands-on environment, while others prefer group activities. Embracing diversity in learning can ensure a chance to shine to everyone.’

‘Making learning relevant and applicable to real-life situations is another method. Learning is meant to provide a sense of purpose, and it can be possible by understanding the real-world implications of what we are learning. Knowledge is power and it becomes an effective tool when we can connect it to our daily experiences or future aspirations.’

‘Making learning a fun and interesting activity depends on our ability to infuse it with enthusiasm, engagement and relevance. Learning is an interesting journey with lots of challenges and opportunities. 

Thank you.’

Also Read: Speech About Life for Students in English

Ans: Learning is a lifelong process and it requires focus and determination. A lot of times learning becomes boring, especially long lectures. To make learning fun, enjoyable and engaging, we must incorporate some simple and easy activities. Engagement is one of the important elements in making learning fun. Being engaged and actively involved in the learning process allows us to understand all its dimensions and can be an exciting experience. Making learning relevant and applicable to real-life situations is another method. Learning is meant to provide a sense of purpose, and it can be possible by understanding the real-world implications of what we are learning.

Ans: Here are some easy tips to make learning fun: Using interactive technology such as interactive whiteboards, Inviting a guest speaker from an outside community, Using or creating songs or chants related to the subject matter, Using play cards with interesting information and Working for a fun Friday to keep students motivated.

Ans: Learning can be fun for reasons like personal interests, engagement and interactivity, relevance to real life, variety and creativity, success and achievement, etc.

Related Articles

For more information on such interesting speech topics for your school, visit our speech writing page and follow Leverage Edu .

Shiva Tyagi

With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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• Solutions expand_more
• Online classes
• > How to Make Your Online Classes Interesting

How to Make Your Online Classes Interesting

More often than not, people think that the absence of a physical classroom, teacher, and students can make the teaching-learning process slow and monotonous, further making online live sessions not so interesting for the learners. But don’t you worry, we have listed out a few steps that you should follow while taking online classes session.

Tips to Make Your Online Class Interesting

1. organize regular sessions.

Consistency at your end will promote your learners to participate and put in effort to learn more. Holding regular sessions will make your students understand the initiative you take to teach them, in return making them learn more as a way of showing gratitude towards your hard work. These regular sessions will also ensure a flow in your teaching and keep your students in a routine to be a part of these sessions.

2. Initiate Debates, Quizzes, or Discussions

Allow your participants to talk about their opinion about the topic being taught in the session. Ask your students to prepare for every class and then promote them to actively participate in the class. Make sure you involve as many people as possible in these activities so that the majority of them come prepared and compete to understand things better. These regular discussion and debate sessions will automatically prompt your learners to study harder and understand a concept well to increase their due participation in the session.

3. Situations and Examples

Every individual is believed to learn better and faster when they are made to relate a topic to their current life scenario, hence you should also use the present social structure to impart knowledge effectively. While relating a topic to a real-life incident, let your students share their experiences as well. This will help them remember concepts better.

4. Allow Your Students to Explain a Topic on Your Behalf

At times all a child requires is a little bit of push to overcome their fears. After explaining a topic, you can ask your students to pick a topic and explain it to their batchmates in the next session. This will not only increase their knowledge of the subject but it can be taken as an activity to boost students’ confidence. This will help them in overcoming their fear of public speaking or stage fright while learning their topics to the fullest.

5. Make Sure Your Session is Inclusive

Inclusivity in any session plays a vital role as it provides everyone with a safe space to talk and be a part of. It becomes important to be considerate and inclusive to get maximum participation and make the course understandable to all globally. While taking sessions try not to use binary terms or derogatory terms that may hurt an individual or a community's sentiments. Now that you are having an online session, this particular aspect needs to be taken into more careful consideration than before as it provides a space to record and share.

6. Use Creative Tools to Teach

Now that you have access to digital data and the internet, try to use as many modes as possible to teach. Use presentations, video clips, pictures, and films to make your students learn their concepts better and more efficiently. These visuals will help them retain the know-how of a topic for a longer period with much more ease.

7. Host Regular Doubt Sessions

It is important to clarify what has been tight so far before you go on to the next topic. It is important to hold Live Doubt Sessions where students can be provided with open space and time to ask anything that is not clear to them in relevance to your subject. While hearing others' doubts and explanations, other students who have learned the topic can get a quick revision of what has been taught so far. It will also help students to jot down the points which they might have missed during the previous sessions.

8. Take Regular Feedback

Now that you know how to engage maximum strength during the session, you should further focus on keeping that interest and making sure everyone is comfortable with your style of teaching. This is when the role of Feedback comes into play. Feedback helps you understand the needs of your students and provides you with insight into what and how you can improve the productivity of your session. This feedback also helps you understand how much your students have grabbed and what changes are required to decrease their problems.

9. Remember to Relax

When taking live sessions, it is important that you stay calm and composed. By keeping yourself calm you will be able to impart knowledge without many hassles and you will also gain the strength to tackle all the problems raised by your students with much more ease. If you yourself are in a good mood, there is a huge possibility of your students reciprocating the same, ultimately making the overall aura of the session pleasant.

10. Interval and Recess

One of the things that are overlooked when it comes to online classes is breaks and intervals. You need to identify a time for giving the students a break and they should be able to breathe. While online classes are comfortable, they are also strenuous, and teachers must keep this in mind.

Online teaching is not rocket science, it is all about understanding the needs of your students and providing them with an experience that helps them understand their course in the best possible way. If you follow the above-mentioned session, you will be good to go and organize the most interesting sessions. To bring ease and efficiency to the table, it is of utmost importance to digitize your school. With a brilliant suite of features, the Teachmint Integrated School Platform makes the process of management, teaching, learning, and analysis- easy, effective, and practically consolidated with one another. Check out the features here .

The pros and cons of online learning

What to look for in an online course.

By: MIT xPRO

If you’re at a point in your life where you’re considering continuing your education, you may wonder if online learning is the right path for you.

Taking an online course requires a notable investment of time, effort, and money, so it’s important to feel confident about your decision before moving forward. While online learning works incredibly well for some people, it’s not for everyone.

We recently sat down with MIT xPRO Senior Instructional Designer and Program Manager Luke Hobson to explore the pros and cons of online learning and what to look for in an online course. If you’re waiting for a sign about whether or not to enroll in that course you’ve been eying, you just might find it here.

Pros of Online Learning

First, let’s take a look at the true value of online learning by examining some of the benefits:

1. Flexibility

Online learning’s most significant advantage is its flexibility. It’s the reason millions of adults have chosen to continue their education and pursue certificates and degrees.

Asynchronous courses allow learners to complete work at their own pace, empowering them to find the optimal time to consume the content and submit assignments.

Some people are more attentive, focused, and creative in the mornings compared to the evenings and vice versa. Whatever works best for the learners should be the priority of the learning experience.

2. Community

When Luke asks people about their main reason for enrolling in a course, a common answer is networking and community.

Learners crave finding like-minded individuals who are going through the same experiences and have the same questions. They want to find a place where they belong. Being in the company of others who understand what they’re going through can help online learners who are looking for support and motivation during challenging times and times that are worth celebrating.

Some learners have created study groups and book clubs that have carried on far beyond the end of the course-it’s amazing what can grow from a single post on a discussion board!

3. Latest information

“Speed is a massive benefit of online learning,” and according to Luke, it often doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

“When we say speed, we don’t mean being quick with learning. We mean actual speed to market. There are so many new ideas evolving within technical spaces that it’s impossible to keep courses the way they were originally designed for a long period of time.”

Luke notes that a program on Additive Manufacturing , Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality , or Nanotechnology must be checked and updated frequently. More formal learning modalities have difficulty changing content at this rapid pace. But within the online space, it’s expected that the course content will change as quickly as the world itself does.

Cons of Online Learning

Now that we’ve looked at some of the biggest pros of online learning, let’s examine a few of the drawbacks:

1. Learning environment

While many learners thrive in an asynchronous learning environment, others struggle. Some learners prefer live lessons and an instructor they can connect with multiple times a week. They need these interactions to feel supported and to persist.

Most learners within the online space identify themselves as self-directed learners, meaning they can learn on their own with the right environment, guidance, materials, and assignments. Learners should know themselves first and understand their preferences when it comes to what kind of environment will help them thrive.

2. Repetition

One drawback of online courses is that the structure can be repetitive: do a reading, respond to two discussion posts, submit an essay, repeat. After a while, some learners may feel disengaged from the learning experience.

There are online courses that break the mold and offer multiple kinds of learning activities, assessments, and content to make the learning experience come alive, but it may take some research to find them-more on what to look for in an online course later in this article! Luke and his colleagues at MIT xPRO are mindful of designing courses that genuinely engage learners from beginning to end.

3. Underestimation

Luke has noticed that some learners underestimate how much work is required in an online course. They may mistakenly believe that online learning is somehow “easier” compared to in-person learning.

For those learners who miscalculate how long they will need to spend online or how challenging the assignments can be, changing that mindset is a difficult process. It’s essential to set aside the right amount of time per week to contribute to the content, activities, and assignments. Creating personal deadlines and building a study routine are two best practices that successful online learners follow to hold themselves accountable.

Experience the Value of Online Learning: What to Look For in an Online Course

You’ve probably gathered by now that not all online courses are created equal. On one end of the spectrum, there are methods of online learning that leave learners stunned by what a great experience they had. On the other end of the spectrum, some online learning courses are so disappointing that learners regret their decision to enroll.

If you want to experience the value of online learning, it’s essential to pick the right course. Here’s a quick list of what to look for:

• Feedback and connection to peers within the course platform. Interacting regularly with other learners makes a big difference. Luke and the MIT xPRO team use peer-reviewed feedback to give learners the opportunity to engage with each other’s work.
• Proof of hard work. In the online learning space, proof of hard work often comes in the form of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or specific certifications. MIT xPRO course participants who successfully complete one or more courses are eligible to receive CEUs , which many employers, licensing agencies, and professional associations accept as evidence of a participant’s serious commitment to their professional development.

Online learning isn’t for everyone, but with the right approach, it can be a valuable experience for many people. Now that you know what to look for in an online course, see what Luke and the MIT xPRO instructional design team have to offer by checking out the latest MIT xPRO courses and programs .

Originally published at http://curve.mit.edu on August 8th, 2022.

The pros and cons of online learning was originally published in MIT Open Learning on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Open Learning newsletter

10 Ways to Make Learning Fun for Students

Naomi Shi/Pexels

• Classroom Organization
• Reading Strategies
• Becoming A Teacher
• Assessments & Tests
• Secondary Education
• Special Education
• Homeschooling
• M.S., Education, Buffalo State College
• B.S., Education, Buffalo State College

Remember when you were a child and kindergarten was a time to play and learn to tie your shoes? Well, times have changed. It seems like all we hear about is the common core standards and how politicians are pushing for students to be "college ready." How can we make learning fun again? Use ten techniques to help you engage students in the classroom.

Create Simple Science Experiments

Incorporating anything that is hands-on is a great way to make learning fun. Try simple science experiments that will have students exploring density and buoyancy, or try any hands-on experiment. Before introducing any of these concepts, use a graphic organizer to have students predict what they think will happen during every experiment they conduct.

Allow Students to Work Together

There has been extensive research on using cooperative learning strategies in the classroom. Research says that when students work together, they retain information quicker and longer, they develop critical thinking skills, and they build their communication skills. Those are just a few of the benefits cooperative learning has on students.

Incorporate Hands-On Activities

Hands-on activities are a fun way for students to learn. Alphabet activities are not just for preschoolers. Use fun, hands-on alphabet, math, English, and geography activities to help students learn in a memorable way.

Give Students a Brain Break

Elementary students work very hard each day and they deserve a little break. For most teachers, it's easy to see when students have had enough and are in need of a quick pick-me-up. Research has shown that students learn best when they have a brain break throughout the school day.

Go on a Field Trip

What's more fun than a field trip? Field trips are a great way for students to connect what they are learning in school with the outside world. They get a hands-on view of everything they learned in school, and they get to connect what they learned to what they are seeing at the exhibit.

Make Review Time Fun

When your students hear the words "it's review time," you may hear a few sighs and groans. You can turn those groans into grins if you make it a fun learning experience. 

Incorporate Technology Into Lessons

Technology is a great way to make learning fun. Research has shown that using technology in the classroom can increase student learning and engagement. While using overhead projectors and tabletop computers can still facilitate student interest, they just may become a thing of the past. Smartphones and tablets offer a variety of classroom apps that can meet all of your ​students' instructional needs.

Create Fun Learning Centers

Any activity that gets students working together and up and moving around will be fun. Create fun learning centers that give students a choice of study topics. You can also design centers that allow them to use computers or electronic devices.

Teach to Students Ability

Like most educators, you probably learned about Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory when you were in college. You learned about the eight different types of intelligence that guide the way we learn and process information. Use this theory to teach to each students' ability. This will make learning much easier for the students, as well as a lot more fun.

Limit Your Class Rules

Too many class rules and expectations can hinder learning. When the classroom environment resembles a boot camp, where is all the fun? Choose three to five specific and attainable rules, and try to adhere to this limit.

• 10 Ways to Keep Your Class Interesting
• Essential Core Teaching Strategies
• What to Do When Students Lack Interest
• 10 Ways to Make Education Relevant
• 5 Successful Review Activities for Elementary Students
• Elementary School Summer Session Activities by Subject
• How to Have a Safe, Fun, and Successful Field Trip
• What Is a Brain Break?
• Benefits of Cooperative Learning
• How to Set Up Classroom Learning Centers
• Varying Assignments to Enhance Student Learning Styles
• 4 Fun Ideas for Reluctant Readers
• Choice Motivates Students When Rewards and Punishment Don't Work
• Using Effective Instructional Strategies
• 7 Buzzwords You're Most Likely to Hear in Education
• 7 Ways to Take Control of Your Classroom to Reduce Student Misbehavior

Essential Public Speaking

The easiest way to become a great public speaker. Learn with online classes, practice in interactive exercises.

AI feedback

8 interactive practice exercises

CPD Accredited

Digital certificate

5 hours of learning and practice

Course Outcomes

• Overcome a fear of public speaking and feel comfortable speaking in front of audiences of various sizes.
• Know key theories and techniques to deliver effective and memorable speeches.
• Easily design your presentation to engage and persuade your audience.
• Manage nerves and become a confident public speaker with practice in interactive exercises.
• Engage and connect with your audience through storytelling.
• Enhance your message with body language, eye contact, and gestures.

Accelerate learning with realistic practice

Over 70% of HR professionals say that public speaking is essential for a successful career. Feeling confident in your ability to articulate yourself and inspire your audience can transform your professional and personal life, and help you to reach your full potential.

This course gives you the tools and techniques to successfully deliver a presentation, pitch, or speech whenever you want.  A unique feature of this course is that you can practice everything you've learned, either online or in VR:

Online learning, done differently

We combine online learning with practice for a unique learning approach. At certain points throughout this public speaking course, you'll practice what you've learned.

Learn online, anytime

Complete a series of videos, quizzes, and case studies at your own pace - available to access at any time.

Practice with exercises

Build your skills and confidence by putting them to the test with computer-generated audiences and AI-generated questions.

Improve with feedback

Receive instant feedback on your performance to help identify your strengths and weaknesses.

Course Content

Example videos

Throughout this course, you'll watch real-life video examples of the skills being taught, including how to start a presentation, use your voice effectively, and answer audience questions.

Learn from these videos and transfer the skills to your own public speaking.

Your Instructor

Dom barnard.

Dom is Curriculum Lead for the Public Speaking course. He's an entrepreneur and engineer with a passion for finding new ways to improve speaking skills using technology. Previously, Dom worked at Jaguar Land Rover before leaving to start VirtualSpeech and now speaks at events around the world.

Practice Exercises

Practice your public speaking with interactive and engaging exercises. At key points during the course, you'll be prompted to practice what you've learned in one of the following exercises.

Eye contact training

Improve your eye contact and connect with the audience. Gamification and heatmaps give you feedback on where you need to focus your eye contact.

Impromptu speech training

Practice quick-thinking and impromptu speaking by talking about a random slide every 30 seconds or answer random Table Topic questions.

Sound & visual distractions

It's easy to get distracted by the audience and venue. Learn how to deal with sound and visual distractions, including mobile phones ringing and bright lighting.

Giving a TEDx speech

Receive feedback on your TEDx speech in this large theatre, designed after a popular TEDx venue. Better understanding how your audience perceives you.

Literary techniques

Learn about key literary techniques you can use in your next speech or presentation.

Video-based presentation

Practice how to deliver successful video-conferencing presentations on Zoom, Skype, Webex, Teams, and more.

Lecture hall

Deliver a speech in this large lecture hall. Load slides and use the speech analysis feature to get feedback.

Conference presentation

Deliver a conference presentation to around 100 people in this popular training environment with a range of features.

Features in the practice exercises

Improve faster and practice what you learn with these features.

AI-powered questions

Upload slides and notes, speech analysis, audience distractions, listenability score, track progress.

"As someone who suffers from public speaking phobia, this threw me right into the lions den... I encountered flaws in my approach that I would not have discovered until the actual event."

Jordan Brook

"Insanely useful for someone who wants to learn to speak in front of people... I'm now the 'pitch man' for our company, and my pitches opened the door to our (now completed) seed round of funding."

"VirtualSpeech helps conquer stage fright and get someone accustomed to what it feels like to be presenting to a crowd, and thus prepare for the same situation."

What's included in this course:

• 5 hours of learning
• 6 case studies
• 8 practice exercises
• AI feedback and questions
• Quizzes and assessment
• Earn a digital course certificate
• Flexible, self-led format
• Access to updated content

CEU - Continuing Education Units

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

CPD Credits / Hours: 5

Certificate No: A031338

This course

12 months access to this course

Pay in Euros

Access all courses

(per month), frequently asked questions.

You can access the classes through the VirtualSpeech website, on any standard web browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.

The practice exercises can be completed online or in virtual reality (if you have a VR headset).

When you enroll in the course, you'll get 24/7 access to the course (including tutorial videos, case studies, practice exercises, VR, and more) through the VirtualSpeech website and in VR.

Both the online classes and exercises run in your browser, no additional software or download is required.

If you have a VR headset, you can also access the practice exercises in VR. Here's a list of our recommended VR headsets .

The online exercises have been tested across multiple browsers and run smoothly on Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Edge.

We accept payment via Credit Card, Debit Card or PayPal directly through the VirtualSpeech site. If you'd like to pay with an Invoice or using another payment method, please contact us.

Yes you can. After pressing the 'Buy Now' button on this page, select the number of users (maximum is 25).

After the payment, you'll be made course admin and can add users to the course from the admin dashboard.

Yes, when you've completed this course, we'll send you a Certificate of Achievement, which you can share in the Certifications section of your LinkedIn profile, on printed resumes, CVs, or other documents.

If the course does not meet your expectations, you can get a full refund within 7 days of purchasing the course.