Icebreakers in Synchronous Courses

Breaking the ice in your synchronous online course

When we teach in-person, gathering together on the first day of the semester with our students effortlessly creates productive excitement: there is a bustle and a sense of anticipation as students orient themselves physically to the classroom space and to the members of this new and promising community. Typically, we then use ice breakers to build on that excitement and invite students to take their place in our course and alleviate the normal concerns or worries that students have on the first day. For example, an instructor might ask students to introduce themselves in small groups and have a meaningful conversation about how the course could help them solve problems in their lives or could help them reach their own career goals. 

When you teach online, you want students to have the same kind of exciting and productive first experiences with their classmates, with you, and with the course. But how can we create the same sense of anticipation and excitement when students are meeting virtually instead of in a classroom? In this resource, we consider the most important components of an effective icebreaker, and then we explore what these kinds of opening activities can look like in a synchronous course.

Why are icebreakers important for students?

The best icebreakers build excitement and motivation about a course. We know from research on student motivation that three variables make a big difference in the amount of energy students invest in a course. 

Variable 1: A sense of connection to their peers and their instructor

Connection means that students feel that they are part of a larger community of learners who work together, hold each other accountable, and are genuinely invested in each other's learning and growth. For all students, but especially for underrepresented students, a sense of belonging and connection is a crucial aspect of success. Creating a sense of connection is particularly important in a synchronous online course, where students may feel disconnected from their learning because they are at a physical distance from the people who make up their learning community.

Variable 2: The value that students see in the work of a course

If students don’t see how a course will enhance their learning, their experience in college, or their lives beyond college, they are unlikely to put effort and energy into their learning. Helping students understand value is particularly important in a synchronous online course, where students may not have the opportunity to chat informally with peers and with the instructor to explore how the course fits into the bigger picture of their college experience or their life aspirations. 

Variable 3: Students’ understanding of how to succeed in the course

When students don’t really grasp how a course is designed and how to use that design to learn and grow, they will struggle. Helping students understand how to succeed is particularly important in a synchronous online course, where students may struggle to make sense of the course design because virtual class meetings may be more challenging for them to navigate than in-person class meetings. 

Putting these components together, we recognize the need for icebreakers that create a sense of real connection, a sense of the value of a course, and a sense of how to plan to succeed. Now that we understand these important underlying psychological components of effective icebreakers, let’s consider how you can put these ideas to use in your asynchronous online course!

Creating structures for effective icebreakers

Use small groups in breakout rooms

Even in an online synchronous course with only twenty students, the virtual classroom can feel crowded and impersonal, especially during the first class meeting. Have students make a real connection to each other and to the course as well as chart a path forward by having students work in small groups in breakout rooms. And do this right away on the first day of class: while it might be tempting to spend time talking to all the students in your course for the first 20 minutes of your class meeting, consider how passive this will make students. If we want students to start to forge connections to one another and to the course, it’s best to get students talking to each other sooner rather than later on the first day. 

Create heterogeneous groups

It’s best to place students in heterogenous groups because students in these groups are more likely to share varied interests, experiences, and knowledge with one another, making breakout room conversations less predictable and more meaningful. Create groups using information you’ve gathered from students on variables like major, year of study, career goals, etc. Before students begin working together, let them know how you’ve created groups: being transparent with them will alleviate any concerns they have about why they are working with a particular set of peers. 

Provide clear instructions

Before students go into their breakout rooms, provide clear, structured steps for them to follow. This will ensure that they know how to initiate their conversation, conduct it, and report out when you bring them back into the main room. Ideally, provide these instructions in writing, either on a slide or in a resource that is available to students in Brightspace or that you share with them during the class meeting. 

Examples of effective icebreakers

Below you will find detailed descriptions of three icebreakers that you could use in a synchronous online course. Note that these are written in the form of instructions to students that describe all the steps they will take. You’ll notice that in each case, we recommend that you have students work on their own first and write their answers: this helps ensure that they are prepared for a productive discussion when they go into their breakout rooms.

 

Example: Working with the syllabus

A. Steps for students to complete on their own (main meeting room)
  1. Take five minutes to read through the syllabus, noting the assignments and activities we will be doing this semester. Identify two requirements of this course that you feel will help you meet personal or professional goals that you have.
  2. On a piece of paper, jot down why those assignments or activities are particularly meaningful for you. Take about 5 minutes to do this preparatory work and be ready to share your ideas with a small group of classmates in breakout rooms.
B. Steps for students working in small groups (breakout rooms)

Note: You will see these instructions on the slideshow when you are in your breakout rooms, and you can ask for help if you need it.

  1. Once you are in your breakout room, introduce yourselves to one another.
  2. Going alphabetically by first name, share your ideas about what assignment you are most interested in and how it will help you meet a personal or career goal.
  3. After each person shares, be sure that the listeners provide at least two pieces of concrete advice about the best ways to study for or prepare for the assignment the speaker is interested in. You have 10 minutes for this activity. I will send a message when time is almost up, and you can let me know if you need additional time to complete your work.
  4. When you come out of the breakout rooms, I will ask for one person in each group to share what assignment or activity was a fan favorite in your group and a couple of reasons why that is meaningful to the group. Be sure to choose a group spokesperson who can speak for the group.

 

Example: Working on learning strategies for synchronous courses

A.  Steps for students to complete on their own (main meeting room)

Take about 5 minutes to consider the following. Write down your ideas and be ready to share them with your classmates.

  1. What are some concrete strategies that you can use to feel focused and engaged during our class meetings? You may have ideas from past online synchronous courses. If this is your first synchronous online course, you can consider what strategies will help you feel focused and engaged during our class meetings.
  2. What is one concrete strategy you’d like me to use to help you stay focused, engaged, and energized during our class meetings?
B. Steps for students working in small groups (breakout rooms)

Note: You will see these instructions on the slideshow when you are in your breakout rooms, and you can ask for help if you need it.

  1. Once you go to your room, introduce yourselves to one another.
  2. Going alphabetically by first name, share your ideas about what strategies will help you learn and stay engaged in our class meetings.
  3. After each person shares, work to come to consensus on the two most productive strategies you want to share with the whole class after you come out of breakout rooms. You have 10 minutes for this activity. I will send a message when time is almost up, and you can let me know if you need additional time to complete your work.
  4. When you come out of the breakout rooms, I will ask for one person in each group to share what strategies were fan favorites in your group and a couple of reasons why. Be sure to choose a group spokesperson who can speak for the group.

 

Example: Working on a disciplinary task

A. Steps for students to complete on their own (main meeting room)
  1. Take a minute to read this short case / problem / scenario that we will return to later in the semester.
  2. On a piece of paper, jot down what experiences you have that would help you respond to this short case / problem / scenario and what your first step would be to address the puzzle at the heart of this short case / problem / scenario. You might not realize it, but you all bring in a range of knowledge, experiences, and frameworks that you can already use to tackle this short case / problem / scenario! Take about 5 minutes to do this preparatory work and be ready to share your ideas with a small group of classmates in breakout rooms.
B. Steps for students working in small groups (breakout rooms)
  1. Once you go to your room, introduce yourselves to one another.
  2. Going alphabetically by first name, share your experiences related to the short case / problem / scenario and what your first step would be to address the puzzle that you think is the central issue.
  3. After each person shares, decide how you can explain your group’s collective expertise to the whole class in a sentence or two after you come out of breakout rooms. (It’s okay to summarize your expertise in a humorous way!) You have 10 minutes for this activity. I will send a message when time is almost up, and you can let me know if you need additional time to complete your work.
  4. When you come out of the breakout rooms, I will ask for one person in each group to share about your group’s expertise. Be sure to choose a group spokesperson who can speak for the group.

 

Conclusion

There are many icebreakers you can design that will forge a strong sense of community in and engagement with your synchronous online course. Keep the central principles of connection, value, and planning in mind as you design your icebreakers, and remember that students always need structure and guidance to help them interact in an online course!

Resources

  • Darby, F. and Lang, J. M. (2019). Small teaching online: Applying learning science in online classes. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Nilson, L. B. (2013). Creating self-regulated learners: Strategies to strengthen students’ self-awareness and learning skills. Stylus Publishing.
  • Norman, M. K., Ambrose, S. A., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M., & Bridges, M. W. (2023). What factors motivate students to learn? In How learning works: Eight research-based principles for smart teaching (2nd ed.) (pp. 84-105). Jossey-Bass.