Icebreakers

Last updated on 2024-03-11 | Edit this page

Icebreaker Ideas


Information for Today’s Learners

  1. Add your name to the Etherpad
  2. Introduce yourselves (preferably verbally)! In your introduction, (a) explain your work in 3 words and (b) say something you are proud of (not necessarily related to research or teaching).

Our First Exercise

In the Etherpad, write down your name, the best class you ever took (or one class from your top ten, if you cannot decide), and what made it so great. This exercise should take about 2 minutes.

Something Surprising

Find someone who shares something surprising with you (e.g. your pet has the same name, or you both brush your teeth in the shower). Put your “surprise” similarity into the Etherpad when you come back from break and vote on the most surprising.

We really want you to get to know your fellow learners and become comfortable interacting. There will be several interactive activities in the next two days. Let us all start bonding now.

Discussing Concept Maps

Do concept maps feel useful to you? Are there other ways of drawing knowledge that appeal to you more?

Discussing Live Coding

How does participatory live coding compare to other kinds of demonstration-based teaching like lab lessons?

In the Real World

How practical do you think it would be to use the techniques you have learned in this workshop in regular teaching? In particular, do you think you would have enough time to prepare and teach lessons the ways you have been shown?

Favorite Food

What is your favorite food? It may be a meal or snack, something you eat often, or only on special occassions.

Teaching Passion

What aspect of teaching are you passionate about or do you really enjoy? Is it seeing a lightbulb moment in a student’s eye, or learning something new when you teach?

Favorite Emoji

What is your favorite emoji. If you do not have a favorite or do not use emoiji’s, that is an okay answer.

Mythical creature

What is a mythical creature from where you grew up?

Something you might have in common

What is something you might have in common with someone else? Maybe this is a hobby, a pet, a favorite tool, anything.

Joy

What is something that has recently brought you joy?