Breaking the Ice- Creating a profile
| Description | Ice breaking exercises are essential when students are exposed to a new environment or new setting. As part of the first week, students are asked to say a few things about themselves in the Profiles area, try out the technology involved and reply to a 'Welcom' message in the discussion forum. |
| Stage | One: Access and Motivation |
| Participants | Individuals |
| Tools |
Activate the Main and/or Cafe Discussion and the People Profile tools in LUVLE OR Use the MyPlace Profiles as part of their first activity and create a 'Welcome' article open to the whole cohort |
| Tips |
Be flexible with the tool you're using for this activity; use the tool that you will be visiting mostly during the programme or module. Ask colleagues if they intend to use similar activities, as the students may have already completed similar 'ice-breaking exercises'. If you include a residential or face-to-face training for distance learning students, then you can use these activities to engage them in the computer lab as well as answer to some initial questions.
The People Profiles tool works best with 'umbrella sites', i.e. LUVLE spaces that have been created for a programme rather than a single module.
It would be better to use MyPlace's profiles if the students are registered to several different modules that are not necessarily linked with each other.
Set the example and create a personal profile first. Other members of staff who is useful to have an online presence are: the course administrator, teaching assistants ,subject librarian, career officer. |
| Duration | 20-30 minutes |
| Further resources |
LUVLE staff guide MyPlace guide |