To teach in an engaging and inspiring manner, transform content into an experience that maximizes impact.

What it is

Engagement tools such as cards, posters, discussion guides, workbooks, and stories can enhance the learner experience. Although creating interactive materials will extend the program-development timeline, the trade-offs are well worth the payoff.

How it works

Breaking the classroom into smaller groups and leveraging those tools fundamentally makes learning more engaging and memorable.

Remember that people are more likely to engage in small groups (up to six people) than large ones. When individuals work in small groups, their participation becomes more meaningful and individually relevant to the activity or conversation.

In a virtual environment, the inclination to engage is even more obvious as the group size decreases. Large virtual groups tend to cause participants to feel isolated and anonymous. Conversely, the willingness to turn on cameras or stay unmuted dramatically increases in partner and triad situations. Those behaviors drop the veil of anonymity and improve social connection.

Small-group activities offer additional benefits beyond social pressure and psychological safety. In an in-person setting, the mere act of joining a group requires physical movement. That affects a participant’s heart rate and increases focus.

A group of people who work through an activity together for just 10 minutes will bond dramatically more than a group of 50 people who sit in a room listening to a lecture for an hour. Relationships make the learning process stickier and more fulfilling.

Guidelines

With a macrolevel understanding that learners are naturally more engaged in smaller groups, the next challenge is determining what methods will achieve a workshop’s desired outcomes. We regularly lean on the following tools to structure and activate learning, particularly in small groups.

Read the article for more information about the tools we use. Subscription or purchase required.