In a classroom setting, interaction among students is the norm. How do you replicate that informality, spontaneity, and focus online? Engaging Virtual Environments: Creative Ideas and Online Tools to Promote Student Interaction, Participation, and Active Learning by Joanne Ricevuto and Laura McLaughlin provides you with a framework to think about the different kinds of engagement you want to foster, whether participation, collaboration, or quick feedback. This book will introduce you to available online tools, some of which may be in your LMS, offer practical tips, and guide you to make the most of commonly available technologies to achieve your goals. Within the context and progression of a course -- from developing a welcome page, presenting yourself and the purpose of your course, to icebreakers, assignments, and alternative forms of assessment -- the authors introduce you to a range of easy-to-use online tools that they have introduced to the faculty and teachers in their classes, and that foster active learning and student engagement.

Facilitators: Jennifer Zaylea, Digital Media Specialist, CAT; Elizabeth White Vidarte, Online Learning Specialist, CAT

This 3-part book group will be hosted online on the following dates:

• Thursday, November 7, 3:00-4:00 PM
• Thursday, November 14, 3:00-4:00 PM
• Thursday, November 21, 3:00-4:00 PM

Registration for the first session serves as registration for the subsequent sessons. Participants are expected to attend all three sessions.

The full text of the book is available electronically through Temple University Libraries. Hard copies will not be distributed through the CAT.

The CAT will send registered participants a Zoom access link to this webinar via email one hour prior to the session.