Do you think about webinars and live streaming when you hear the words ‘virtual events’? Well, the conventional way of interacting with your class remotely is changing completely, and this year has a lot to offer in the world of communication and entertainment. When it comes to creating and hosting virtual events for your students, there are plenty of options that may work for your institution.
You don’t need a big budget to host a virtual event for your students during a lockdown or holiday. With tools such as GoGuardian, you can take your virtual learning programs to the next level by using the most advanced suite to remotely manage your students. It doesn’t end here. You also get tips for virtual event planning all in one platform.
If you are wondering how to plan a virtual event for your students during this holiday, here are some proven tips to help you plan and host a virtual event on a small budget.
1. Involve Your Team in Planning
Nothing succeeds without a proper plan, and when it comes to hosting virtual events for your students, you want your entire team to back you up. Students are more likely to enjoy a party if they feel like they were involved in the preparations. That said, once you inform your students that you are planning a virtual event, you are simply getting them ready for the main event.
Come up with a list of activities that your students will be more comfortable with on the virtual event. You know what most of your students like, right? Why not include a bit of that in the event to spice it up and make it more engaging?
Notably, when you involve your class in planning virtual events, you avoid schedule conflicts. Everyone you invite to the event can make time for the day, and once you go online, you will have them all on board.
Being culturally inclusive makes your virtual event successful. When you plan to host a virtual event, start by preparing customized online invitations and sending them to your students.
2. The Power of Props and Teasers
Sometimes the virtual event gets serious, such as when some of your students are having a rough day at home. Keep things fun to help your students feel the joy of the season.
When it comes to virtual events, planning engagement plays a crucial role. Use props during the live event to keep your students engaged. Props are any practical objects that represent the subject matter of your event. They can be funny objects or creative costumes, but are quite useful in engagement. You can even use props that make your students recall important points from your lessons. To make it a team-building event, ask each student to bring a prop or mail each student a prop, and reveal how all the props fit into a cohesive theme during the event.
You can also use GoGuardian to monitor and connect with your classroom during a live event. GoGuardian Teacher gives you the tools you need for successful virtual event hosting by using classroom management software with video conferencing for virtual classes.
3. Talk About the Holiday
Your students are anticipating upcoming holidays, and that means they have all the excitement of the season. Keeping their attention is not that easy if you cannot keep them glued on the screen. When your virtual event kicks off, share some holiday memories and traditions with your class.
Ask some of your students to share with the class what their holiday looks like. It makes your class feel relieved and appreciated and is also a simple way of including students from cultural backgrounds that differ from your own. When your students share their holiday memories, they learn more about each other and have fun in the process.
4. Dance to the Tune
Playing music can help to create a fun mood for your classroom. Music sets the right mood for your holiday party and keeps your students energized. That means you should come up with an exciting playlist in advance before the live event kicks off.
5. Keep It Simple
Simplicity is all you need to have a successful virtual event for your students during a holiday. When creating your party plan for the virtual class, you should make it simple. That means you should keep activities short and within the concentration span for your target audience.
If the event is taking place during the day, you may want to break it into 2-hour sessions to keep it lively. Allow short breaks during the virtual event to give your students that chance to grab a glass of water or take a bathroom break.
6. Play Games
Tap into the power of games if you want your students to remain focused throughout the virtual event. Most of your students have a special game that keeps them happy, and you can bring that on board. Incorporate riddles, puzzles, trivia, and crosswords to jog their minds. This way, you can keep your students engaged on a particular task without the boredom setting in. You can even incorporate the props into a game by using the props as clues and having students guess what the theme or answer is.
Set time limits for every game to keep them short. At the end of each round of play, ask your students some simple questions to find out if they learned anything. Give a prize to every student that answers your questions.
Final Thoughts
How do you plan a virtual event? It is all in how you use the right technology to engage your audience. Set a goal and a plan for the event. You know what your audience likes the most, and you can use that to keep them engaged during the event. Because most of your students are home, you should get them involved in planning the virtual event. Send them personalized invitations to attend the virtual event.
Lastly, you should keep your events short and engaging. Most kids have a short concentration span, and by having some short break during the event, you can keep your students refreshed and engaged throughout the event. You can also use the connectivity tools in GoGuardian Teacher™ to host your live events and webinars and get the most out of your virtual class during the holiday.
