Engaging Activities

When planning your activities for the Net Generation, along with the strategies mentioned in Varied Instructional Strategies, you’ll want to consider the following several factors:

Format	Will the activity take place partly in class, partly at home, and/ or partly online?
Timing	How much time should students spend on the activity? How much calendar time will they need to complete it?
Resources	What resources will students need to complete the activity? Are these resources available online? Can you link to them? Should the online resources be provided as handouts? What additional resources could be provided?
Tools	What tools will students require to complete the activity? Are they already familiar with these tools? If not, is learning the tool part of the activity? Is there technical support for learning the tool?
Groups	Is the activity best done in groups, or can the whole class engage simultaneously?
Directions	What directions will students need in order to complete the activity? Would it help to provide a rubric or model demonstrating your expectations?
Grading	Will you grade the activity? How?
Student Input	What roles can students play in designing the product or project requirements?

Providing students necessary structure to help them focus their attention on the concepts while improving their attitudes about learning is a critical element to consider as you create effective instructional strategies.