InterPro - Teaching Resources for Instructors - Engagement Strategies for Synchronous Web Conferences

Synchronous sessions lend themselves well for real-time collaboration, communication, and problem solving.
Synchronous sessions are most effective when they actively engage leaners. 

In addition to the strategies outlined below, explore Liberating Structures.

Strategies to engage learners during live web conference, include:
Solve a problem 
small groups work to collectively answer
think-aloud pair problem-solving
Generate a list 
prioritized 
Categorize items  
presence or absence of features

Synthesize ideas and concepts that were raised in other parts of the course 
shout outs to well done or insightful contributions 
answer questions that seemed to surface from multiple people
clarify misconceptions

Small Group Collaboration

Think–Pair–Share
Debate a topic
Negotiate an outcome 
Concept Map/Outline a Process
Simulation
Brief response
Share artifacts, current events, examples

Pose a question at the beginning of the session, to stimulate thinking, then present content, and followup with the question at the end for large group discussion
Present on a challenging, controversial, or complex topic, giving students an opportunity to grapple with and ask questions in real time