Activating exercises improve concentration

Starting point/challenge

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, teaching has shifted entirely or partially over to the virtual world. However, for those organising sessions, the effects of overloading, tiredness or distraction on the part of participants were clear to see in some cases. Virtual events, however, also require precisely the same level of attention and concentration as in-person events if learning is to be successful.

The team at the IQ Competence Centre for Work-Related German Language therefore wanted to create a concept for video conferences with the aim of adding variety and livening up the experience for participants. It also needed to be usable for in-person events.

The requirement was that the activating and energising activities needed to come with a brief and succinct explanation and be presented in an attractive design. This requirement to be brief was not easy to implement for more complex instructions. There also needed to be an incentive to use them and the target group needed to be reached simply and as quickly as possible. Searching for the appropriate form of presentation also proved to be a challenge.

Implementing the concept

The entire team at the IQ Competence Centre initially developed the educational content and graphics for 24 exercises. These include games such as "Buchstabensalat" [word scramble] where the teacher presents a random mix of letters. Participants write down all the words they can find in the video chat or on an online pin board. The letters or task can also be chosen to create a link with an advanced training or lesson topic.

The exercises devised were then made available from 1 December 2021 via tuerchen.com in the form of a digital advent calendar. Up to 24 December, a door opened each day providing access to a new activity. Preparing it virtually as an advent calendar generated a huge amount of awareness. The link was provided via the IQ competence centre's Facebook profile, via the website and through various newsletters.

The final door of the advent calendar included information about the pack of postcards created up to that point. This can now also be ordered free of charge. Additional explanations, experience with and in-depth insights into using the energizers are provided in an interactive book made using the Book Creator tool.

The Book Creator tool gives the option of embedding multimedia examples for the purpose of illustration. The competence centre team plans to devise further exercises.

Conclusion

As media consumption rises, user concentration levels fall. The longer the duration of the input, and the more uniform its delivery, the worse this problem becomes. The energizer concept helps to restore concentration levels. The tool has a huge scope due to the digital and postcard format.

Fun, diversion and a chance to reset and relax are guaranteed. The postcards also mean teachers can reach for energizers at any time, whenever they see fit to do so.