You are probably looking for activities to work on emotions in e-learning because you already have clear notions of how they can influence learning.
How many cases are there of students who experience so much anxiety before an exam that they are unable to concentrate and remember the information during the test? What about others who feel such shame or disinterest that they do not participate in class, much less in group activities?
Nervousness, frustration, confusion, isolation, or boredom can hinder learning and, as a teacher, you will need to work on emotional intelligence in the classroom and educate, as much as possible, their emotions.
Indeed, it is not an easy task, since it requires, among other things, predisposition on the part of the students, an e-learning platform that reduces complexity when doing it remotely, and you. The latter is because you will have the mission of raising their confidence in themselves and in others, awakening their curiosity, and making them feel excited.
The responsibility of the teacher in emotional education in the classroom
“People will forget what you said, they will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
These words from Maya Angelou perfectly illustrate how emotional experiences are capable of making a lasting impression.
Therefore, we must be especially careful, since we can affect the mood and behavior of the students for better or worse. We can motivate and connect them, and quite the opposite, frustrate and isolate them.
Are you able to recognize non-verbal cues in yourself and them? Can you regulate stress? Can you put yourself in their shoes and feel empathy?
To reach them ‘really’, generate enthusiasm, and contribute to their learning, you must first find out if you have the skills to identify, understand, and regulate your own and other people’s emotions.
Another key aspect is trust. If you have confidence in yourself, you will be able to face complex situations better and have more impact on the students, since they can perceive that security.
In short, before teaching students activities to work on emotions in e-learning, it will be necessary for you to master your emotional intelligence.
About activities to work on emotions in online training
We cannot delve into games to work on emotions without first making a small point.
As we have been commenting, our emotions can have a positive or negative impact on students and, consequently, on learning. Therefore, we should not only focus on practicing activities to work on emotions in the virtual classroom at specific times but also keep it in mind throughout the instruction.
We know that joy, curiosity, security, or enthusiasm promote learning. Of course, promoting these positive emotions will always be valuable.
Then, others hinder it. We are referring to anxiety, fear, anger, jealousy, guilt, or boredom. What do we do with these? We won’t necessarily have to ‘fumigate’ them, as they are a natural part of us.
Students have to be able to understand what they are feeling and learn to manage that emotion healthily.
Below, we show you some activities and dynamics to work on emotions in adults and young people. The idea is that they manage to deal with them, but without ignoring or repressing any of them.
8 dynamics and games to work on emotions
First of all, clarify that for all activities we propose a duration between 30 and 45 minutes, except in the case of podcasts, which we reduce it to 20 to encourage attention and avoid saturation.
Likewise, if feasible, we recommend teams of 3 to 6 people, since participation is easier in small groups.
Now let’s look at the activities.
Recognition of emotions
Firstly, “Emotion Recognition” is an online group dynamic that aims to ensure that students can recognize how they feel and name the emotions they experience.
It works very well for adults, it can be done in a group or individually and it is one of the activities to work on emotions in the classroom and develop emotional intelligence to take into account as a starting point.
Instruments to develop the activity
Online survey or forum.
Have students share how they feel when class starts using emojis.
Emotions notebook
Although at first, it may not seem like it, the “Emotions Notebook” is another of the dynamics to work on emotions in adults.
In essence, it consists of each trainee keeping a periodic record of their emotions and writing down what they think was the trigger. Then, they must write the consequences, that is, how said emotion has affected their mood and behavior.
With these exercises to work on emotions, you will help students to know themselves and discover which emotions are repeated most frequently and their impact.
Instruments to develop the activity
Cloud document or template for recording emotions.
Create a table in which the date and time of the field, emotion, triggers, and consequences appear so that the trainee can complete it daily or as frequently as you consider appropriate. Also, adopt an additional space for comments.
role playing
On the other hand, role-playing is a type of interactive activity ideal for students to get involved, collaborate, and reflect more deeply.
Within the framework of activities to work on emotions in e-learning, it refers to the simulation of specific situations, such as making decisions under pressure managing a conflict, or assuming a specific role, for example, as a leader. , employee, dissatisfied customer, or other. In short, this allows them to practice emotional management.
Of the proposed dynamics, role-playing can be one of the most useful activities to work on emotional intelligence in the classroom, since the range of scenarios is enormous.
Instruments to develop the activity:
Video conferencing (through “video breakouts”).
Assume the role of a dissatisfied boss with an employee or represent a common situation in a company, such as a job interview.
Meditation and mindfulness
Although meditation and mindfulness may not be considered ‘original’ activities for working on emotions, today they are still perfect tools for dealing with the tensions of everyday life.
Without going any further, a simple conscious breathing exercise helps reduce stress and increase focus, thus avoiding distractions that may occur.
Instruments to develop the activity
Live videos and videoconferences.
A 5-minute guided deep breathing session. You can also offer a meditation before a presentation or exam so that they can manage their nerves.
Discussion forums
Nothing better than having a space in which students are free to express themselves and reflect on their emotions.
In particular, you can create a forum on a relevant topic related to the needs of your group and the goals you want to achieve.
And you know, your contribution to these group dynamics to work on emotions must be to ask stimulating questions, encourage them to participate, and moderate the discussion.
Instruments to develop the activity
Discussion forum.
Using strategies to manage stress before exams or presentations.
Case studies
Likewise, it is possible to propose case studies on challenges or situations that they may face in their work, social, or family environment, and invite them to reflect carefully and apply emotional intelligence strategies in said context.
Instruments to develop the activity
Shared document and discussion forums, live video conferencing sessions, or chat for interaction.
Analysis of how to deal with a fight with a colleague or a case study on dealing with a complaint from a dissatisfied customer.
Interactive webinars
The objective of a live webinar is to present a topic in real-time, such as stress management, and empathy at work or another, and get participants to interact.
In this way, it is not only possible to maintain the attention and interest of the students but also to evaluate their interactions, promote closeness, and offer them immediate feedback.
One tip: record the webinar so participants can access it later.
Instruments to develop the activity
Video conferencing, chat (real-time interaction), and surveys (feedback).
Invite experts in emotional intelligence to share practical strategies, exercises, and tips for emotional development.
Podcasts or interviews with experts
In the same way as with webinars, we can always present interviews with influential people in the field of emotional intelligence or our narratives, this time delayed (divided into episodes, each one on a topic).
Once the students have seen or listened to the material, the interesting thing would be to invite them to write their reflections or answer specific questions. You can even run simulations that reflect the emotional scenarios discussed in the podcast, or organize forums where you share your perceptions.
