Engaging Virtual Dance Students Using Social Media Dances and Technology

Abstract

As a Title I middle school dance teacher in Tempe, Arizona, during COVID-19, maintaining engagement with my virtual dance students presented me with many new and unique challenges. With the constraints of students’ learning environments, technology limitations, and added responsibilities, I found myself reflecting, scrutinizing, evaluating, and distilling down the essential things that I wanted my students to learn and experience in my class. I wanted to form authentic relationships across the digital divide, encourage my students to be autonomous, and have agency over their learning and experience. By using social media dances and technology, I increased student engagement and enthusiasm, while also creating a fun virtual learning environment for both the students and myself.