Using a valid game-based learning activity to practice communication competencies online

Due to the covid-19 pandemic, several universities have changed to remote teaching. Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) was no exception, and a communication activity already given in a face-to-face environment was adapted to be implemented in a remote setting. During this activity, 310 Master engineering students of IST participated in this activity via Zoom. The aim of this study was to compared the differences between the face-to-face setting to the remote format. A scoring rubric was used to analyze the performance of students' communication competencies in the activity. A self-assessment questionnaire was used to study the perceptions of students' communication competencies, their areas of improvement and the usefulness of the activity according to them. The findings showed that the activity is effective in both face-to-face and remote settings, with the following advantages of the remote implementation: less noise in the rooms, more organization, better time management, fewer constraints during the reflection moment, and benefits from the use of digital tools. The student's performance also gained with the remote setting, with improved note-taking, communication, collaboration and better final scorings. The lessons learned by the authors in the remote adaptation of the activity can be helpful to other educators in the implementation of remote teaching.