This video interview/screencast explores best practices & challenges when teaching in online live/synchronous session, using web conferencing platforms. The goal when teaching in this modality is to provide an active learning environment that engages students and builds community. Video available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB-H0vNV4xU Faculty guests: James Leaman (EMU) & Steve Webster Facilitated by Brian Gumm (EMU)

1. Beyond the
basics
ACTIVE LEARNING IN
SYNCHRONOUS
ONLINE SESSIONS

2. Faculty
Jim Leaman, Faculty
Business & Econ Dept, Eastern Mennonite University
Steve Webster, Adjunct Faculty
Business Dept, Bluffton University
Facilitator
 Brian Gumm, Online Education Design Specialist
Eastern Mennonite University
DISCUSSION PARTNERS

3. Advantages to synchronous online sessions
The learning curve & early lessons learned
Growing pains
Best Practices & Protocols
TOPICS

4. Building a
case
ADVANTAGES TO
SYNCHRONOUS

5. Discussion
Best view of peoples’ faces
Text chat
Guest speakers from anywhere in the world
Polling - Many ideas shared at once, from
everyone!
ADVANTAGES TO SYNCHRONOUS

6. Recorded/Archived Sessions
Absent students, recorded mini-lectures/flipped
Group Annotation/Whiteboarding
Multi-modal engagement (chat, polling)
Convenient and cost-saving
location, time, connecting with tutors
ADVANTAGES TO SYNCHRONOUS

7. ADVANTAGES TO SYNCHRONOUS

8.  Our tool: Zoom.us (or simply “Zoom”)
 Maximum participant capacity: 50
 Simple user interface
 Superior audio/video call quality
ADVANTAGES TO SYNCHRONOUS

9.  Three possible modes: speaker view, gallery view, share-screen
 Gallery View (we’ve found this most helpful for dynamic
discussion)
 Everyone sees everyone’s face – halo around active speaker
 Raising hands either electronically or physically in video feed
 Chat feature gets more students involved and provides an additional channel
 Quieter students are more likely to use chat; everyone has ways to express
themselves
 Dual-channel discussion, with each informing the other channel (adds extra
dimension)
 Chat log saved for later review; I use this help guide subsequent coverage/classes
 Allows guest speakers to join from anywhere!
 Zoom sessions can be recorded and archived for re-viewing
ADVANTAGES TO SYNCHRONOUS

10. Early
lessons
learned
THE LEARNING CURVE

11.  Faculty have tendency at first to try to replicate onsite style to
online
 There may be a requisite period of adaptation
 Technology tools make a difference
 Find products best suited to specific needs (Zoom, Socrative)
 Internet bandwidth makes a difference
 DSL connections are workable, but marginal (accommodation)
 Audio is the most vexing and nagging problem to solve
 Headsets with boom, noise-cancelling mics
 Mics always in the open position (unmuted)
THE LEARNING CURVE

12.  An adjustment for everyone (faculty & students)
 Skepticism  acceptance  excitement
 Training and orientation
 Period of gaining comfort
 Shifting paradigms, understanding, methods
 Redesigning course content and pedagogy
 New technologies shuffle the deck…next round
THE LEARNING CURVE

13. Continuing
to improve
BEST PRACTICES &
PROTOCOLS

14.  Identify & solve technology problems early
 Ensure adequate hardware and bandwidth, and test it
 Establish “netiquette” for sessions
 Eye contact: Looking directly at camera
 No eating
 Minimize/eliminate background noise
 Provide non-active content (lectures) into recorded
format, keep live/synchronous time active
BEST PRACTICES & PROTOCOLS

15. Encourage multi-modal discussion (text chat, live
discussion)
Plan a mix of activities: 15-20 minute segments
Take breaks in long sessions
Cultivate a community of learning
 Small group breakout sessions
 “Water cooler time” during breaks or
 “Happy hour” after class
BEST PRACTICES & PROTOCOLS

16. Any others that you would add?
Email or comment!
brian.gumm@emu.edu
@OnlineEd_EMU
emu.edu/now/online-ed