Tips for Successful Video / Internet 2 Classroom Delivery

Teaching and learning in a video classroom environment with students at a remote site is very different than the traditional classroom and may require some changes in your normal teaching and classroom management behaviors.

Here are some tips that other instructors have shared for getting the most out of a video/distance class experience.

1. Test out all of your materials on the equipment ahead of time to ensure they work as planned and that you know how to make them work. Have a back up plan in case of technical failure.

2. Give students a copy of the lecture slides in advance so that they have them to follow along and take notes.

3. Make objectives for that day's lecture very clear at the start of each class time. Leave time to summarize the objectives at the end of class.

4. Take advantage of computer resources (Sakai, email, websites) to distribute content outside of class. Also utilize this for student collaboration, turning in course work, and providing group or individual feedback.

5. Engage every student by soliciting input on a student-by-student basis.

6. Solicit feedback, collaboration and interaction from the students. See the "Classroom Assessment Techniques" link which describes methods for invoking student feedback that can be easily applied to a distance or online setting.

7. Provide timely feedback. Establish with your students how timely your responses will be (for example: you will return phone calls by the next day, emails within two days), or preface which days of the week you will be online or responding to emails (for example: you will respond to messages on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday).

Consider telling your students:

1. Come to class about 10 minutes early. This will give students a chance to talk to others in their room before the video conferencing begins.

2. Be assertive and speak up. Call out the instructor's name and pause for acknowledgement, then announce your name and location and state your question or concern.

3. Sit near a camera and microphone. This is not the time to sit in the back row. Not only is it hard to stay mentally focused on a distant television screen, but it may be difficult to get the instructor's attention in a timely manner if the student is far from the camera or microphone.

4. Be aware of any home TV-viewing habits that may interfere with your learning experience in the class. Watching television at home is a very different experience than participating in a video classroom. Block out any distractions that may prevent you from seeing and hearing but also comprehending the class. You must stay focused and involved, ask questions, and share ideas with the class.

5. Contact the instructor outside of class with specific and/or personal questions.

Technical room assistance is available through Tony Ramirez Barron, 677-3045 or crabe@bradley.edu. Sakai assistance is available through Tony, as well, and Barb Kerns, 677-2332 or brk@bradley.edu.