Some faculty may use video conferencing to conduct part of the class. Here are a few pedagogical considerations we would make when you plan such kind of teaching:
Course outcomes and objectives:
Please make sure that your classes using video conferencing technologies achieve identical learning outcomes and objectives as a regular Face-to-Face course. To accomplish this, you may need to mobilize a variety of instructional resources, such as the use of asynchronous learning content to supplement what you do via remote teaching. For instance, provide certain course materials online for students to access, or conduct certain activities in an asynchronous fashion, such as the use of discussion boards. It may also be necessary to provide a substantial on-site experience for students.
Instructional strategies:
You might want to consider the best approach for your teaching when conferencing is the main method of delivery. Weigh your options for teaching. Is lecturing going to be most effective during the conferencing? Or will you be conducting certain hands-on class activities at a distance? Is it better for students to review certain materials online? Are you able to test them online? Think about all of these as well as other issues as you plan for your semester.
Interaction:
A quality learning experience also consist of interaction with the text, among students and between you and the students. When remote teaching platforms restrict you from doing this, please consider other channels of delivery. We strongly recommend you use a learning management system to organize your class interaction activities.
We also strongly recommend that you use tools such as chat and screen sharing that come with your remote teaching platform to promote interaction in class.
Some tools, such as instant polling, may require you to set up before class. Make sure you have such tools ready for class use, instead of trying to figure it out during class.
Flipped learning experience:
If video communication will primarily be one-way during conferencing, such as lectures, prepared videos (rather than live video) may be more reliable. Such pre-recorded video lectures would also give students the ability to rewind and repeat sections to enhance understanding. Live video conferencing could be set aside for questions and answers for clarification. This would be identical with what is often called the “flipped classroom” or blended learning experience for students in a residential class experience. This would also reduce the demand on connectivity when the attendance group is large.
Accessibility:
When you think about your remote teaching experience, be also mindful of those who might have certain types of disability that may cause difficulty for them to access your information. If you are sharing a PowerPoint online, screen readers may have difficulty reading the presentation through a remote conferencing program. Be prepared to provide alternative representations, such as transcript for videos, andcaptions, audible descriptions of visual images. It is also a good practice to share such resources with them prior to the virtual classroom session.