Videoconferencing Teaching Techniques

1) Be prepared.

Teaching over videoconferencing can be intimidating at first. Become familiar with the equipment you are using, how to switch video sources and how to use presets. Being prepared can also include sending any handouts in advance to the students at the far end so they can participate accordingly.

2) Be aware of the camera.

Be aware of what the camera is showing. For example, if you like to pace when you speak, make sure you don’t pace off screen. If you were showing a PowerPoint in class but are now done discussing it, change the video source to yourself or the person speaking.

3) Be aware of the microphone.

Different rooms will have different microphones at different locations. If you can’t be heard by people in the local room, you won’t be heard by the microphone. If you can’t see the microphone, it will be more difficult for students on the far end to hear. Don’t shuffle and ruffle papers next to the microphone. It gets amplified on the far end.

4) Don’t use the chalkboard/whiteboard; instead, use a document camera.

You may prefer to write notes on a white board in the front of the room; however, it may be very difficult for students on the far end to see. Instead, use a document camera with a nice sized marker (no pens or pencils). If the students in the local room can’t see the document camera image, the students on the far end won’t be able to see the image either. Remember aspect ratio differences!!! A document camera will show a standard TV aspect ratio of 3x4. A piece of paper is 8.5x11.

5) Be careful when showing video clips from VCR and DVDs.

Videos with lots of motion (which includes any movie that uses panning, not just action movies), will have reduced quality over videoconferencing. Try viewing the video yourself over the videoconferencing equipment to see if it is acceptable. For longer videos, send a copy to the far end beforehand so it can be played locally.

6) Engage the students at the far end.

Videoconferencing is a two-way medium, not one way. Calling students by name always makes them feel involved. If the far end is not engaged, try asking questions specific for them. For example, “Does any one at the Prince William campus have a question?”

Make yourself available off-line from videoconferencing. For example, give your e-mail address out. Some students may feel intimidated by being on video and this gives them an opportunity to still ask questions.

7) Set the standard for proper videoconferencing class etiquette.

Videoconferencing etiquette is not all that different from common sense etiquette we practice everyday; however, not many students have had a class over videoconferencing before. Sometimes students forget they can be seen and heard by not only the professor on the far end but also by other students. If students are noisy on the far end, ask them to be quiet. If a door is open to a hallway, close it or ask that it be closed. Cell phones should be turned off or set to silent, just like any normal class.

If you are in a multi-point call, request that students introduce themselves by stating their name and their location before speaking. For example “Hello, this is John from the Arlington campus. Can you please explain that formula again?”

8) When using a PC, the lower the resolution the better.

OK, this one is counterintuitive. What is easier to see from twenty feet away, a high resolution life size picture of an ant or a low resolution life size picture of an elephant? When a Windows operating system uses a higher resolution, it also scales all the fonts to a smaller size. It might be okay when you are sitting right next to the monitor, but it becomes difficult to see from a distance.

Another important question is what is the far end using to view your image? A VGA monitor or a regular TV monitor? A PC image always gets scaled and stretched when sent to a TV. The closest PC resolution to a standard TV (704x480) monitor is VGA (640x480), not XGA (1024x768).

9) Be aware of the effect of turning down the lights.

Be careful not to turn down the lights too much. Front screen projectors do their best when the lights are turned down; however, cameras do their best with the most amount of light.

10) Switch the location you teach the class from.

If you are teaching a class between two or three of the Mason campuses using videoconferencing, try switching the location you teach every once in a while. Your students will appreciate the opportunity to meet you in person…just don’t expect them to ask for autographs.