Suggestions for Teaching in a Videoclassroom

Teaching in a videoclassroom allows you the opportunity to use your teaching and communications expertise in creative new ways.

First and most important, please keep in mind throughout your class sessions that you have one extra student—the future distance learner. Imagine that the camera you face is that extra student, and engage it directly by eye contact, asking questions, facing the camera as often as possible. You should also be aware of the camera’s limitations and plan accordingly. It cannot ask you to repeat a question or ask for clarification of a point you are making. It does not follow your movements around the room as quickly or as comprehensively as an eye can.

Some ways to minimize the lack of direct, immediate interaction with your distance students include:

• Repeat in-class student questions, re-stating the question if necessary, so that distance students can be engaged at the same point in the lecture as your in-class students.
• Use examples to emphasize your points, several if possible, so that the distance student is given several different ways to learn the material.
• Enunciate your words, using volume and pitch variations to add interest to your comments.
• Telegraph your movement around the room to your room operator so s(he) can maneuver the cameras into position. Use either verbal cues or body language to indicate a change in location.
• Make liberal use of visual aids—they add interest and variety to lecture materials. The distance learning room is especially conducive for the use of computer images, including Power Point presentations, slides, and video footage. Please refer to the section on instructional aids for suggestions on effective use of graphics.
• Encourage interest in your subject matter through use of humor, anecdotes, and comments of general interest.
• Ask for feedback from the room operator on mannerisms that may be distracting or annoying when viewed in the future by distance students.
• Avoid clothing or jewelry that can be distracting or quickly date the recorded materials—loud fabrics or patterns, large jewelry, dangling earrings, etc. White shirts and blouses should also be avoided since cameras tend to overcompensate for white images, bleaching out other colors.
• Most of all, be yourself! By animated voice and body language, engage your students both in-class and at a distance by letting your enthusiasm for your subject come through.