Synchronous Class & Activities

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The theme, format, & title (“Pocket PD Guide”) are borrowed under a Creative Commons License from the California Virtual Campus. The content and slides, by Jenn Kepka from Lane Community College, are available under a Creative Commons Attribution license unless otherwise noted.

What are the goals of this guide?

After engaging with this guide, you will be able to:�

1. Evaluate the instructional value of synchronous video course meetings.
2. Identify the components of an effective synchronous meeting.
3. Evaluate different types of activities considering your course objectives.
4. Identify specific tools that work well with your course and planned meetings.

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Navigating this guide

You can read through this guide all at once, or use it as a reference for questions. Here are the major sections:

• What is a Synchronous Video Class?
• Lecture on Zoom: Should I do it? What are some tips for better lectures?
• Setting expectations for any Zoom class meeting.
• Tips for successful Zoom sessions (including activity ideas)

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Synchronous Class: What is it?

What is a Synchronous Class Session?

• Synchronous online courses, also called Virtual or Remote courses in some forms, require faculty and students to be present for live meetings, usually held over video conferencing software like Zoom.
• Synchronous content can provide students a familiar learning structure, similar to the face-to-face learning environment in the physical classroom.
• During the remote teaching pivot in Spring and Summer 2020, some students reported wanting more synchronous time to ask instructors questions during class.

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Synchronous Video Challenges

• Zoom/live meetings can be difficult for students to attend when they have unpredictable home or work schedules (i.e., if they are caring for young children who are also attending online school).
• Live classes also take a high-speed internet connection that not all may have.
• Synchronous sessions have a higher chance for technical difficulty that excludes participation on all sides.

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Benefits of synchronous sessions

• Pre-pandemic, studies had begun to show that some synchronous sessions included in otherwise asynchronous courses could be effective at building a stronger sense of instructor presence and social connectivity in a class (Clark, Strugler, & Grove, 2015).
• A study of 13 faculty found they had effectively built class community by limiting lecture and using live sessions to provide a social space (Barry, 2019).
• Another case study found that using virtual (and at times required) office hours as a space for live social connection in online courses had positive results (Lowenthal & Dunlap, 2017).

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The Balance:

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Courses with live video sessions must strive to provide the stability and attention many equate with in-person courses without excluding students who cannot regularly attend or pay full attention because they are unexpectedly learning from home.

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Zoom U: Lectures in Synchronous Classes

Should I lecture live on Zoom?

• Most of the time, and in a perfect online setting, probably not -- or at least, not in a required-attendance live session. Studies have show students prefer having access to live lectures captured on video for on-campus classes (Bollmeier et al., 2010; ), and that there may be better outcomes for students who have access to videos, slides, and lecture notes in online courses (Robertson & Flowers, 2020) -- or there may not be (Evans & Cordova, 2015).
• There’s little research about benefits to live lecture versus recorded lecture, but recorded lectures for online courses are generally found not to be satisfying or well-attended (if over six minutes).

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Tips for lecture via Zoom

• Use with precision: Provide a short (think 15-20 minutes, with a break) amount of information before moving into demonstration or conversation.
• Active demonstrations or whiteboard drawings are more engaging than long lecture. Consider Zoom’s whiteboard or collaborative apps like whiteboard.fi
• Provide a mechanism for feedback and questions during the lecture: Ask students to post questions in the chat or to signal when they have a question (raising hand, adding a Zoom reaction, holding up a ?? sign, etc.)

The value students get from live lecture is live access to you, so be present and available for questions after the lecture to clarify.

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Setting Expectations for Zoom Classes

Setting Expectations for Zoom Class

• Explain session rules in writing (here’s an example template you can copy) before and live at the start of each session, including:
• Expectations for length of session (30 active minutes + 20 optional for questions?)
• Any materials students should have at hand (book, notes, etc.)
• Whether you’re recording, how soon you’ll post the recording, and where
• Procedure for re-joining the session if they have to leave (i.e., signal lost or home/work situation demands they change device/location, etc.)

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Setting Expectations for Zoom Class

• Expectations for audio: Should students mute unless they have a question, for instance?
• Expectations for chat: Will you monitor it for questions?
• Expectations for attendance: Will you take attendance during the session, when, and how will that attendance be part of their grade?
• Expectations for video: This gets tricky… (see next slide)

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Should I require cameras on in Zoom?

Short answer: No.

Longer answer: No, but you can establish expectations that invite students to turn their cameras on when they are comfortable doing so.

Students who are forced to turn on their cameras may be revealing parts of their living situation (and life) that they are not comfortable sharing with others. They may feel unsafe and may feel that they aren’t trusted to manage their own learning.

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Should I require cameras on in Zoom?

Other considerations

• Not all computers have webcams, and not all students will have access to a camera when taking your course.
• Turning on one’s own Zoom video increases the bandwidth use (and, in fact, viewing a Zoom with multiple others who have cameras on can also increase bandwidth demand) and may make it harder for those on slow or unstable connections to participate.

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Oregon State’s Center for Teaching and Learning led discussions on this in the Spring and created an infographic and best practice recommendations:

Please consider the following recommendations:

• Establish expectations for turning on cameras early on, and explain why.
• Set norms for synchronous meetings and the use of video camera.
• Turning video cameras on should not be mandatory.
• Have short conferences to have face-to-face with students. Encourage, but do not insist on the use of video camera for discussions, virtual office hours, and consultations.
• You may ask students to make themselves visible if they are asking/responding to a question; otherwise, use chat.
• In larger classes, some professors tell students to turn their cameras off during lectures.

Should I require cameras on in Zoom?

Recommendations on this slide by the Oregon State Center for Teaching and Learning are used under a Creative Commons Attribution license

Yes, I hear you. It can feel lonely or disconnected to lecture to a series of blank boxes. You may wonder if anyone is listening.

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But I like having cameras on in Zoom.

This isn’t the cheeriest advice, but please keep in mind: Even in face-to-face on-campus classes, we didn’t know whether students were listening intently or thinking about pancake recipes. Students have to make a choice to participate and learn, whether on camera or off.

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Encourage students to upload a representative photo or avatar as their Zoom profile picture. In general, creating a class climate where students want to see and be seen is the best strategy to encourage video use.

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Tips for successful Zoom sessions

Start on the same page

• Clarify in advance what topic(s) will be addressed and what work should be completed beforehand.
• If readings, etc., are expected before the meeting:
• provide a low-stakes or no-points pre-quiz in Moodle that students complete before the Zoom session to make sure everyone starts in the same place, and then
• use the first few minutes to answer the questions as a group, and let questions that were challenging guide the initial lecture direction.

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Take roll & poll

• Use the Zoom polling feature to take roll near the start of class with a low-stakes question or “ice-breaker” type of quiz (example: To show you’re here today, answer this question: What toppings should never be on a pizza?).
• To set up an attendance poll, follow these directions.
• Make sure that the “Anonymous?” box is not checked so that names are recorded for everyone who attends.
• You can use the polls throughout the rest of the meeting to get quick feedback about concepts.

Get student help when you need it

• Ask students to volunteer as discussion leaders or Zoom chat managers during class. Discussion leaders can provide questions for the class to answer or provide short summaries of information when needed; chat managers can let the speakers know when there’s a question, or they can be responsible for re-posting links or valuable information.
• Likewise, a student volunteer can collect notes from the session, including questions and links, to be shared afterward.
• Students can also collaborate in a Google Doc to the side to construct a meeting outline/study guide together during lecture or discussion portions.

Invite a guest star

Take advantage of the lack of walls this term and teleport in your colleagues!

• Bring Lane colleagues in as expert witnesses on different topics for 10 minute Q&A
• Invite Lane staff (tutors, advisors, counselors, peer mentors, health center staff, etc.) to present on quick helpful tips at the start or end of class sessions.
• Reach out to colleagues from other colleges and hold a “debate,” discussion, or panel on a topic of interest, and invite students to join in.

Use breakout rooms intentionally

Dividing students into groups can lead to excellent discussions, but it can also end in awkward silence (just like the campus classroom!). Decide what objective students need to reach in breakout groups and structure their time tightly around these objectives: Is it to get another perspective on a topic? To test their own understanding against their peers (as a self-check)? To construct something they can’t build on their own? To help students who are struggling by pairing them with students who may be ahead? To build confidence in their answers before presenting to the whole group? To work through peer review?

Remember every group project you ever did, and have an answer ready for the moment they think: Why are we doing this again?

Use breakout rooms intentionally

• Provide clear directions or tasks for breakout rooms in the Zoom chat and provide a link to a document with these listed (as main Zoom window and chat will not be visible once they leave).
• Provide a link to a shared, editable document if writing has to be collected.
• Clearly state the end time and warning time (ex: 2 min before end).
• Make groups of 3-5 when possible (avoid pairs so no one is alone)
• Provide a chance for those who are uncomfortable to leave their group and return to the main room.
• Visit each group as they work (or as many as possible).

Take a field trip

• Hold class from a physical place that is relevant to your topic of the day (be safe! Wear a mask! Stay distant!). Use your phone or tablet to show where you are and include the location in the class experience.
• Invite students to take relevant photos during their week and share them during class as a chance for others to field trip to their locations. Examples:
• Display something from nature for a science class
• Show a good or terrible sign in a design course
• Screenshot a classic argument structure from social media (well… maybe)

Check-out, check-back time

• Provide assignment guidance and send students out of Zoom to complete the task (for example: students should close Zoom to watch a 5-minute video, or to take a short quiz or complete an exercise).
• Assign a check-back time when students need to return with something they’ve completed (video summary in a sentence; quiz results; photo of the completed exercise).

Note: You can show video over Zoom, but it has some bandwidth implications for you and your students. Look for ways to assign video viewing before and after live meetings.

Have space for sharing

• Use the start or end of class time as an open platform for students to share challenges (academic or personal, as they’re comfortable) and build community.
• Ask students to email or message you any updates or events they’d like you to share during this time, as well.
• Ask someone to share the best thing they’ve learned (or, if you want to keep it light, eaten or watched on streaming) this week.

Schedule longer talks for later

• Have your contact information or calendar scheduling ready if a student has a question that can’t be answered in a reasonable time during Zoom. “That’s a great question, and I’d like you to follow up with me in email so we can figure out a time to talk through it.”
• Clearly state when your next live session and any office hours will be for those who need to get more live help.
• Provide information for the live Student Help Desk/Academic Tutoring Services Zoom during your session for students who want to jump directly over there for more assistance. (https://lanecc.edu/shed)

Is Zoom the only synchronous option?

No. You can be as creative as you’d like in holding class experiences at the same time. Zoom is both a video and telephone platform, for instance; you could have a group call instead of a video session.

You can also use other college-provided technology to meet with others at the same time:

• Google Hangouts can work well in situations with lower bandwidth (students access this through their Lane email account)
• Collaborating and chatting over a Google Doc is a synchronous activity

Is Zoom the only synchronous option?

• Moodle even has a text-based chat activity that you can use. Is it great? Heck no! Could it work in a pinch or with some creativity? You betcha!
• Other options may include technology you or your department have experimented with: texting apps can facilitate some of this, as could streaming YouTube experiences, or other text-and-media chat apps like Slack or Discord. Ask around to see how others are creating live experiences!

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I have more questions

• For technical questions (how to get Zoom on, etc.), chat with the ATC: https://lanecc.edu/atc for current hours and methods of contact.
• Want to brainstorm ways to improve Zoom experience? Have a Zoom tip to share? Email your Instructional Design Services team (idservices@lanecc.edu) or drop in to the Instructor Support Hub to connect with colleagues.

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Good luck! You’ll do great!