Live Online Lectures
Teaching lectures in an online setting is different than teaching on campus. Students tell us that it's more difficult to keep paying attention and lots of teachers have complained they are teaching to black Zoom screens. Also, both students and teachers want more interaction during this online time. So how can we create this interaction in an online setting and how can we solve this problem? On this page we will tell you all about it!
What is the best way to teach lectures during in an online setting? This page will give you the tips that have shown to work best after a year of experience teaching online.
The way to do this #1:
Communicate expected Zoom behaviour. If you want students to switch their camera on, you need to communicate this clearly before class starts. This way students can prepare by looking presentable.
You can share this document with your students about how they are expected to behave during a Zoom class.
Communicate expected Zoom behaviour. If you want students to switch their camera on, you need to communicate this clearly before class starts. This way students can prepare by looking presentable.
You can share this document with your students about how they are expected to behave during a Zoom class.
The way to do this #2:
Make knowledge clips. Listening to a teacher talk for 2 hours, can be exhausting and doesn't provide any activity or interaction. By making a knowledge clip you can explain a topic to your students before class in a short video. This gives you time during your lectures to discuss the topic with your students in more depth in an interactive way.
Make knowledge clips. Listening to a teacher talk for 2 hours, can be exhausting and doesn't provide any activity or interaction. By making a knowledge clip you can explain a topic to your students before class in a short video. This gives you time during your lectures to discuss the topic with your students in more depth in an interactive way.
The way to do this #3:
Provide variation during the lecture. Students loose focus if they do 1 thing for a long period of time in an online setting. By providing variety in your lessons students will be shaken awake from time to time. Ask questions to your students by using polls or Mentimeter, use an energizer, discuss topics in small groups in breakout rooms, write together on an online whiteboard to create content together. This stimulates activity and interaction.
Provide variation during the lecture. Students loose focus if they do 1 thing for a long period of time in an online setting. By providing variety in your lessons students will be shaken awake from time to time. Ask questions to your students by using polls or Mentimeter, use an energizer, discuss topics in small groups in breakout rooms, write together on an online whiteboard to create content together. This stimulates activity and interaction.
The way to do this #4:
Create a safe environment. Asking questions or speaking up during a Zoom meeting with lots of participants is scary for your students. Lower the threshold to participate by asking questions where all students can participate anonymously with Mentimeter and polls. Use breakout rooms to discuss in small groups first, speaking up after a breakout room, is less scary for students than without.
Create a safe environment. Asking questions or speaking up during a Zoom meeting with lots of participants is scary for your students. Lower the threshold to participate by asking questions where all students can participate anonymously with Mentimeter and polls. Use breakout rooms to discuss in small groups first, speaking up after a breakout room, is less scary for students than without.
Best Practice
What does a lesson look like?
| Student preparation | Watch knowledge clip |
| Read article together with Feedbackfruits | |
| 11:00-12:00 | Energizer Links to an external site. |
| Discuss Feedbackfruits findings in Q&A style for additional explanation and deeper understanding | |
| Break | |
| 12:00-12:45 | Break-out room for discussion or application |
| Discuss findings with entire group | |
| Class evaluation with Mentimeter |