In Fall 2021, Waterloo will hold some "held-with" courses with students attending class in-person, referred to throughout this document as “in-person students”, and other students attending synchronously online referred to as “remote students”. The time and duration of the synchronous class sessions will be the same for all students, regardless of whether they are in-person or remote.
I want in-person and remote students see the same screen content.
| Recommended Practices | Considerations | More Information/Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Use your device (podium computer, tablet, etc.) to login to the meeting platform (Zoom, WebEx, MS Teams, etc.), then project your device screen onto the classroom screen for in-person students. | Ensure the meeting software audio is connected through room audio. | Check the technology in your classroom (for Registrar managed classrooms, login required). |
I want to show everyone the classroom whiteboard / blackboards.
| Recommended Practices | Considerations | More Information/Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Use the camera of a secondary device (in-class camera, tablet, iPad, smart phone) to show the board to remote students by logging in to the meeting platform (Zoom, WebEx, MS Teams, etc.) using the same login. | Turn the volume off on the secondary device. You may want to turn off the camera of primary device. Is there a camera already in the class that you can use? | How to video on YouTube (5:36): Check the technology in your classroom (for Registrar managed classrooms, login required). The “premium" classrooms have USB cameras with pre-set positions that focus on each of the black/white boards and can also share the document camera or any projected image to remote students. |
I want in-person and remote students to collaborate during class.
| Recommended Practices | Considerations | More Information/Resources |
|---|---|---|
| In general, do not use video for collaborations between students during the class. Use in-person and remote student video collaboration scenarios only where high value warrants it, and test early. | In general, classroom wireless capacity will not support all in-person students using video. Have in-person students turn off their outgoing and in-coming video and test early in the term. Consider chat collaborations or sharing. |
I want all students to participate in small group discussions synchronously.
| Recommended Practices | Considerations | More Information/Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Collaborative note taking (using OneDrive, OneNote, Google Doc*, etc.) facilitates group problem solving.
Consider online breakout rooms for ALL students, using smaller group discussions and group work, and by mixing in-person and remote students. |
For in-person groups consider challenges with distancing, mask protocols, etc.
Remote student considerations – internet issues, bandwidth, ensuring they are not forgotten, etc. Classroom noise levels may make it extra challenging, unless in-person students wear earbuds. For In-person students grouped with remote students ensure in-person students have a suitable device, - ensure enough bandwidth is available if video is desired and can be supported by wireless in the room (more challenging). |
Collaborative Note Taking: A Tool for Creating a More Inclusive College Classroom
The Power of Group Note-Taking (The Chronicle of Higher Education) Collaborative Note-taking as an Alternative to Recording Online Sessions (Faculty Focus) Breakout room info: |
I want to host full class brainstorming activities.
| Recommended Practices | Considerations | More Information/Resources |
|---|---|---|
| To engage both in-person and remote students, an online platform would be best | Do all in-person students have devices? Is the platform accessible from wherever your students are (i.e., China)? |
I want to facilitate full class discussions.
| Recommended Practices | Considerations | More Information/Resources |
|---|---|---|
| If possible, hire a TA or Online Learning Assistant/coop student as “online monitors” – check in with them for “raised hands” or to share questions or comments from remote students’ “chat”, or mute those that are not talking to minimize background noise/feedback.
Use the chat in the meeting platform for backchannel discussion and make a plan to integrate ideas from the backchannel |
Remote students may not be able to participate as readily – harder to have their voices heard | Facilitating Effective Discussions (CTE Teaching Tip) Question Strategies (CTE Teaching Tip) |
I want to poll the entire class during synchronous class-time.
| Recommended Practices | Considerations | More Information/Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Have your questions prepared ahead of time – but be sure you can do so with the selected polling technology.
Live polling (using polling features within meeting platforms or external polling tools) can be used to check comprehension and/or application. |
Use pre-loaded questions when possible, or budget more time if you plan to create polls on the fly. If you want to do on-the-fly questions, consider using raised hands (live or virtual). | Polling is available in:
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I want to facilitate a hands-on demonstration and group collaboration.
| Recommended Practices | Considerations | More Information/Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Prior to the session, send clear instructions to all students about what they are expected to do during the synchronous time. Establish guidelines as to what the in-person students can do to help improve the experience of their remote group members (e.g., having in-person students stream the hands-on portion of the groupwork; having remote students handle the simulation/data analysis, etc.) | Make sure the classroom/lab space is sufficient for in-person students to maintain required distance with one another. Ensure that the streaming devices are set up to give remote students a full view of the activities. Mobile cameras might be necessary if the instructional team will be moving around the room to demonstrate various processes. | Best Practices for Online Labs (CTE Teaching Tip) |
I want to discuss a case study, reading or video.
| Recommended Practices | Considerations | More Information/Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Split students into small groups of 3-4 to discuss the case or reading/material using breakout rooms for remote students (or for everyone to mix in-person and remote students). Ask them to be prepared to share with the larger group. For a case study, students could discuss what the issue was, key players or stakeholders, options, and recommendation. For other readings provide some guiding questions such as key points of the article/material, whether they agree or disagree with the position or argument made, or questions that arose and areas of confusion. Reconvene the entire class and ask for volunteers to share what came up from their small group discussion. | Consider using a short online quiz (in LEARN) about the material (case, reading, video) due a day or two prior to class to encourage students to come prepared. The quiz can be low stakes to confirm they have read or watched/listened to the required material. Consider using small groups for discussion to allow everyone the opportunity to participate and contribute.Consider giving some students advance notice that they will be “on call” to share their thoughts (ask students to inform you if they are uncomfortable sharing). You could choose to call on those students or not and rotate so there are different students “on call” each week. | See small group discussion and full class discussion above. Consider a collaborative document for notetaking (e.g., MS Word, Google Doc*) or collaborative annotation (e.g., Perusall*) |
* These tools are not centrally supported or licensed, but may be used by your faculty.