Practical guides
Alternative to Asynchronous Discussion Forums
Jigsaw: assign different chapters/sections/questions to different students and once each posts their response or summary, the bigger picture becomes clearer for everyone.
Questions: rather than having students post only reading summaries or reflections, instead have them post the big questions the readings or tasks raised for them. They can then try to answer each other’s questions.
Voice/video/graphic posts: let students post video/voice comments or graphics as well as/instead of text consider tools such as Voicethread or Flipgrid
GIFS: ask students to summarise the reading/task with a GIF and defend their choice
Memes: ask students to read and create memes relating to key concepts
Fail and fix: ask students to post examples of #fails relating to your subject area (#designfail, #policyfail, #proofreadingfail, #signfail, etc) and suggest how they’d fix them
Roleplay: have students take on the role of a different kind of reader and ask/answer questions from that perspective (eg policy analyst, government minister, school teacher, nurse, patient, poet, client, etc)
Group and report: students work together to produce a summary or ask/answer questions about readings/tasks or make suggestions on best ways to tackle the next assignment, etc.
Shared notes: use a Google Doc to share the notes from readings and lectures, pose and answer questions
Useful resources
This IDEA paper provides some excellent ideas for actively engaging students in asynchronous online classes.
This Twitter thread has some great ideas for both asynchronous and synchronous online discussions:
Questions: rather than having students post only reading summaries or reflections, instead have them post the big questions the readings or tasks raised for them. They can then try to answer each other’s questions.
Voice/video/graphic posts: let students post video/voice comments or graphics as well as/instead of text consider tools such as Voicethread or Flipgrid
GIFS: ask students to summarise the reading/task with a GIF and defend their choice
Memes: ask students to read and create memes relating to key concepts
Fail and fix: ask students to post examples of #fails relating to your subject area (#designfail, #policyfail, #proofreadingfail, #signfail, etc) and suggest how they’d fix them
Roleplay: have students take on the role of a different kind of reader and ask/answer questions from that perspective (eg policy analyst, government minister, school teacher, nurse, patient, poet, client, etc)
Group and report: students work together to produce a summary or ask/answer questions about readings/tasks or make suggestions on best ways to tackle the next assignment, etc.
Shared notes: use a Google Doc to share the notes from readings and lectures, pose and answer questions
Useful resources
This IDEA paper provides some excellent ideas for actively engaging students in asynchronous online classes.
This Twitter thread has some great ideas for both asynchronous and synchronous online discussions:
Active Learning Activities while Physically Distancing.
We know you are looking for some way to make your teaching engaging. The chart linked outlines some common active learning strategies and corresponding approaches appropriate for face-to-face (regular as well as physically distanced), online-synchronous, online-asynchronous, and offline or low-bandwidth classrooms. Note that the strategies are adapted to different environments and hence, are not the same across all environments, as each environment has its own pros and cons to offer. You can choose and/or adapt the activities that suit best to the students, learning outcomes, content, and learning environment.
Salim, Z. (2020). Active Learning while Physically Distancing 2.0. The Aga Khan University. Licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA. This work is a derivative of Baumgartner, J. et. al. (2020). Active Learning while Physical Distancing. Louisiana State University. Also licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA. Available at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16PpcXB5Z9e8WiFwYcIMfFLv2BQidY-GzC22VXttzonk/edit
Salim, Z. (2020). Active Learning while Physically Distancing 2.0. The Aga Khan University. Licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA. This work is a derivative of Baumgartner, J. et. al. (2020). Active Learning while Physical Distancing. Louisiana State University. Also licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA. Available at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16PpcXB5Z9e8WiFwYcIMfFLv2BQidY-GzC22VXttzonk/edit
Setting up a teaching space/lectern to teach dual mode
Setting up a Teaching lectern to run PowerPoint and a Zoom session.
Make sure teaching/lectern computer is on split screen/extended mode (so each screen is different)
Make sure teaching/lectern computer is on split screen/extended mode (so each screen is different)
- on touch panel go to MEDIA tab and click on SPLIT SCREEN option.
- if screen are still the same click WIN+P on the keyboard (the windows icon and P)
- select EXTEND mode
- now two screen should be different in that one has the desktop icons on it and one does not.
- click on ZOOM icon on desktop (blue camera symbol)
- click SIGN IN and then select the SSO option on the right
- enter VUW as the company domain and enter
- login with VUW staff credentials
- Open Zoom Meetings (if option is presented)
- Once into Zoom you can either click NEW MEETING (if you are just using your standard meeting ID) or go to MEETINGS tab and pick the meeting that has been scheduled.
- Once in the meeting make sure the camera and mic selected are suitable (camera will probably be Webcam c190 - Mic can be webcam - if you are recording session using Panopto then you will need to select this mic. If you are going to record using Zoom you could pick the Capture HDMI option for mics)
- move the zoom window over to the right hand monitor and make full screen.
- pick SHARE SCREEN option and select SCREEN 1 (this will share anything that happens on the left hand monitor)
- If you are recording using zoom you can hit record now.
- If you want to monitor CHAT or PARTICIPANTS you will need to open these windows now.
- Find Power point file from online source such as BB or from USB stick etc and open in PowerPoint.
- click on SLIDE SHOW menu at the top and make sure the presenter mode is off and Monitor is selected as PRIMARY)
- put power point into SLIDE VIEW
- close PowerPoint
- eject any USB
- stop Zoom recording if running
- Stop ZOOM screen share
- End meeting for all/LEAVE Meeting
- You MUST LOG OUT of ZOOM - in ZOOM home screen (with the 4 big buttons) go to top right with your account profile (icon with your initials) click on this and select SIGN OUT.
- make sure no other tools/items open on task bar
- on touch panel press and hold ROOM RESET for 3 seconds to reset the room.
Teaching Continuity Resources
Canadian Educational Developers have created an amazing website with resources from multiple institutions, learning designers, and educators. If you can't find an answer on our pages have a look here: https://keepteaching.ca/
and the guide for Guidance for running a smoother online/remote teaching session
Moving Online Now - How to keep teaching during coronavirus (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
and the guide for Guidance for running a smoother online/remote teaching session
Moving Online Now - How to keep teaching during coronavirus (The Chronicle of Higher Education)