225 Lecturing and Alternatives (04.02.2020)

In this Lab, considered effective alternatives to an in-person lecture… What is the best strategy to continue to deliver lecture content? What options are there other than recording video? How do I make a record lecture more interactive? Are there tools for captioning my recorded lectures?

Top 5 Takeaways

1. Create small chunks: break lectures into 5-7 minute sections with active learning, application opportunities, and knowledge checks between them has long been suggested in face-to-face teaching because of the benefits to learning. For Remote teaching, it’s even more important because smaller (2-5min) chunks are easier to download and view for those with unreliable internet access. Embed small videos in Canvas quiz question fields for graded comprehension checks.
2. Incorporate outside resources with expert presentations and/or educational videos. Consider the plethora of resources available through UW Libraries and the internet more broadly before you re-create everything new, there is a lot of good information out there already; you just have to locate it and provide access (or have your students curate it!)
3. Provide alternatives wherever possible. Be considerate of learners’ different levels of access to high speed internet. If you conduct live courses, record (and chunk!) them for students who can’t attend. Supplement videos with readings.
4. Show your personality in audio and video you add to Canvas. Humor, self-disclosure and sharing your experiences and stories helps students connect with the content and with the instructor. (And let, but don’t require, students show theirs!)
5. Try new ways to utilize video. Provide demonstrations, walkthroughs, and virtual tours. Create asynchronous weekly videos guiding students through the course content, clarifying assignments, and summarizing the main points. Video while walking!

For a digital copy of this activity sheet with active links and access to today’s session notes (at bottom), join our Canvas course and follow the instructions at canvas.wisc.edu/enroll/GPT8NL. Find info from past Labs at bit.ly/ATL-ejournal

The Remote Readiness Active Teaching Labs are a partnership between DoIT-Academic Technology and the Division of Continuing Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Each 90-minute session is offered from 10am-11:30am through Blackboard Collaborate Ultra and is facilitated by a team composed of staff from both DoIT-Academic Technology and the Division of Continuing Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Reminder: Your first stop for questions and support is to e-mail: instructionalcontinuity@provost.wisc.edu