Designing a videoconference (DDN) course 

A helpful resource for designing courses for videoconferencing is the IVN (Interactive Video Network) Faculty Guide & Technical Training Manual produced by the University of Maryland University College.  The material covered below comes from pages II-1 to II-12. (The term DDN is used here to reference this type of technology.)

As you will find in any training document for DDN courses, the key to successful DDN teaching is planning.  It takes a lot of up front planning to make a DDN course work. 

Gaining Attention

            When you have students are multiple sites you should try humor or visual attention-getters.  You can also appeal to student curiosity – start with a question or problem relating to the material.  Ask a student at each site to relate an anecdote from his or her own experience relating to the course content.  Before the end of each session, ask a different student to begin the next class with a question that probes the class topic.  Show students a graphic illustration related to the current topic and ask them to describe what they see.

Communicating Lesson Objectives

            Communicating lesson objectives demonstrates to the learner what is important in the lesson and keeps both students and instructor focused on what’s important.

Stimulating Recall of Prerequisite Learning

            If past learning or information is important to what is covered next it is a good idea to review that information to make sure all students are on track.  You can provide prerequisite information in a handout for review; have students read review material before class and have one or more students summarize it during class; ask students to work in groups at their sites and go over the review material and share it with the entire class; use visuals to sequence events leaving components missing and have the class fill them in; and so on.

Presenting Concepts or Rules to be Learned

            Allow students to perform this activity outside class and use class time to highlight, reinforce, and provide examples, focusing on the most difficult concepts.

Providing Feedback

            If you are an instructor who tends to be subtle, responding with a nod or smile when the student provides correct answers, remember that the student at other sites may not see this.  Make sure you clearly indicate, even put in writing or white board (or whatever is in room) what you consider strong and correct answers.

Assessing Performance

            Whatever form of assessment you use, make sure it relates to the stated objectives.

The handbook provides three components to learning activities for the DDN; presentation, practice and feedback.

Presentation in usually done in the form of lecture, however you don’t want to be a talking head so look for other ways to present material, including video tapes, PowerPoint presentations, use of graphics, reading assignments, handouts, and so on.

The students need to practice what they have learned and the practice should be tied to the objectives.  Practice can be individual or group and can be in the form of presentations, case studies, interviews, role playing, debates and so on.

Feedback is the most critical.  Here are some ideas for providing feedback:

• Maintain telephone office hours to answer student questions.
• During breaks (if you have them) meet with students form other sites to answer questions or clarify what is coming up next.
• Offer to record comments to written assignments if the student provides a cassette.
• Give students a manual that includes self-checking exercises so they can self-administer quizzes and check their comprehension of material from a list of sample answers.
• Have students give feedback to one another.
• Try the “one minute manager” – you ask the students to take a minute after each class session to write any comments or questions about the subject matter as well as concerns with the DDN technology.  This way you can learn about issues students might not want to discuss on camera, and you can deal with them privately or at the next class session.  Students appreciate being given the chance to give you this type of feedback.
• If you have technical assistance, solicit feedback from him or her.

It is important to create your presentation style.  In some ways you are like an actor.  Here are the EUC (Electronic University Consortium of South Dakota) guidelines for video courses with tips that will help you in this.

IV.  Delivery Presentation across the Interactive Video Network

To present a consistent image that provides students a learning environment, to maintain quality and appearance across sites, the following presentation guidelines have been established.

• Planning is the key to success in teaching on an IVN.
• Identify the participating sites, the potential number of students at each site and the background/previous classes taken is applicable.  You want to make sure that the students are prepared for the content and that you are not overwhelmed with too large a class.
• Set the objectives you want to achieve.
• Review the assignment and unit deadlines on your syllabus.
• Make a calendar; establish dates by which handouts, exams, etc. must be ready to have distributed to the other sites.
• In planning your class lectures keep in mind that you will not be able to present 50 minutes of material in a fifty minute class.  The rule of thumb guideline is that you will present 30 minutes of material in a 50 minute class.
• When presenting your material to audiences at other sites be sure to plan for feedback during the presentation of the material.  Ask questions of specific students or sites every 10 minutes.  Wait before you respond to students at distant sites.  There is a few second delay in transmission.
• Try to set an upbeat tempo right at the start.
• Appear cheerful, confident, and enthusiastic even if something unexpected occurs.
• Look directly into the camera so that students at remote sites sense that you are looking directly at them.
• Speak clearly, distinctly, and a little more slowly than you ordinarily speak.
• To stay in camera range, limit your standing or walking to one area of the classroom or areas you know are covered by the camera angles.
• Monitor your pacing.  It keeps you from overtiring yourself and keeps the students attention.
• Balance the interaction among the sites. 
• Remember to repeat students’ questions or pertinent comments to ensure that other sites hear them.
• Use questions rather than statements to draw out discussion and frame the questions specifically to get the responses you desire
• If possible have a facilitator at all receiving sites.  The role of the facilitator includes: setting up the classroom; confirming that the equipment is turned on and working properly; distributing materials to the students and collecting materials to be returned to you; operating the equipment if needed; reporting both the problems the students have and the technical problems; maintaining classroom discipline and shutting down equipment at the end of class.
• If there is no facilitator, select one student at each site to be a group leader to help hand out material, get your attention when communication is not clear, help with breakdowns into small groups, and so on.
• Have a backup plan for when the technology fails. 
• Provide ground Rules for Your Students
• Teach the students the technology, how to use the equipment.
• Establish your policies – attendance/make up work, how to address questions, etc.
• Discuss ethical behavior and practices for the class. 
• Dress properly for the IVN.  Avoid white, red, or dark clothing, or small checkered patterns.  Avoid busy or heavily patterned clothing that might contrast sharply with the background.  Avoid accessories that make noise, such as large earrings, bracelets, and necklaces.  These will tend to be distracting to student viewers.  Wear clothing and jewelry that do not interfere with the lapel microphone.  Avoid silk shirts and blouses as they can cause popping noises with your microphone.  (static electricity causes popping).
• Before you begin make sure everything is working.
• Start the VCR if you are recording the session.
• Speak up and tell your students to do the same.
• Consider using a seating chart at each site.
• Pay attention to what the distant sites are seeing.
• When using the Elmo, write legibly and use thick markers.  If using a document use bolded 24 point size or larger and do not show too much text on a document.
• Visual aids – try them out.  Make sure they can be read on the monitor.  Be careful of background colors and fonts for PowerPoint and Web pages displayed on the monitor.
• If transmission fails, establish your backup communication link immediately; then try to get the IVN system working again.

Another resource who provides some good checksheets is Robert Lochte in his book Interactive Television and Instruction.  

On page 50 he provides a checklist for instructors.

1. Dress properly for television (or the DDN).  This means no bright stripes or patterns that will distract the students from you or light colors that wash out your face.
2. Before you begin, make sure everything is working.
3. Start the VCR if you are going to record the lesson.
4. Speak up and tell your students to do the same.
5. Wait before you respond to students at distant sites.  There is a slight delay in the audio and video to the remote sites.
6. Ask questions of specific students every 10 minutes.
7. Use a seating chart at each site.
8. Pay attention to what the distant sites are seeing.
9. Write legibly and use thick markers.
10. When transmission fails, establish your backup communication link immediately; then try to get the DDN system working again.

Lochte provides the following checklist for students (page 55).

1. Make sure you sit in your assigned seat.
2. Identify yourself by name and class site when you want to speak or ask a question, then wait for your teacher to recognize you.
3. Pause and count to two before you speak.
4. Speak up and talk into the microphone.
5. Don’t talk or make noise in class.
6. Clear away any books and papers you don’t need form the desktop.
7. Any time you cannot hear or see anything for any reason, let your teacher know immediately.

Resources for this Section

Lochte, R. H., (1993). Interactive Television and Instruction A Guide to Technology, Technique, Facilities Design, and Classroom Management. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.

IVN Faculty Guide & Technical Training Manual.  Office of Instructional Development, University of Maryland University College. 1995.

These resources are available in the Karl Mundt Library at DSU.

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Empowering Educators – Standards-based Preparation

Created by Deb Gearhart        Last Updated 11/26/2002