UM3D - INSTRUCTIONAL IMPACT

Strategies for Virtual Class Meetings

In response to the ongoing need to provide flexible instructional formats, the UM3D team recommends the following when facilitating  synchronous, virtual class meetings. 

• Don’t wing it.
  • Plan virtual meetings in advance with an agenda aligned to the lesson’s objectives.
• Share the goal.
  • State the lesson’s goals at the start of the meeting.
• Be flexible.  
  • Provide alternatives for students without high-speed internet and offer low-stakes opportunities for them to practice using remote technologies. 
• Lower barriers.
  • Provide opportunities to mute or unmute cameras and choose between chat or verbal responses.
• Make it hands on.
  • Shift passive activities to a self-paced format, and using meeting times for conversations and active learning.
• Assess student understanding.
  • Assess comprehension of content covered in synchronous meetings and recordings rather than students’ ability to attend.
• Break it up.
  • For all presentations, chunk content appropriately by keeping everything nicely organized, using minimal text, and utilizing bullets where appropriate.
• Keep it simple.
  • Reduce cognitive load during lectures by using plain language and focusing on the minimum content required to address the objectives.
• “Be our guest.”
  • Provide variety during virtual meetings by inviting speakers for an interview or hosting a panel of experts.
• Incorporate students.
  • Provide opportunities for students to engage with you and one  another by utilizing chat, building in breaks for Q&A, and inviting students to moderate chat or present during virtual sessions.
• Be mindful of time zones.
  • Keep in mind that  students may be joining synchronous meetings from various locations. *

Special Considerations for M50 Sections

* UofM Global courses (courses with a M50 designation) do not have scheduled meeting times. M50 instructors considering any form of required synchronous meetings are advised to consult the UM3D instructional design team for best practice recommendations.  

Zoom Tips

• Create polls. Use polling to quickly gauge understanding or to create pre/post  assessments to measure what was learned. 
• Use breakout rooms. Encourage peer to peer interaction via small group activities.           
• Use a virtual whiteboard. Demonstrate  concepts in real-time and curate input from students using white boards or other drawing tools.
• Record and share. Keep a consistent yet flexible structure by recording and posting class meetings for asynchronous access.