Whenever possible and appropriate it can be beneficial to switch up what students are viewing during the video lecture in order to help keep them engaged and awake.

• Avoid staying in the same mode for the entire session. Instead, switch between webcam, PowerPoint, multimedia, etc. at regular intervals. If possible, try to chunk content so that you can switch modes approximately every ten minutes. This can be as simple as switching between presentation view and your webcam, between a presentation and a document camera demonstration, or between a mini-lecture and individual work on a problem.
• If presenting from a slide deck, limit the amount of content you put on each slide so that you can advance through the slides at a steady pace rather than spending several minutes on a single slide. When possible, incorporate graphics to help illustrate concepts. Slides are an excellent tool for keeping your lecture on track so nothing is forgotten.
• If using a document camera or graphic tablet, use different color markers to highlight different types of information or to separate the steps in a problem.

Longer classes can be broken up into segments by incorporating independent work and group work in addition to the whole-group lecture. Although you will likely want to leverage class time for presenting material to the entire class, it may be a good idea to use some class time for structured and supported independent work and/or group work, similar to what is done in a face-to-face class.

For example a three-hour class might follow a schedule like this:

• 30 minute lecture on concept A
• 20 minutes of independent practice of concept A (problem-solving, independent research, informal writing, etc.)
• 20 minutes Q & A session/reteaching of concept A
• 30 minute lecture on concept B
• 30 minute group work task relating to concepts A & B
• 20 minute group share out, debriefing, instructor overview of online work to be completed before next live session

When breaking up a virtual class in this way, it is important to provide clear guidelines instructing students on what they should be doing at any given time as well as logistics for convening in small groups or reconvening with the larger group.

Consider how activities that students complete outside of the live class sessions can be connected to what is happening during the live session. For example:

• Survey students before class to solicit their opinions about a topic or issue that will be discussed during the live session
• Have students attempt a new problem-type before you provide a walkthrough of that problem-type during the lecture
• Create an online discussion forum to expand on a discussion that begins during the live session
• Upload visuals from the lecture for students to refer to while they complete their assignments. For example, provide the slides from a presentation or an image of a problems solution taken with a document camera.

Although it might feel strange to have silence during the live lecture, it is a good idea to build in pauses to provide opportunities for students to think about their answer to a question, jot down some notes, complete the next step in a problem, etc. Consider playing some music, setting and displaying a timer (easily access the Google timer by entering timer in the Chrome address bar), or displaying an image during the pause to help make the time feel less awkward and to reinforce the idea that the pause is an intentional time for quiet reflection or work and not a break.

Poll students during the lecture to check for understanding and keep them engaged. This can include questions to assess students, or survey-type questions to find out how comfortable students are with the content or their thoughts on a particular issue. Polling can be facilitated using an online polling app such as Socrative or Poll Everywhere, or by using the e-Voting module in Moodle. Tools like Quizzizz and Kahoot can be used to create interactive quiz games so that you can host a live competition during class. The chat function in Google Meet is another simple way to solicit student responses and questions during a lecture.

Build in opportunities for students to share out or present to the class.  This can be formally prepared presentations, or just simple opportunities for students to share out in a structured way. Whether the presentations are formal or informal, be sure to set clear expectations for the presentations. For example, what amount of time should students present, what prompt or question are they responding to, should they build interactions into the presentation, should they include visuals with their presentation, etc.

Facilitate collaborative note-taking using Google Docs. Note structure can develop organically (contributors organize the content as it is added) or can be structured by providing students with a template or graphic organizer to add notes to. Consider assigning individuals or groups of students to be responsible for taking notes on specific topics.

Facilitate crowd-sourced activities using collaborative tools. A wide variety of online tools allow students to develop content collaboratively. Some examples include:

• Google Docs
  • Students add data to a shared spreadsheet
  • Each student creates one slide in a shared Slides presentation
  • Collect information from students using a Google form
• Padlet Online collaborative bulletin boards to which students can add images, text, multimedia, writing, etc. that can be organized in a variety of ways. Also includes a virtual whiteboard tool that can be contributed to by multiple users.

Group work time can be used for working on long-term projects or short term tasks. If assigning group work during class, provide clear instructions for what should be accomplished during the work session and assign a deliverable for students to submit to show that they have accomplished their goals. Set up extra Google Meet meetings for groups to convene so that you can pop in during group sessions to see how students are doing. Many tools inside Moodle can be used in group mode to help facilitate group tasks during class or outside of the normal class time:

• Assignments
• Quizzes
• Discussions

In face-to-face classes it is natural for a sense of community to build over time as members of the class get to know each other. When students haven't met you or their classmates in person, there are still ways that you can nurture a sense of community in your class.

1. Provide an opportunity for everyone in the class to introduce themselves. The Moodle Forum is an easy way to facilitate this process and can allow for text or video introductions.
2. Consider taking time, especially in the first week, for some icebreaker activities. Although these kinds of activities may feel like just another thing to get done, they will pay dividends by increasing students' comfort level with you and each other and can lead to better communication during whole class sessions, group work, and partner activities.

Be sure to have a working microphone. Test out your microphone to make sure it produces quality sound before using it to lecture to students. Some internal laptop microphones work well, but they may not produce the best sound quality if they are older or have been damaged. Headsets or phone earbuds with a microphone often work better than an internal laptop microphone because they place the microphone closer to your mouth. This usually means better sound quality and less background noise.

Although you dont necessarily need a webcam to present content, using a webcam during key times is a good way to make your classes more personal. If using a webcam, be sure that it is clean (dust or particles on the webcam can result in a blurry or distorted image). Ideally, your webcam should be positioned so that there is sufficient light and minimal distractions.

If your content relies on written notes or drawings to supplement the explanation of concepts, be sure that you have an appropriate tool to support this type of content. Document cameras, drawing tablets, and whiteboarding apps are all tools that are especially useful for sharing written content during video lectures. No matter what type of content you are sharing, be sure that you have the necessary tools for that type of content. If you are unsure of how best to share your content by video, be sure to reach out to Instructional Design for possible solutions.

Assign a student moderator to monitor the chat to help keep track of questions and report any issues.

Consider the types of norms you want students to follow when they arrive at class. For example, you might want to ask students to have their cameras on and their microphones muted. Provide directions for what students should do if they have a question. Should they post it in the chat, or do you prefer them to unmute and ask their question out loud?