7. How to Carry Out your Video Lecture

In the previous lesson, we demonstrated the importance of carefully planning a video lecture. In this lesson, we discuss how a successful lecture should be executed.

To give you some idea of how a video lecture might proceed, please take a moment to watch the following clip. The video should open in Windows Media Player when you click on the picture below.

Video lecture checklist

In addition to planning the actual lecture, you should take a few simple steps to reduce the risk of technical difficulties during the lecture. Here is a quick checklist to be carried out before the actual video lecture:

• Obtain a contact (in the form of a computer administrator or superuser) at the far end location. This person will be able to give technical support at the far end in case of technical difficulties
• Test the connection a few days before the lecture. The connection should last for at least 30 minutes, because some technical difficulties only occur after the connection's been active for some time
• It is a great asset if both you and the far end party have both IP and ISDN capability. If either one fails, the other can be used as a backup

Things to remember during the lecture

Provided that you've planned the lecture properly and completed the checklist above, everything is set for a successful execution of the lecture. There are, however, a few things to bear in mind while you're holding the video lecture:

• A good way to start a video lecture is to let the students introduce themselves. This breaks the ice and establishes two-way communication
• Maintain eye contact with the students - look into the camera
• Place the microphone so that the other participants can hear you loud and clear. Use a wireless microphone if necessary. It's very annoying for the audience if they have trouble hearing you
• Encourage the students to talk one at a time
• If you detect some form of commotion (whispering, chatter), pause the lecture to identify the cause of the commotion. Maybe someone just asked a question, and you missed it
• Do your outmost to encourage the students to contribute with questions and comments - establishing two-way communication (as opposed to a monologue) is extremely important
• Whenever someone asks a question or adds a comment: read the question/comment out loud, to make sure everybody heard it.
• Make sure you stay on schedule. The broadcast schedule and activity diagram will aid you in this

The following clips serve to illustrate some of the points made above. The video should open in Windows Media Player when you click on the picture below.

Some helpful reminders

The success (or failure) of a video lecture is ultimately up to you, the lecturer. Working advanced equipment while simultaneously holding a lecture can be a daunting task at the best of times, but if you've taken some time to familiarize yourself with the equipment, you'll get the hang of it in no time.

Sound quality is more important than image quality. The audience will put up with jerky video and pixellated images provided that they can hear you properly. That said, you should of course take precautions to get the best possible video picture (by choosing appropriate backgrounds and clothing, for instance).

If you're using a flipover or a normal (non-digital) whiteboard, you should be aware that certain pen colour work better than others. Black and blue are very readable in a videoconference, red works adequately, but green should be avoided at all costs.

The readability of different pen colours when writing on a flipover or whiteboard is demonstrated in the two clips below. The video should open in Windows Media Player when you click on the picture below.

A video session should never last more than 30-45 minutes without a break. You'll find it harder to sustain the students' interest and attention in a video lecture than in a classroom, so frequent breaks are essential.

The importance of interaction with the class and the students

Interaction involves two or more people communicating with each other, and we often think that interaction during a training session or lesson should be between the student and the instructor. In videoconferencing, however, interaction can be between the students, instructors, guest speakers, etc. Using multiple interactive techniques adds variety, stimulates student interest, and leads to greater participation and active learning. It is important to focus towards administration techniques so that all students can participate and be allowed equal time for input.

New learning situations or educational environments can easily cause apprehension among the students. The distance instructor must quickly establish an educational environment among the students to enhance the effectiveness of the presentation. Involve the students through interactive presentation techniques such as introducing themselves or their peers. This helps to reduce their hesitation for active involvement during a training session.

Videoconferencing is a unique method of real time instructional delivery because it allows groups from several different and geographical separated areas to share their knowledge, experiences, and background. This creates the opportunity for a more interesting and diverse classes for instance by transferring two video streams, i.e. the presenter and the presentation. However, it is indeed a risk for that each of the remote sites has a tendency to create its own independent "group" if the students do not become comfortable by speaking and transferring knowledge over the system. They might indeed begin to feel more comfortable with the individuals at their local site, whereby they do not make an effort to develop relationships with those at the remote sites. This leads to side conversations and can ultimately divide the class.

One way of avoiding this scenario is by including at least one physical gathering in the beginning of the course, such that students from different remote sites might achieve some social relations.

Why improve the interaction?

• Instructor become easier aware of where the instruction process needs to be modified in order to provide more effective learning opportunities since shortfalls in student learning are revealed
• Increases and retention of educational methodologies and learning material improves
• Students reinforce more easily subject matter in their own terminology
• Socialization skills are further developed

Balanced presentations and type of interaction within the class

There are several types of interaction at work in a video lecture:

• Student to instructor
• Student to student
• Two or more specified people (e.g. panel discussion, role playing)
• Student to technology
• Instructor to technology

In each case stated above, the media can be used as an additional interactive element in order to obtain a balanced presentation mode. The teacher should not rely solely on spoken communication between parties, but add pictures, drawings, videos, and other multimedia material. Each medium communicates via sound, video, and/or touch stimulus using a variety of media, which will enhance the learning environment.

Eye Contact

Within traditional classroom training it is easy establish and obtain eye contact with the students. The teacher must actively stimulate this through the videoconferencing unit by looking directly into the camera above the monitor displaying the remote student group(s). If there is more than one remote classroom, call upon individuals at the other sites often encourage and stimulate involvement. Be aware of that many videoconference systems might be in a mode where they are voice activated, whereby they will only show (on the far site monitor) the last site that did spoke. The teacher, however, might want to activate and call upon the other sites to draw them into the discussion. In such cases should voice activation be turned off. If you have the capability of moving the remote camera, which might be tricky when multiple remote sites participate, you can simulate moving among the students by using the remote camera's pan and zoom capabilities.

It is also important for the teacher to change his/her position from standing to sitting, to move to a digital blackboard, and if possible, to alter how you look into the camera.

Reading the Class

Instructors and teachers should during the video session have some ability to pick up the body language of the students at the remote site(s). This might be done by:

• Using a wide-angle view of the class during discussion
• Zoom in on specific students during questioning or discussion with him/her
• Verbal exchange with the students

Although the videoconference transmission is not instantaneous and produces some small delay when speaking, the teacher must allow transmittal time between verbal exchanges to avoid overstepping incoming audio. The teacher should:

• Speak deliberately toward a microphone with a steady pace
• Watch for audiovisual cues of incoming audio, and in turn, wait for outgoing audio to be heard, especially during questioning and answering
• Speak towards and into the microphones, the later become very important when the teacher write on the blackboard

Videoconferencing systems will either have microphones that lie on the table or which hang from the ceiling. Regardless of where they are located, both teachers and students need to direct their voices toward them in a clear manner in order for those at remote sites to hear what they are saying. Some students might speak too softly or do not direct their voice towards the microphone, whereby it becomes difficult for the student at the remote site(s) and the teacher to hear them. This becomes very quickly quite frustrating to those at the remote sites. The instructor must, of course, be careful in order to avoid and point out these habits at an early stage.

Overcoming the geographical distances

The frequently used term "distance learning and distance training" focuses highly at the physical separation of students and instructors. However, it need not be a barrier for obtaining good communication with the students. Here are several suggested methods for overcoming the distance challenge.

Feelings

Your gestures should convey a one-on-one relationship with your students.

• Nod your head positively to emphasize that you understand and hear their questions, comments, etc
• You may want to use a pointer to direct the students' attention to specific objects
• Reinforce points or show direction with slow, deliberate hand movements

Human behavior

There are a few things to remember about the teacher's actions on camera:

• Body movements should be done slowly and he/her should not move around in an uneasy manner (fidget)
• The teacher should try not to look away or turn his/her back while the camera is focused towards the teacher
• The teacher should be expressive and enthusiastic in order to try to help engage the participating students
• The teacher should maintain control of the instructional tempo

The Facial expressions of the teacher

The teacher's facial expressions should convey a personal exchange between him/her and the students.

• Avoid monotonous and stoic expressions
• Smile in order to establish a friendly tone

The instructor at the top has a friendly face expression, while the instructor on the lower right would do well with a somewhat less stoic expression.

Diction

Clear speech is vital if the teacher is to be understood.

• Talk naturally by using short words and simple sentences as far as possible
• Avoid shouting or talking louder than conversation level
• Keep the tone varied, using inflection to express
• Speak in personal terms to allow the teacher's personality to come through the instruction and training process

Eye Contact

Treat the camera as though it is another person and speak directly to the camera. If necessary, place a visual aid immediately next to or below the camera for reference.

• The teacher should in a relaxed, attentive way, look directly at the camera as much as he/her can. At the same time, maintain eye contact with local students when addressing them individually
• When a student from a remote site is talking to the teacher, respond in such a way that it is possible to convey a one-on-one atmosphere
• Remind students to make sure they are on camera when speaking and stat their name or the name of the location if multiple remote sites participate, so that the teacher knows whom he/her are addressing

Humor

Humor is a great way to establish a friendly relationship. This may mean starting off the class with a joke or humorous story, or allowing a couple of participants to share something they have heard or experienced. This helps to loosen up the participants in the course and makes them feel more comfortable with the distance between sites.

How to ease the initial tension

Ice breakers are another way to get the participants at all sites more familiar with one another from the very beginning of the course. The teacher might want to do this by having students pair up, exchange personal information, and then share that information with the class. Another suggestion is to have one person start the introduction by telling their name and major, and then the next must repeat the first person's information, adding their own, and so on until the last person must recite everyone's name and major. This often adds a lighter note to the beginning of the course and helps the teacher to relax the students.

Another very important aspect of the first class meeting is introducing the students to the technology, and describing to them what their role involves as a distance learner.

Nevertheless, it is quite normal that many students are quite silent during the first 1-3 video sessions, as experiences show that many students need time to become familiar with watching themselves on a TV screen.

Discussion of subject matter already learned

It is important that the teacher continually put forth the effort to overcome the geographical separation and distance throughout the duration of the course. One good way of doing this is by reviewing and high lightening the curriculum and material as the teacher move through the semester. This helps the students at the remote sites such that they feel comfortable and certain that they are grasping the material, as they should. It also gives them the opportunity to ask questions, which they may be more reluctant to do in the middle of class proceedings.

Review before each test, just as teacher frequently do in a traditional course, allow everyone a final chance to ask questions about material they do not understand or had difficulty hearing at some point due to the technology. This opportunity will help the students overcome the feeling that they may have missed something because they were not always in the same physical location as the instructor.

Office phone hours

For students who do not feel comfortable asking you certain questions in front of the entire class at a TV screen, or for questions which may arise between classes, it is a good idea to set office phone hours, or online office hours utilizing a chat program, for the students at the remote sites such that they exactly know when they can reach the teacher. The teacher might also use this time to interact with them by responding to email, fax, or voice messages as the students may not want to incur high phone charges. This helps distant students feel that they are given access to the teacher for private matters or one-to-one contact.

For more general questions, designate a period of time before or after class, or during the break, use the videoconferencing system to discuss more general issues and concerns with the remote students.

Physical gatherings

Students at remote sites especially appreciate it when the instructor and students from other sites make a visit to their location. Such visits help the class bond and help improve the social dimension of learning. However, this is not always possible, as it is much more feasible when there are only two or three remote sites. Many instructors have found that their courses run much more smoothly when they take the time to arrange a gathering or visit early on in the course. This also helps reducing criticism from the students if technical failures occur. The teacher should indeed be aware of that a few technical failures are quite normal during a course.