Online Instruction Guidelines
Instructions for teaching a class online
Manage Student Expectations
- At the beginning of the class, clearly explain to the students the process for accessing the recordings and clarify your expectations about how they are to engage with the lectures.
- A short introductory video recorded for students to view before first day of class is an effective method for introducing course administrative reference material—so students can review it later if they need to.
Content Creation
- Diagrams and graphics should include explanatory text.
- Visually highlight most important information.
- Narrate any animated content, and keep the narration conversational.
Promote Student Interaction and Success
- Provide a way for students to ask questions either during or after viewing the recorded lectures
- Offer students multiple shorter low-stakes opportunities for material retention (i.e. quizzes). This will encourage student participation and improve exam scores.
- Watch your own recordings to hone your presentation skills.
“Flipping” A Class
- Keep video recordings short: approximately 10-15 minutes.
- Maintain eye contact with the camera if using a webcam.
- See the above “Content Creation”section.
Copyright and Student Privacy Issues
- Obtain permission when using any copyrighted material. “Fair use” allows some restricted use of copyrighted content, but there are strict guidelines. More information here: http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr280.shtml
- Make sure no privileged student information is included in lecture content to stay FERPA compliant. More information about FERPA can be found here: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html