How to Include Meaningful Interactivity within Live, Synchronous, Online Learning Sessions

DRAFT

When constrained by common adverse conditions(i.e., How can good old Classroom Assessment Techniques be used online when…)

• Online meeting time is VERY LIMITED
•  (e.g., Only 1 
• or 2 sessions; 
• “too much to cover”)
• Learner and leader locations:
• Learners are not in the same physical space as leader/facilitator/teacher but are all in the same room.
• Learners and the leader are all in different locations.
• The leader and some of the learners are in the same room and some learners are in other locations.
• Cannot ensure that ALL the learners
• will use Internet via the same combination of device, operating system, user interface, …
• will be fully ready to use any single designated tool for online interactivity before the first session begins.
• Internet access
• The teacher can not see the participants.

Some lessons learned from other situations that have SOME similar characteristics and SOME significant differences

• Have BOTH A "voice of the room" ( a person who serves as an interface between distant learner and group) AND a "voice of the vote" (a person who serves as a counter/summarizer of the results displayed visibly via some physical devices for voting (eg. thumbs up/down; 5 fingers; colored cards)
• Determine the extent to which participants have the same devices, they know how to log into the device, updated flash, etc
• Have a back-up plan or continuity plan such as record the event, email the participants, leverage TodaysMeet, Kehoot activity, scavenger hunt activity,
• When meeting more than once, introduce something during session one that you will use in session #2)
• Send a recording with instructions on how to log into the application prior to the event.