Implementation Skills

When presenting in your class, keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Appearance
• Audio Considerations
• Classroom Operation
• Communication with Room Operator
• Eye Contact
• Movement
• Pacing
• Student Preparation
• Teaching Tips

Presenting a class over interactive television for the first time may make you nervous, but if your presentation is well prepared and if you are familiar with the technology, then your activity should go well. The best advice is to use the teaching style with which you are the most comfortable while incorporating techniques that enhance the medium.

Appearance

Clothing should be comfortable enough to allow easy movement of the arms and upper body. Wear clothing with lapels or a front opening so that the microphone can be attached easily. Colors that look the best on camera are in the medium tones of blue, brown, and gray. Avoid solid dark colors or very bright colors or clothing with a large section of white. Patterned fabric such as herringbone or small vertical stripes distort the picture. Avoid bulky, reflective, or noisy jewelry.

Avoid tinted lenses in glasses. Occasionally eyes are hidden by eyeglass reflections, but adjusting the camera lens or the room lighting should solve the problem. Wear make-up appropriate for a conventional classroom. Avoid dark eyeliner colors, dark lipsticks, and dark blusher. Clear red and salmon lipsticks look good and a moderate amount of blusher works well. Men with dark beards may wish to shave before class.

Audio Considerations

Speak as you would in a conventional classroom using conversational language. Your microphone is not a public address system, so it is not necessary to speak loudly or with exaggerated enunciation. Don't rush through your presentation; rather, use a normal rate of speech. You may alter your tone or volume in order to emphasize the important points. Do not interrupt; only one person at a time should speak. Pause to let other people speak. Remember the three second rule. Avoid shuffling papers and side conversations. Assume the microphones are always on.

Classroom Operation

Begin and end the class on time. You and your students will have to be quite time-conscious. Often the circuits connecting your classrooms are scheduled for another use immediately following your sessions, and the system will automatically switch to the new application when your time is up.

Get "control" of all sites before beginning. Prioritize - don't leave important material to the last five minutes. Make any technology adjustments at the beginning of class. Be aware that ITV rooms can be "on" at all times, and technicians monitor all classrooms to ensure proper operation.

If you have a multipoint connection it is important to play "traffic cop." Only one site should speak at any given time - and the instructor must control the flow of conversation.

Don't assume that all rooms have the same technology or support. If you require peripheral equipment, check with the ITV Coordinator.

Communication with Room Operator

If you have a room operator present during your class, you should let him or her know well in advance what audio/visual materials you will be using. The operator can then set up any needed equipment before class begins and more readily accommodate your needs during the presentation. Before class begins, you should tell your operator what activities are planned for that class period. During class, feel free to ask the operator questions or tell the operator what you will be doing next. The operator may occasionally need to interrupt you during a presentation to correct a technical problem.

Eye Contact

Know where your "primary" camera is and address the camera both with your eyes and with your responses as if it were a student. Speak to all participants, both local (if there is one) and remote (off-campus). Remember that remote participants are just as important and interested as local participants. Don't concentrate so much on the remote participants, however, that you forget the students who are in the classroom with you. Cluster on-site students around your primary camera so everyone gets equal eye contact.

Movement

Due to the nature of compressed video, rapid movement appears somewhat jerky and can be distracting to your viewers. While you'll sit or stand for most of your presentation, you do have some options for changing location in order to add variety and help maintain participants' attention. Discuss these options with your electronic classroom operator. If you're sitting, don't rock or tip in your chair. Avoid pacing or swaying and aim for erect, upright posture. Also be sure that your movements are not blocking any visuals.

Pacing

Proper pacing ensures audience attention and participation. Vary your presentation through the use of questions, small groups, video clips, reading time, test taking, and other normal classroom activities. Your aim is to engage students in the learning activity and to encourage spontaneity. Thoroughly address any questions or concerns that students may raise. You might also consider including a pre-recorded demonstration in your presentation. By doing so, you will know exactly what content and time is involved. In addition, you can offer explanations while the tape is playing.

Student Preparation

Preparing your students to take a course delivered via interactive television is extremely important to the success of your course. You need to set the stage for what you expect from your students and what they can expect from the course and the technology used to deliver the course.

Your students should know that they are not being penalized by having to take a course delivered via interactive television. In fact, the number one advantage of taking an ITV course, as described by students, is that the course includes the perspective of a geographically and culturally different group of students. You should mention this to your students and, if applicable, design in time for student-to-student sharing or discussion.

Familiarization with and knowledge of interactive television technology is a marketable skill. Several professions use interactive television connections to conduct business or for in-service training. Students who have had experience with interactive television have been asked by their employers to take the lead for their organization in the application of interactive television communication.

Interactive television is simply the digital transmission of audio and video and, as such, will be used for years to come. When students leave the ITV classroom environment they will not be leaving interactive television behind. From video phones to desk top computer video conferencing the basics of interactive television will be applicable.

Students taking interactive television courses need to be told the requirements of the technology. The requirements are outlined in the student guide. ITV requirements should be addressed during class and may be appropriate to include in your class syllabus. As the ITV technology becomes more transparent, students will often need to be reminded about the requirements.

During the first and/or second class periods it is effective to have your students talk in order to break down any inhibitions they may have about using technology. Get your students talking early in the course. This is also an opportunity for you to provide your students with feedback about how they are interacting with the technology. For example, "Jane we heard you just fine," or, "Joe we're having trouble hearing you, please speak up a bit and try to speak directly into the microphone."

Finally, you may want to consider requiring your students to participate or interact as part of their course grade.

Teaching Tips

• Make a roster. Always call participants by name.
• Open with an informal "roll call." To create a friendly atmosphere and give participants a chance to get used to the equipment, ask for a few responses from various locations.
• Plan remote site participation. Before the program, ask several participants from various sites to be ready with comments or questions.
• Preview your message. Give a short overview of what you are going to say. By providing an idea in advance of your message and how it will be organized, you can help listeners understand and remember.
• Get specific groups involved. Ask a group at one location to answer a certain question at the next session. This encourages participants to talk with one another after program time. It also fosters cooperation and provides a lead-off for the next program's discussion. You might use the group's response as an evaluation method.
• Handling questions. Address the individual by name and site when answering and take time to confirm that you have answered the question satisfactorily.
• Use "real-world" examples. Develop your theoretical material around real-world examples and applications. Adult learners are a rich source of examples.
• Use variety. Variety keeps interest levels high and encourages active listening. Keep your session fast paced, alternating short (10- to 15-minute) segments of concentrated listening with other activities.
• Repeat and summarize main points. Repeat new words, concepts, or phrases, and summarize to help individuals remember important points. Spell new words or include them in the packet of materials sent to participants.
• Provide print backup. Use printed materials to back up your message. Print reinforces the presentation and provides a permanent record for review.
• Summarize at the end of the program. If you run out of time, send a short summary letter that ties together the important points.
• Plan for out-of-class interaction. Establish telephone and/or e-mail office hours. Encourage students to work together in conventional or e-mail study groups. Use mediated computer instruction to supplement ITV sessions.
• Watch tapes. The session tends to be a concentrated period of listening and interaction, so it is easy to miss an important ingredient. Take time afterwards to stand back and observe by viewing tapes if your class was recorded.
• Let your personality come through. Be yourself. It is important that you come across as you would in a face-to-face situation.