What does an Online Lecture Look Like? Tips for Virtual Engagement

by Melissa (Moose) Alperin, EdD, MPH, MCHES

April 6-12, 2020 is National Public Health Week in the United States.

It’s a Wednesday morning, and I grab a seat, preparing myself for the SOPHE (Society for Public Health Education) Annual Conference’s Opening Plenary session. But something is different. I’m wearing gym shorts and my favorite public health t-shirt, which is not my usual conference attire. Instead of being in a room surrounded by health education colleagues, I’m in a room by myself, located 20 minutes from downtown Atlanta, where the SOPHE conference was scheduled. I’m staring at a computer screen, not poised to take notes but instead, waiting to see Elaine Auld welcome me to the 2020 SOPHE Annual Conference.

In recent weeks, more individuals have been exposed to distance-education than ever before. People who had previously never heard of Zoom are now using the word as both noun (Zoom) and verb (Zooming). Prior to spring 2020, many educators had a choice to offer in-person, distance-based, or hybrid instructional opportunities. But the current coronavirus pandemic and need for physical distancing, has now shoved all of us to the distance space with little prep time.

Claire Huntley Illustration

For those who worry that the distance-based environment will diminish learner engagement, many of today’s software programs offer opportunities for interactivity. For instruction that takes place in real-time (synchronous), if the group is small enough, learners can use their computer microphones to talk with each other. Other interactions can take place via chat or polling features. Software that offers breakout group functionality allows large groups to be divided into smaller discussion groups. For instruction that is self-paced (asynchronous), engagement may be limited and harder to achieve but discussion forums can be used. In both synchronous or asynchronous settings, learners can collaborate and co-create content using tools such as whiteboards, Google Docs, or Word.

Some may struggle to figure out the basics – What does an online lecture look like? Can my learners, or guest speakers, present to the class? Can I still do problem-based learning? How do I assess learning? To those of you pondering these questions, let me offer some high-level thoughts:

• Lectures (instructor, student, guest). For synchronous environments, consider using web conferencing software to lecture during the regularly scheduled instructional time. For asynchronous environments, pre-record your lecture (you can use a smart phone) and post to a learning management system (LMS) if you have one, or to a free video sharing site like YouTube or Vimeo. If you have access to an LMS, your learners can watch the video and discuss using a discussion board.

• Problem-based learning or small group discussion. For synchronous environments, use break-out group functionality in your web conferencing software. This will allow large groups to be divided into smaller groups capable of discussion. For asynchronous environments, learners can meet virtually using a variety of real-time tools (phone, web conferencing) or non-real-time tools (Google Docs). At appointed times, the learners can report back to the larger class and/or prepare a summary of group discussions that can be posted on an LMS discussion forum or emailed to the instructor.

• Learner assessments. If you have access to an LMS, consider using its assessment features. Depending on the assessment, you might also have your learners submit a Word or PowerPoint document via email. If your instruction requires learners to demonstrate the achievement of knowledge or a skill, consider having them use video to capture themselves making this demonstration.

As I sit at the computer in my home office, where I sit day after day, I wonder how much longer I will interact with colleagues solely through a monitor. The current coronavirus pandemic forces us to rethink what we do in the instructional space. We’ve had to embrace new pedagogical methods and technologies. We’ve had to think creatively and outside-of-the-box. What used to be unfamiliar has now become familiar as we interact with our learners in new and different ways.