Implementation Skills
 When presenting in your class, keep the following guidelines in mind:
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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'Connecting Learners',METNET,1997
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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.
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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.
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TECHNICAL PROBLEMS
Technical problems do occur
although loss of class time is minimal. Alternative technology can be
implemented to ensure that communication can still take place. It is suggested
that alternative activities are planned for each site while network or
technical problems are being addressed. Groups or individuals from each
site can then give on-site reports on work completed during the "down"
time once the system is working again.
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