Teaching Via Video Conferencing

Most technical problems can be avoided if prior to the start of class someone checks the room prior to the start of class. NETS typically connects classes 10 minutes prior to the start of class.

Site facilitator pre-class checklist:

  • Check that all equipment is turned on.
  • Is a camera selected so that it can be seen at the other sites
  • Are you connected to the remote site.
  • Confirm all sites see & hear each other.
  • Call NETS if you have any problems

Web Casting:

Anything that takes place in your video conference room can be webcast for synchronous or asynchronous viewing on web connected computers at no cost for you. Call NETS to schedule this.

  • Webcast interactive classes for students to review.
  • Create webcast videos for on line courses or as supplemental course materials.
  • Many faculty use this feature to post webvideos of student presentations or speeches for students to analyze.
  • Some colleges use their video rooms to create webcast videos for recruiting or alumni viewing applications.

If a check of the room was done prior to the start of class, the site facilitator should have confirmed that all audio visual elements are working. Even so, start the class by asking students top confirm that they can see & hear you.

Console Controls:

Typical rooms have a switcher on the teaching console that allows the instructor to select what image they transmit. (1. Instructor camera, 2. Graphics camera, 3. Student camera, 4. Computer output, 5. VCR/DVD)

Cameras can be zoomed or panned to the view you desire

  • Typically teachers do not zoom or pan cameras after they are set at the start of class. Most teachers state that they prefer to be focused on the material & students.
  • Be aware of the image you are sending to remote sites. Are you in the camera frame when you are talking.
  • Are visual aids framed properly & on screen when appropriate
  • In past surveys, students have commented that they like to occasionally see their fellow students. Select the student camera when the students at your site are talking.

Faculty Observations & Suggestions:

It is harder to get a feel for remote site students:

Remote students are small on the monitor & body language is hard to read. While this can’t be overcome, there are ways to compensate.

  • Have students sit closer together so the camera can be zoomed in as much as possible.
  • Engaging students can reduce the distance in distance education.
  • Have students come up to the front of the room & introduce themselves on the first day of class.
  • Keep role.
  • Call on individual students by name often.
  • Ask for questions frequently.
  • Plan student presentations as part of the curriculum.
  • Standard good teaching methodologies help. (Good preparation, student involvement, clear goals & objectives)

It is helpful to test drive the room before first teaching an interactive video class:

  • Contact your site facilitator or NETS if you want an orientation meeting.

Visual Aids require more planning:

  • Remember that students are viewing visual aids on monitors that rarely exceed 42 inches & are often smaller than that.
  • About 12 lines of 24 or point larger text are the most you should put in a visual aid.
  • Split information so there is less information on each slide.
  • Prepare visual aids ahead of time & check them out ion a video room to be sure they can be seen well.
  • Complex detailed visual aids too detailed to be seen easily on classroom monitors should be web posted or made available as handouts.
  • Test your computer images prior to class start if this is your first time with a particular computer
  • Plug the 15 pin monitor cable into your computer.
  • Control Panel/Display/Settings/Screen Resolution at 1024-768 or less
  • Some computers need to be set to dual display. (This feeds the monitor image to both the computer monitor & monitor output jack.) Usually there is a function key on the keyboard that toggles the command between 3 settings: laptop display only, dual display or monitor jack only. It takes 10-15 seconds or so for computers to toggle so wait after pressing the function key before you expect a response.

Classes connect & disconnect by a clock.

  • Be aware that you must finish on time.
  • If you need more time scheduled, notify your site facilitator so that it can be scheduled.

Test Security is more of an issue:

  • Have duplicate tests with questions ordered differently & alternate versions between students so viewing a neighbors test is less likely.
  • Have tests picked up immediately.
  • Zoom the camera in on yourself during testing & look at the camera occasionally. While this doesn’t help you see any better, it does create the illusion that you are watching closely.
  • Use proctor services if available.
  • Use on line testing if available.

Sometimes it is hard to hear students:

  • Remind students to speak into the mics
  • Many sites have press to talk mics. While these are good at eliminating ancillary noise, students may need to be reminded to press them.

Sometimes I hear too much ancillary conversation or paper shuffling:

  • Users don’t hear their own transmit audio & so are likely not to be aware of this.
  • Remind students that there are mics in front of them & ask them to be respectful of the fact that others can hear their side conversations or noise they generate.

Be flexible in the event of technical problems:

  • Technology will fail sometimes.
  • Have a sense of humor
  • Power outages at your or remote sites will take your class off line & will require NETS intervention to reconnect sites.
  • Know who to call for help & report problems ASAP. Site facilitator, NETS.
  • Remember that distance courses allow students to take classes that would otherwise be unavailable to them. & can increase your college’s enrollment.
  • Adult students especially appreciate saving drive time to get to distant faculty.

About NETS:

  • NETS is a consortium of all public colleges in northwestern Minnesota that secures funding for & manages a shared wide area network that carries all digital traffic for member colleges. Sharing bandwidth demands allow for substantial cost savings that make it affordable to permit high bandwidth digital access for colleges in Minnesota & redundancy protection. The other regions of the state have similar structures. NETS funds cover 90% of the regional cost of WAN access for members. NETS is governed by a board made up of member college CEO’s or their designees.
  • All NETS campuses have at least 100 mbps WAN access & I2 access
  • IP video conferencing & web casting is just a digital application among many, i.e. internet access, running over the network.
  • NETS members can access IP video conference sites all over the state, nation & world at no network charge.
  • Many school districts in Minnesota have IP video facilities
  • NETS has staff that provide technical support for video conferencing & web cast application users.
  • NETS webpage:
  • NETS Staff:

Jeff Sinks, (218) 281-8405,

Mike Hanson, (218) 281-8406,

Chris Winter, (218) 281-8407,

NETS Evening & Weekend Support: (218) 281-8407