Toolkit for Instructors
With more courses transitioning to an online format, the SAA Committee on Education created a working group to collect resources and information that will be useful to instructors presenting online courses. The SAA Digital Archives Specialist Subcommittee also provided feedback in the creation of this resource.
Contents
1. Technical Aspects of Zoom
2. Writing Learning Objectives
3. Responsibilities of SAA Education, Instructors, Course Liaisons, and Course Technicians
3a. SAA Education Office
3b. Instructors
3c. Course Liaison
3d. Course Technician
4. Accessibility Considerations for Online Instruction
5. Suggestions, How-Tos, and Best Practices for Online Instruction
5a. Synchronous Sessions
5b. Asynchronous Sessions
1. Technical Basics of Zoom
Computer specs to use Zoom
- Use a cabled internet connection when possible.
- If feasible, reboot your modem before the presentation and ensure only the device necessary for the session is online.
- System requirements for Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Download your slides, videos, and sounds locally on your computer; don’t depend on an Internet connection to resources during your presentation.
Note: SAA assumes no responsibility for providing equipment to instructors or participants.
Using the camera and microphone
- Consider what background will be least distracting to your participants while you speak. Some web cameras have the possibility of using virtual backgrounds, if you don’t have an available space that’s free from distractions.
- Instructors should be on camera while presenting to facilitate lip-reading by hearing impaired participants.
- If there are multiple instructors, the one(s) not speaking may want to be off camera or else should make sure their movements aren’t distracting to participants.
- Use headphones or earbuds to listen to the audio. This helps with the sound quality and ensures that you will always be able to hear clearly. If this isn’t possible, keep your speaker volume at the lowest setting while still being able to hear. This helps get rid of echoes coming back through your microphone.
- Participants should be notified prior to the session whether they will be expected to use a microphone and/or camera.
- The host/co-host should practice how to mute participants and turn off cameras should an emergency need (aka Zoom bombing) arise.
- Only the host or co-host can launch a poll (must be created by host)
- Host or co-host can mute/unmute attendees
- Attendees will not be able to see the participant list
- Attendees can raise hand
- Only the host or co-host can launch a poll (must be created by host)
- Host or co-host can mute/unmute attendees
- Attendees can start/stop their own video (camera)
How participants may pose questions to instructors vs. chat between participants
- Include a slide in your deck that instructs participants on the preferred way to pose questions. Point out the difference between addressing a chat message to all panelists and attendees vs. all panelists.
- Questions that are posed in chat or in Q&A should be read aloud by a panelist to ensure all participants know the question. Especially in sessions that are being recorded, it’s probably best not to read the name of the person who submitted the question.
- In a Zoom webinar, encourage participants to use Q&A to submit questions because they are easier to track there than in chat.
- If your Zoom choice allows participants to Raise hand, explain how to do this and when it is appropriate to raise hands (and how this is different than the thumbs up). Note that either the participant or the host or co-host must lower the hand once the interaction is completed.
Breakout rooms (in a Zoom meeting)
- Managing Breakout Rooms
- Only the host or co-host can assign and start breakout rooms. A desktop client must be used rather than the smartphone app.
- Breakout rooms can be randomized or assigned (or participants may be allowed to choose).
- It is possible to reuse breakout rooms multiple times; however, if you have multiple breakout room sessions, any people who lose their connection and sign back in during the interim will have to be reassigned.
- All hosts and participants will be muted upon return to the main room.
- Notify participants that if they have their camera on during the breakout room, it will remain on when they return to the main room.
Polling
- Poll questions can be preloaded to make them easy to launch during the session. They must be created by the host.
- Polling must be managed from a desktop client, not the smartphone app.
- Only the host or co-host can launch a poll. Warning: These controls sometimes move from one host/co-host to another after breakout rooms are used.
- Polling for meetings
- Polling for webinars
How to use the whiteboard feature
Sharing screen and computer sound
2. Writing Learning Objectives
Learning objectives articulate what measurable skills participants should acquire by the end of the course. They provide a strong foundation for the course and should align with your instruction and assessments. Learning objectives may be assessed through the assessment as well as through activities throughout your course. Designing measurable learning objectives is recommended because they help you design your course content, and help course participants determine their progress toward the intended objectives.
3. Responsibilities of SAA Education, Instructors, Course Liaisons, and Course Technicians
With more courses transitioning to an online format, the SAA Committee on Education created a working group to codify the specific responsibilities of each party in this presentation format.
3a. SAA Education Office
- Approve online course
- Advertise online course
- Schedule and facilitate Zoom practice session for course instructor(s) and course liaison
- Upload course materials to LMS (where they will remain available to participants for 30 days after course)
- Schedule Zoom session for course and distribute login and session information to participants
- Create polls for Zoom session, as requested by instructor(s)
- Provide automatic captioning software for main Zoom room
- Hire sign language interpreter, when needed
- Share participant list with Course Technician for admittance purposes
- Launch Zoom session 15 minutes before the beginning of the course and pass Host responsibilities to the Course Technician
- Lay out usage expectations and tips at the beginning of Zoom session
- Record (start, pause, stop) Zoom session, if required
- Introduce speakers during Zoom session
- Share course feedback with instructor(s) and Course Liaison
3b. Instructor(s)
Course proposals are accepted on a rolling basis via the Course Proposal Form. NOTE: In some cases, one party may design a course and another party may teach the course.
- Propose online course or apply to teach a course that has already been approved
- Inform SAA Education Office if any hardware or software is required for participants
- Have computer, Internet connection, webcam, and microphone necessary for Zoom presentation
- Inform SAA Education Office of Zoom expectations to be communicated to participants (e.g., will they need a mic or camera)
- Inform SAA Education Office whether a Course Technician will be needed. (NOTE: If one will not be used, the tasks listed under Course Technician will be assumed by the Instructor.)
- Create any slides or other visuals and handouts needed for the course
- Model using inclusive language, such as pronouns in Zoom. Allow students to control when and where they share their pronouns on Zoom.
3c. Course Liaison
- The Course Liaison is appointed by the SAA Committee on Education or the Digital Archives Specialist (DAS) Subcommittee.
- Review course proposal and provide feedback to SAA Education Office on its appropriateness for online presentation
- Review proposed slide deck and other resources and provide constructive feedback to instructor(s)
- Attend Zoom practice session and provide constructive feedback to instructor(s)
- Attend online course and provide constructive feedback to instructor(s) and submit Course Audit Form to SAA Education Office
3d. Course Technician
SAA Education will coordinate a volunteer to serve as the Course Technician, who may also be the Course Liaison or may be a different person. The Course Technician will be responsible for facilitating the Zoom session on the day of the online course and should be conversant in Zoom operations before accepting this position.
- Admit participants
- Take attendance during the Zoom session and submit the list to the SAA Education Office after the conclusion of the session
- Assign breakout rooms as needed
- Mute and unmute participants as needed
- Monitor the chat – responding to logistical questions and raising content questions to the instructor(s) at an appropriate time
- Advance slides and launch polls, if requested by the instructor(s)
4. Accessibility Considerations for Online Instruction
Even if an instructor is sharing a screen, the instructor should also be on-screen to facilitate lip-reading.
Read aloud any questions posed in chat or in the Q&A – don’t assume everyone can read the chat.
Otter AI through SAA can be used to provide captioning of Zoom sessions. However, if breakout rooms are implemented, it will be necessary to contract with a company that does live captioning to caption the breakout rooms. If your session is utilizing Otter AI, at the beginning of the session, explain to attendees how to access the captions:
- Look in the upper left corner for "LIVE on custom streaming"
- Click the down arrow
- Copy the streaming link
- Paste it into the web browser
- Click Enter
Detailed Accessibility Requirements, develeoped in collaboration with the SAA Accessibility and Disability Section, are available on this site under Resources for Instructors. For additional information see the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
5. Suggestions, How-Tos, and Best Practices for Online Instruction
5a. Synchronous Sessions
5b. Asynchronous Sessions
