We considered titling this post “Blended Synchronous Teaching Made Easy,” but we know that managing on-campus and online students simultaneously is anything but easy. This collection of guides, tips, resources and advice from experienced MQ educators will help you streamline your blended synchronous classes.
Preparing to teach a blended synchronous class
Design the lesson for online delivery – Start by designing your class for online delivery and bring the on-campus students into an online space (rather than the other way around). For example, design polls and plan to use a shared online document where all students can contribute rather than plan face-to-face activities and try to adapt them for online students.
Allow more time – plan ahead by adding more pauses into the lesson. This extra time helps everyone keep up and makes it easier to manage activities for both online and on-campus students.
Familiarise students with whatever tools you plan to use (e.g. shared document; Zoom, etc) so they can engage, contribute and collaborate.
Plan your lesson to minimise the number of tools and resources you need to have open and manage during the class, so you and your students don’t have too many clicks. Read how this Educator puts all the resources needed for the class into one H5P activity so there are less tabs to open and less switching between windows.
Provide everything in digital formats (resources and tools) and ensure –they are available online so both the online and on-campus students can get access to the same resources.
Think about discussions and groupwork and decide in advance whether you will group remote with face-to-face students.
Getting the technology set up at the start of class
Top tip: Head to class a few minutes early to get set up – and – have an extra device.
Equipment to take with you to class:
- Your laptop – so you have an additional device (in addition to the classroom resident computer) to be able to set up ‘double zoom’ (see below for more about double zoom). Alternatively, you could set up Zoom on your phone.
- An external Bluetooth speaker – to avoid issues with sound echoing and so that on campus students can hear what the online students are saying without you having to repeat it.
- A clicker (optional) – so you can change the slides (if you have them) without having to go back to your computer and have your back to the students.
Set up double zoom:
By this we mean log in to Zoom on more than one device. This allows you to avoid having to turn your back to either group of students.
Here’s how:
- Log into the lectern PC (resident computer), share the screen in Zoom and then project that on the big in room screen. This will allow the on-campus students to view the online students while both lots of students will be able to see your content.
- Then log in on another device, such as your laptop (or your phone). This lets you see the online student view and you can use the microphone from that 2nd device to pick up the sound from the class for the online participants.
Running the class
Ask your students to BYOD and a charger. Suggest on-campus students bring their own device so they can collaborate with each other and the online students. Depending on how you want to run the class, you could ask students to log in to Zoom on their own device, for example, if you want them to view or participate in the chat function, collaborate using a spreadsheet/document/padlet or to be in breakout rooms with the online students.
Provide explicit instructions (verbal and written) so everyone knows what to do – it is easy for online students to miss important details.
Check in with your online students – Set aside a few minutes and make a conscious effort to check on the online students, involve them and bring them into the activities as you go.
Distribute your attention equally between online and f2f participants – and encourage regular participation from both groups of learners.
Have a plan on how you will monitor the chat. Here’s 2 ideas:
- Set up Zoom up on your phone. This means you can be a bit more mobile and don’t have to go back to the resident computer to check the chat (or to change what you want to display on the screen).
- Have a student monitor the chat – Try assigning a student to be responsible for checking the chat and ask them to give you a visual sign when there’s a message.
Putting it all together in practice
Watch this video to see for yourself how one MQ educator makes double zooming work in a blended synchronous classroom.
Making your class engaging
Here’s some ideas for increasing student engagement. You might like to incorporate an active learning approach and include some interactive elements – or experiment with other technologies.
- These ideas for a more engaging Zoom lesson are appropriate for a blended class.
- Create a shared live class workbook – a shared online document for students to enter responses and contribute to activities during class.
- Use polling and quiz tools for in-class interaction.
- Add variety by using H5P to create engaging learning activities.
- Encourage students to use their webcams
- Use Microsoft Teams for streamlined groupwork and collaboration.
- Check engagement using the ‘Combined Zoom Participation Report’ in iLearn Insights.
Teaching in 01CC Central Courtyard?
Find step-by-step instructions, videos, tips and troubleshooting advice on how to set up all the AV for teaching a blend sync class in 1CC.
Read more
New to using Zoom?
If you’re new to using Zoom, learn how to create and record Zoom sessions, share resources, and use breakout rooms and polls.
Read more
Targeted professional development modules that’ll help
| Module name and link to access | What you’ll learn |
| Zoom for teaching module | Learn how to set up and work with – and in – Zoom for learning and teaching: practical tips and techniques, using basic Zoom functions, recommended set-up options, tweaking default options and how to make your Zoom teaching sessions more interactive and engaging. 45 minute module on iLearn. |
| Active learning 1 (Starter pack) | This module covers the basics for implementing active learning in your classroom: popular low-stakes techniques, key literature findings and practical tips on using MQ-supported technologies. 45 minute module on iLearn. |
| Active learning 2 (Advanced) | Explore advanced active learning techniques for your classroom. Find practical suggestions for tackling common issues with active learning. 45 minute module on iLearn. |
For more ideas visit these resources
Blended synchronous teaching:
- Setting up the technology for a blended synchronous class (video)
- 5 Steps to double zooming (PDF)
- I teach a blend-sync class – here’s what’s in my toolkit
- The complete guide to using the technology in 1CC for teaching a f2f or blended class
- Spotlight on practice: Zooming in on strategies to teaching in the classroom and online simultaneously
- Juggling teaching online and on-campus students? Try these 10 tips
- Blended synchronous teaching @ MQ Guide (PDF)
- ABCs of pedagogy: B is for blended or hybrid teaching pedagogies
- 7 habits for being a more effective hybrid lecturer
Using Zoom for teaching:
- Step-by-step user guides for using Zoom
- Are your Zoom settings helping or hindering your classroom?
- 4 ideas for more engaging Zoom lessons
- Combined Zoom participation reporting in iLearn Insights
- New to Zoom teaching at Macquarie?
- Zoom room full of errors
Questions? Contact professional.learning@mq.edu.au
Acknowledgements:
Banner image: Created by Olga Kozar using ChatGPT
Blended synchronous teaching video: Featuring Jasna Novak Milic and filmed and edited by Nathan Sollars
Post edited by Kylie Coaldrake
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