Teaching in virtual space
In today's world, it is also becoming more and more common for teaching to be moved completely into the virtual space. Here we show you what options are available for purely online teaching.
The combination of synchronous and asynchronous phases is considered conducive to learning. On the other hand, asynchronous teaching alone can demotivate learners because social contacts and interactions are absent, and exclusively synchronous teaching reduces the opportunities for individualization and diminishes the flexibility of learning.
In selecting the three scenarios below, we followed the recommendations and elaborations of Helena Häußler of the Hochschulforum Digitalisierung (HFD) (German).
1 Lectures
Video conference & live stream
For live streaming or recording: Check with the multimedia center or your dean's office to find out which rooms are equipped accordingly. Get advice from the media didactic departments (IKMZ/Multimediazentrum) on how the technology works or exchange information with colleagues who have already gained experience. Take your time for a briefing and ask questions so that possible problems (e.g. suitable adapters, display problems) can be identified and solved in time.
Make sure that the live stream is recorded in parallel. In case of overload of the streaming platform, the recording can be viewed later. This also relieves students who cannot follow the live stream, e.g. due to care commitments.
Recorded learning videos
When successive, interrelated and complex developments need to be made comprehensible and require a visual component, it makes sense to choose a video to prepare educational content digitally. You can create your own video in just a few steps. For the operational implementation in your video shoot, you can use the handout "Materials and tips for your video shoot" of the HOOU (German).
Click on the link for more information on producing interactive educational videos.
2 Web-supported group work in seminars - digital collaboration
You want to offer your seminar online? Then of course, similar to your lectures, questions arise about the provision of teaching and learning materials or communication and collaboration with your students.
Communication in the group
You can design the communication in the group synchronously or asynchronously:
- synchronous: During an agreed time window, all participants can exchange information. This could be, for example, at the actual date of the face-to-face event. Communicate dates to your students in good time.
Jitsi/BBB is a free and secure way to come together via audio and video. Jitsi has proven effective for smaller groups of up to 10 people. For more information on conferencing systems, click this link.
- asynchronous: In the chat, the conversation of all participants is also possible time-delayed.
It is generally recommended to use a communication channel that is accessible to all participants. It should also be ensured that it is available on mobile devices.
Forumin Moodle When setting up the forum, take note of the settings so that it is ensured that all participants can post.
Collaborative writing
Collaborative writing processes are particularly suitable for courses in which groups of students work together on projects and assignments and the joint documentation of the results is the goal (e.g. reports, minutes, term papers, presentations). There are various online tools that support a collaborative work process.
This link will provide you with more information on: Enabling Collaboration
Etherpad as an activity on the Moodle learning platform is the classic variant of a collaborative writing tool.
- Wiki on the Moodle learning platform
Similarly, online storage locations, such as ownCloud facilitate document management by enabling shared access to stored data.