Friday, March 26, 2021

OLLI Teaching Tips: ‘Tales from the Trenches’

Notes for panel discussion, Tales from the Trenches, on distance teaching at OLLI

Script
first, some non-stop writing in Pages ?


What I got from prep meeting:

From Steve: see his mail of 3/31 8:49 PM


From my 'memory':

I) Talk about how to provide materials (share representative page), and importance of common experience
a) for good discussion and
b) to allow teaching by the seat of the pants; order of topics not of great importance because common experience gives everyone a framework that I don't have to build in class; can respond to questions are they arrive. For me, best discussions entirely student-question driven.

II. Talk about handling discussion, importance of silence, and how to create and embrace it.

III. Show a couple of "wow" things with screen sharing, not how, but "wow".
1) sharing software on the fly (ice structure, symmetry, snowflakes, growth video)
2) sharing iPhone as hand-held camera or to demonstrate iPhone software



••••••

Here are preliminary notes from before prep meeting

Outline of personal presentation

•••••• Using a vehicle to provide content AHEAD of the class, with assigned reading and actions.
decision: assign, then discuss in class? or watch in class, then discuss?
        latter might generate more spontaneous, higher quality questions
• share screen: BRIEF tour of one class page from CCBH (or these notes, for simpler)
• back out to show larger site?
• 

•••••• Managing discussion
• How student should get attention
        blurt, wave, turn on digital hand (BEST: hands stays up until acknowledged)
• Host: avoid filling silences with your own voice

Power of Silence

•••••• Brief tip(s) about Zoom
• Most important: PRACTICE
    How to see how you're doing (see figures below)
        Come to your own meeting
        Record a practice presentation
• Another tip?
        Maybe share iPhone as camera?


How to Practice
use another device to come to your practice class as a guest: 


host on computer (right) and guest on smartphone (left)
click to enlarge



host sharing screen to show a web page
click to enlarge


recent problem: incomplete screen sharing


control bar and any other windows (computer host) 
obstruct single shared window (phone guest)