Rebecca Najdowski
Sessional Teacher
In this Photography course, international students attend classes remotely and concurrently with their face to face peers. This case study examines how discussions and exhibition critiques were adapted for those not able to be in the studio.
School: Art
Year: Post Grad
Cohort Size: Small (6 F2F, 4 Online)
Delivery Mode: Concurrent
Medium Effort
Implementation level: Easy
Overview
Teaching strategies and use of technology has led to an inclusive concurrent classroom for both online and face to face cohorts.
Exhibitions and critquing of work was a major challenge in the course. Rebecca uses Microsoft Teams, connected via a webcam on a tripod, directed toward the teacher. Spotlight is used for the camera so that it follows the speaker if they move in the classroom and the vision is projected onto a wall for classroom students. A second camera is positioned on a trolley which can be rolled around to view student work pinned on the walls.
During class discussions, a RODE microphone in the middle of group of tables allows the online students to listen to the discussion, including both the teacher and the face to face students.
Benefits/ Challenges
Benefits
- Equity for online students, they are active participants in a class rather than static observers.
- Face to face students are often opting to learn online to avoid public transport issues or to ensure that they are home in time if their next class is online. This demonstrates the quality of the online experience.
- Guest speakers are accessible to both cohorts, online students can engage in real time with their peers.
- Sessions are recorded, benefitting both cohorts.
Challenges
- Time difference – all offshore students were in China
- Teacher has preference for students attending face-to-face rather than going online
- The quality of the camera and the movement of the trolley meant there where differences to how the online students viewed the photography which was displayed in the classroom
- Most online students were reluctant to turn their cameras on
Advice/ Tips
- A GoPro would allow the online students to see excatly what the teacher sees during exhibitions
- The sound absorption in the classroom meant sound input to the microphone was quite low. Consider using a conference microphone in the middle of the table when faciltating class discussions