• Post lecture notes, presentation slides, or visual materials ahead of time when possible.
• Enable the Office 365 link in Canvas to make sharing course materials more efficient.
• Remind students about expectations for participation aligned with University policies. Invite participation via audio and video. Convey that, while students are not required to participate in recorded sessions, you encourage them to do so. You may also ask anyone who will not be participating synchronously to contact you directly to notify you. Note that breakout rooms are not recorded.
• Inform students about their options for participation. Create alternative, equivalent asynchronous opportunities for participation, given varying levels of access to and proficiency with technology, health issues, and time zone considerations.

You can intersperse your lecture segments with:

• Comprehension checks with questions targeting specific skills and knowledge. Go beyond asking “Does everyone understand?” or “Does this make sense?” If you are delivering synchronous lectures, you can use a poll or survey tool. If you are delivering pre-recorded lectures, you can use the Quiz function in the Panopto editor or quizzing/discussion boards in the Canvas interface.
• Whole-class discussion.
• Individual writing.
• Think, pair, share.
• Small-group exercises (with 3-4 students per group).
• A brief (7 minutes max) video.
• A case study.
• A Q & A session.
• Demonstrations.
• For more suggestions, consult Linda Nilson, Teaching at Its Best 2016; p. 146 in paperback or p. 194 in ebook; Pitt users log in to access through the library.

• Join the session on time (or a few minutes early if possible) and welcome participants to class. You may wish to wait a minute or two as students are joining. This is an opportunity to connect with students — ask a question, share an interesting piece of information, or start a conversation as students join in the remote session.
• Share your screen to display slides, videos, notes, materials, or other relevant content.
• Begin with an introduction:
  -Share class topic. Tell (or ask) the students why today’s lecture is relevant.
  -Share the learning objectives for the day.
  -Provide a session agenda so that students know what to expect and can orient themselves to important topics, activities, and assessments.
• Explain that students can participate by:
  -Unmuting their mic and sharing their video.
  -Using the chat function.
  -Using the “raise hand” feature.
• Look at your camera whenever possible so that you can make eye contact with students. Similarly, you may encourage students to turn on their cameras if they are able. Note, students are not required to share their video feeds, but you can explain the social and pedagogical value of being able to see each other when learning.
• Ask students to confirm that their preferred name is displayed in the Zoom meeting.
• Use the breakout rooms for partner work and small-group discussions. (Note that breakout rooms are not recorded.)
• Allow students to use Zoom’s annotation tools to work collaboratively on a whiteboard.
• Prior to posting lectures, use the Zoom or Panopto captioning function. Note that any type of transcription or auto-captioning may not be sufficient for ADA compliance, and instructors should correct errors in captioning.

• Set reminders for yourself to ask direct questions to the remote students.
• Periodically and intentionally look directly at the in-room camera to engage remote students.
• Use the students’ names, especially when recognizing remote participants.
• Consider a range of options and combinations when placing students into groups. Solicit feedback and be flexible in your group assignments.
• Evenly distribute your attention, interactions, and questions or prompts across both in-person and remote students.