Tips for Teaching Via ITV
Look at the camera.
Maintaining regular eye contact with distant students is an important way of establishing a connection and giving them the sense that they, too, are active and valued participants.
During lectures, solicit call-ins often.
Be sure to acknowledge each caller. Finish your train of thought, but be prepared to go back to earlier material. It takes time for the student to get through to the control room. Discussions need not, however, overtake the class. Following a particularly long exchange, it is also acceptable for an instructor to say, "I'll take one more call, then we must move on."
It is helpful to repeat questions asked by students in the origination classroom for the benefit of students at a distance, as the microphones can sometimes clip off the beginning and end of students' comments.
Instructors often bring in guest speakers, outside or classroom panelists, or require students to engage in a group activity on camera.
Remote students often state in course evaluations that these types of activities are some of the most beneficial. Remote students are distance-disadvantaged; this may be their only opportunity for an exchange with experts in the field or hear perspectives outside their own sphere.
Please let the technician know of your intentions (at least a week in advance if possible), as table arrangement and microphone placement is critical to the broadcast. Please note that re-use of a guest speaker or discussion panel in future broadcasts may require special taping arrangements (again, notify your technician), and requires a release form to be signed by all participants.
What to Wear
Large areas of white clothing are very bright for the cameras and can be difficult to control.
Bright jewelry, metal-framed eye glasses, even pen clips in shirt pockets can be impossible to adjust to acceptable levels without hurting the entire image.
Necklaces and loose clothing are free to strike and rustle against the wireless microphone to cause distracting noise.
Avoid clothing that is the same color as the curtain behind the lectern, as large parts of you will seemingly disappear and you’ll become, quite literally, a talking head!
Avoid clothing with thin lines and patterns (for example, herringbone and tight plaids), as these patterns will cause an annoying “flicker”.