Logistics

Before you leave home

Plan your wardrobe so you will be able to attach the wireless microphone and transmitter pack to your clothes. You may want to wear a belt for the transmitter pack.

Work with the A/V team

• They will help you get on to the Harvard Network
• They will start the meeting as host
  •     You will join as co-host
• They will make sure you are comfortable with the computer set up and Zoom and show you
  • Which monitor will show the content you are sharing
  • Where to find the Zoom controls
• Let them know what you will be doing during class
  •     Showing PowerPoints
  •     Showing a website
  •     Writing on the classroom whiteboard
  •      Using breakout rooms (we don't recommend doing this the first time you teach in HELIX Classroom/Hyflex)
• Have them show you where the camera is so you are looking directly into it when speaking to the students participating via Zoom and those watching later

Introduce yourself to the videographer and let them know:

• If you will be writing on the whiteboard in the classroom
• If you will be taking breaks
• If students will be doing introductions
• When you are ready to start

Zoom is different in HELIX Classroom/Hyflex

• You will not be the host and you will not start the meeting
  •     The AV team does this
  •     You will come in as a co-host
  •     If you want to be the host, tell the AV team
    •  In most cases, this only matters if you will be using Zoom breakout rooms and want to see if a student in a breakout room has a question.
• Unlike when you use Zoom from home, you don’t click the “share computer sound” box when sharing websites with sound
• Be careful about chat 
  • If you want to type into the chat, make sure it is on the screen you are not projecting to the room or into Zoom so that no one will see your private chats.

TA role

• If you will have a TA attending class they can either be in Zoom or in the classroom.
• If they are in the classroom, they could log into Zoom, as long as they don’t connect to audio when they join the meeting.
• TAs can communicate with online students via chat.
• TAs can keep an eye on the chat and see if any Zoom students have their hands raised.
• If the instructor writes on the board in the classroom, the TA should spotlight the video that shows the board, so students in Zoom will be able to see it more easily.

Greet all of your students

• Greet all of your students as they enter--both those in Zoom and those in the classroom.
•  Ask them to say their names so you get the pronunciation right.
• Have the in-class students write their first names on a folder piece of paper that they place in front of them so you can see their names, like those in Zoom.
• To make it easier for you to see the names of the students in Zoom, consider having them use a virtual background with their name
• When you are ready to begin, right after the recording starts,  look directly into the camera and say hello to the asynchronous students.

Explain the HELIX Classroom/Hyflex Environment

• Zoom students don’t necessarily know what the in-class students see and vice versa.
• Explain to those in Zoom that the students in the classroom see the Zoom meeting on a large monitor being projected in the classroom, and everyone in the classroom, as well as in Zoom, can see and hear them.  Tell the students coming in through Zoom that they should be mindful of their surroundings and attire.  Zoom students should keep their cameras on and mute their microphones when they’re not speaking,  And, they should never attend class while in a car!
• Remind your in-class students that those in Zoom will be able to hear them, but will only see the back of their heads if they aren’t looking into the camera.
• The students in Zoom will see the instructor and the students sitting in the classroom.
• Remind students that they don’t always have to participate through the same format for every class. They can sometimes be asynchronous and sometimes log in during class via Zoom. Or, they can sometimes participate via Zoom and sometimes come to campus, as long as they comply with Harvard’s COVID protocols.

Set participation expectations

• How will students get your attention?
  • Will they raise their hands?
    • Tell those in Zoom if you prefer that they raise their hand physically or if they should use Zoom’s virtual raise hand tool.
  • Should they politely jump in with a question or comment?
• Tell your students that you expect them to speak to each other, including to those in a different format (including those participating asynchronously).
  • Set an example by saying something like, “Bradley (in class), you mentioned you work for a non-profit specializing in elder care, just like Shondra (in Zoom).   I hope the two of you will be able to connect with each other.
• Let your students attending via Zoom know whether or not you want them to use the chat feature.
  • If in-class students want to join the Zoom session to participate in chat, they must not join audio.
• If you will be having all students collaborate on activities during class using Google docs, Padlet, etc. tell your in-class students to bring a computer to class, but they don’t need to log into Zoom.
• Tell your asynchronous students how they will participate by looking into the camera and explaining how they will contribute to the activities the synchronous students are doing. Demonstrate where to find these tools and how to use them.

Set the tone

Let your students know that you have chosen the HELIX/Hyflex format for your class because you want to include students from all over the world.  This also means that students must be respectful of each other’s opinions, cultures, backgrounds, gender identity, etc.  Take a look at Syllabus Language Sets the Tone for Your Course for ideas about setting a positive tone for your course when writing your syllabus.

Icebreakers

Icebreakers are important for getting students engaged with the class from the very beginning. While breaking students into groups for icebreakers can be very productive for classes that are either entirely on campus or entirely in Zoom, doing this in a HELIX/Hyflex Classroom can be complicated.  If this is your very first time using Zoom, it’s best for you to wait for a class later in the semester, or even in a future semester before having your students split into groups.

If there is time, have each student introduce themselves.  Alternate between having one person in the class introduce themselves and then someone in Zoom.  You could also include asynchronous students if you have asked them ahead of time to post a written or video introduction on a discussion board.  Then you could read the message or show the video while all the other students are doing their introductions.  This exercise could be spread over the first couple of classes to include everyone.