Good practice guide to Interactive video-teaching (IVT)
Strategies for academic staff
Interactive video-teaching (IVT) is a live two-way video and audio telecommunications
connection between two sites (point-to-point), or between multiple sites (multi-point),
which allows ‘real-time’ teaching/learning interaction between lecturer and students. It is
used at CSU to deliver classes between campuses at Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange, Thurgoona
and Wagga Wagga.
Using IVT as a medium for teaching does not require a lecturer to become an expert in
technology use. It will mean, however, that you acquire a basic understanding about
instructional delivery issues in IVT in order for your teaching to be effective.
The challenges of interactive video-teaching
Interactive video-teaching is a different kind of teaching to that used in a face-to-face,
classroom-based approach, and requires consideration of the following:
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It is hard to judge the classroom atmosphere at the distant site as non-verbal cues,
which are important for effective communication, are difficult to distinguish in the
video image.
The use of a pure lecture style means that students run the risk of becoming passive
recipients of a video image, as in television viewing. Resist the temptation to just
transmit facts.
Careful planning of teaching sessions, materials, and technology usage should
proactively engage the students.
There should be a balance between lecturer and students’ interaction, and student
engagement with teaching and learning resources.
Teaching strategies for effective interactive video-teaching
Effective interactive video-teaching implies a need for different presentation methods and
the re-structuring of materials to be adapted to IVT.
Teaching strategies include:
 Establish classroom etiquette and protocols e.g. students to remain in camera range;
 Track who is participating;
 Check regularly for comprehension;
 Ensure that lesson material incorporates a range of learning activities to encourage
interaction e.g. group discussion and feedback; questions that encourage students to
collaborate on answers;
 Use a variety of presentational techniques to break up a session e.g. short case study
presentations by students; interviews; panel discussions;
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Provide visual information that supplements and enhances verbal content to aid
understanding e.g. incomplete graphs, models and worksheets that students complete
in sessions;
Make appropriate use of a range of delivery modes such as document camera,
PowerPoint® slides, overhead, whiteboard, etc;
Integrate IVT with other educational media, such as online resources, textbooks, and
print material;
Organise an outside guest speaker to be the subject expert during a timetabled IVT
session.
Experiences of CSU lecturers
The following teaching tips have come from the IVT experience of CSU lecturers:
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learn to use the technology early. Attend the IVT training workshops provided by
DIT and CELT. Have a practice run. Use the equipment so you can see a presentation
as students see it;
confirm audio and visual connection at the start of each session;
establish etiquette and protocols in the first session;
establish and publicise your consultation hours for students to make email and phone
contact;
plan a visit to your ‘far-end’ students early in a semester to get to know the students
and their perspective of IVT;
ask for feedback from students;
make notes available as a backup (but not a substitute);
include a break time in longer sessions;
encourage regular access to online forums;
have alternative means of providing materials in case of technical difficulties;
follow up IVT sessions with e-tutorials or forum discussions.
Further resources on IVT
The Pacific Bell Web site has a great deal of information on the topic of instructional
strategies, which you will find invaluable in preparing to teach with IVT.
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/vidconf/instruct.html