Encouraging Active Participation

• How will you ensure students stay engaged in a live online setting?

• What interactive elements (e.g., polls, breakout rooms, live discussions) can help students actively participate rather than passively listen?

• How might digital whiteboards, collaborative documents, or live annotation tools enhance engagement and create shared learning experiences?

Facilitating Structured Interaction

• How will you design discussions so that students actively contribute rather than just listen?

• Would structured debates, peer-led discussions, or rotating facilitation roles help increase student involvement?

• How can you ensure all students have a voice, whether through verbal contributions, chat discussions, or interactive activities?

Providing Real-Time Feedback & Adaptation

• What strategies will you use to check student understanding during live sessions?

• How can instant polling, live quizzes, or chat-based responses help you adapt instruction in real time?

• How might reaction features (e.g., raise hand, emojis) be used to signal understanding or request clarification in larger classes?

Technology & Environment Considerations

• How can you use LMS-integrated tools and video conferencing features to streamline assignments and collaboration?

• Would breakout rooms be useful for small-group discussions, peer collaboration, or problem-solving activities?

• What technology challenges might students face, and how can you help minimize them?

Minimizing Distractions and Barriers

• How will you establish clear expectations for participation, camera use, and virtual etiquette?

• How can you help students create a focused learning environment that minimizes distractions?

• What strategies might encourage students to stay actively present in a virtual space?

Ensuring Accessibility & Flexibility

• How can you design equitable access to live sessions, considering time zones, connectivity issues, or personal responsibilities?

• Would recording sessions benefit students who may need to review content or who cannot attend live?

• How can you ensure accessibility through transcripts, closed captions, or alternative formats?

1. Weekly Course Schedule

• Outline a detailed breakdown of the timeline for your course. This is typically organized by week for the duration of the term. A structured schedule ensures that all elements—content, activities, and assessments—are covered systematically.

2. Module Names and Titles

• Outline the main themes or topics for each module. These titles should be short, clear, and descriptive, providing a quick reference for each section of the course.

3. Course-Level Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

• These are typically found on your course outline. Check with your Academic Dean before making any changes to them.

• Include your CLOs on your Course Map for quick reference, as they guide all decisions that follow.

4. Module-Level Learning Outcomes (MLOs)

• MLOs should break down broader course outcomes into specific, measurable skills or knowledge areas that support overarching learning goals, ensuring that synchronous delivery influences how learning happens without dictating what is learned.

• Design MLOs to ensure all essential learning occurs within scheduled synchronous contact hours, prioritizing active learning to maximize engagement.

5. Learning Activities

• Integrate live activities like real-time case studies, role-playing exercises, and collaborative problem-solving.

• Where possible, make use of rooms, especially for larger enrollment classes, to facilitate small group or peer-to-peer discussion formats.

• Balance structure with flexibility. Provide clear instructions for activities while allowing room for organic discussion and exploration to keep students engaged.

• Use varied interaction formats. Mix whole-class discussions, small group work, and individual reflection to accommodate different learning preferences and ensure active participation.

• Quick engagement techniques, such as polling, brainstorming, or brief think-pair-share exercises, can help keep students active and involved throughout the session.

• Strategically incorporate real-time formative assessment to check understanding and adjust instruction as needed.

6. Instructional Materials

• Provide digital readings, multimedia content, and interactive pre-session materials to prepare students for live discussions. Ensure all materials are easily accessible within the LMS, with clear labels and organization to help students navigate efficiently.

• Instructional materials should be designed to support and supplement synchronous sessions rather than replace them. They should also take into consideration accessibility needs, ensuring compatibility with assistive technologies (e.g., captions for videos, alt text for images).

• Maintain a consistent style and format for instructional materials (e.g., slide decks, readings, videos) to enhance clarity and reduce cognitive load.

7. Assessments

• Where possible, consider using performance-based assessments that require students to demonstrate their learning in real-time, such as live presentations, structured debates, or case study analyses.

• Design collaborative summative assessments, like group projects or problem-solving challenges, where students apply concepts in a live setting.

• If you are using assessments that need to be completed outside of the live environment (e.g. an essay or a report), ensure students receive clear guidance and checkpoints to support their progress within the synchronous structure.

Core Elements of a Synchronous Lesson Plan

• Engagement (Bridge-In)

  • Start with an engaging activity or question that connects to prior knowledge and sparks curiosity. This is a good opportunity to leverage polls, reflection prompts, or short videos to create an interactive opening.

• Learning Objectives

  • Clearly define measurable outcomes to guide the session.

  • Briefly outline what students should achieve by the end of the lesson.

• Pre-Assessment (Checking Prior Knowledge)

  • Use quick surveys, knowledge checks, or class discussions to gauge students’ familiarity with the topic.

  • Adjust instruction in real-time based on responses.

• Active Participation (Interactive Learning Activities)

  • Minimize passive learning by incorporating structured discussions, problem-solving exercises, or real-time case analyses. Breakout rooms, collaborative documents, or shared digital whiteboards to facilitate group work are some examples of effective strategies.

• Check for Understanding (Post-Assessment)

  • Integrate live quizzes, instant polling, or structured peer feedback to assess comprehension.

  • Use reaction features (e.g., hand-raising, chat responses) to gauge student confidence in the material.

• Closure & Reflection

  • Summarize key takeaways and reinforce connections to course objectives.

  • Provide discussion board prompts, additional readings, or follow-up activities to extend learning beyond the session.

Structuring Content for Live Delivery

• Organize content into manageable segments to avoid cognitive overload—use shorter presentations interspersed with activities.

• Prioritize discussion-driven content over lecture-heavy formats, ensuring students engage rather than passively absorb information.

• Use a clear and predictable structure for each session to help students follow along and stay engaged.

Supporting Pre-Session Preparation

• Provide pre-class readings, videos, or guided questions to ensure students arrive ready to engage in discussion and application.

• Design low-stakes pre-session activities (e.g., polls, reflection prompts) to activate prior knowledge and prime students for the session.

Designing Materials for Real-Time Engagement

• Use visual aids (slides, infographics, live annotation tools) to enhance explanations and support multiple learning preferences.

• Limit text-heavy slides and instead use prompts or images to encourage live discussion.

• Ensure all materials are accessible, including captions for videos, transcripts for audio, and high-contrast visuals.

Leveraging Technology to Enhance Learning

• Choose tools/curated content that actively support interaction.

• Avoid overloading students with too many platforms—keep technology choices simple, consistent, and if possible, integrated with the LMS.

• Prepare backup plans for technical issues, ensuring alternative ways to engage if a tool fails.

• Ensure course content is accessible to all students by making it easy to navigate, clear, and designed to accommodate different learning needs. Consider elements such as readability, alternative formats, and intuitive organization. For guidance on accessibility best practices, consult SPARK.

Student Presentations & Oral Defenses

Broad Strategy: Real-time articulation of knowledge

Specific Examples:

• Live Presentations: Students formally present research, case studies, or project findings, demonstrating synthesis and understanding.

• Structured Debates: Students present evidence-based arguments, engage in rebuttals, and defend positions.

Group Case Studies & Collaborative Problem-Solving

Broad Strategy: Team-based decision-making

Specific Examples:

• Scenario-Based Decision-Making: Groups analyze a complex case, discuss options, make decisions collectively, and justify their choices.

• Role-Specific Team Problem-Solving: Group members assume designated roles (e.g., analyst, facilitator) and collaborate to analyze, decide, and develop solutions based on their respective responsibilities.

Performance-Based Assessments

Broad Strategy: Real-time skill application

Specific Examples:

• Live Skill Demonstrations: Students perform tasks step-by-step (e.g., coding, data analysis, calculations).

• Scenario-Based Decision-Making Tasks: Students solve evolving problems (e.g., client negotiations, crisis simulations).

Structured Reflection & Synthesis Assessments

Broad Strategy: Insight through reflection

Specific Examples:

• Live Debriefing Sessions: Students analyze key takeaways through guided prompts, peer discussions, or structured formats.

• Future Application Reflections: Students apply insights gained from prior experiences to propose strategies or solutions for similar scenarios.

Supplementary Student Materials

• Note any additional resources that might help students prepare for and engage in live sessions. You may want to curate external links, video tutorials, or self-paced exercises to reinforce learning outside of class.

• Consider including guidance for students on navigating live sessions, such as expectations for participation, using breakout rooms, or engaging with digital collaboration tools.

Instructor’s Resource Folder

• Maintain a dedicated “Instructor Teaching Resources” folder in SLATE to ensure consistency across different instructors and iterations of the course.

• Clearly document how lesson plans, materials, and engagement strategies should be implemented.

• Examples:

  • Upload detailed lesson plans outlining objectives, activities, and recommended pacing for each live session.

  • Provide slide decks, interactive activity templates, and troubleshooting guides for common technical issues.

Instructor Guide for Online Synchronous Delivery

• Document strategies for facilitating live virtual sessions, including approaches to engagement, discussion management, and live student support.

• Include guidance on how instructors can navigate challenges unique to synchronous online learning, such as participation barriers, managing chat discussions, and handling tech-related disruptions.

• Examples:

  • Share best practices for moderating live discussions, balancing chat and verbal participation.

  • Offer guidance on using engagement tools (e.g., polling, collaborative documents) to keep students actively involved.

  • Provide tips for setting online etiquette expectations and managing participation in a virtual setting.