Connect classes are taught from a classroom to other classrooms around the state and surrounding region. Students come to a USU Regional Campus or Center or join from home via Zoom to participate in the class on a set day and time every week. This delivery format is a great option for live instruction when interaction with other students is beneficial. The more structured classroom environment can be helpful for students who don’t have a quiet place at home to attend a virtual class.
Key Principles for Success
- Class Planning:
- Prepare activities for your students that encourage students to talk or work together. Utilize Zoom Breakout rooms to facilitate interaction among students participating from home.
- Simplify sharing presentations by having material accessible from the classroom computer.
- Upload PowerPoint presentations to Box or Canvas (No need to publish the files to make them accessible to students unless desired.)
- Demonstrate math problems, draw, or annotate using the classroom Surface Studio, HP Touch Monitor, or Smart Podium with OneNote.
- You may want to avoid using Zoom features like Polls, Whiteboard, and Chat because students attending in the classroom may not have a laptop or mobile device to participate. If any student in the classroom joins the Zoom meeting they should NOT join the audio as that will cause audio issues for the whole meeting. (However, you can mute individual participants if needed. The facilitator can help with this, too!)
- Logistics:
- The Zoom class meeting is created for the instructor and is set-up with the instructor as the Host of the meeting. Please don't change any of the Zoom meeting settings or delete the meeting that was created for you.
- The Zoom link has been enabled in Canvas. Students can use this link to connect to the class. The instructor will use it to publish recordings to be accessed by students, if desired.
- The meeting will either automatically connect to the classroom (Zoom Room) or the facilitator will connect the room equipment to the meeting.
- There will be a facilitator in the room where the course originates to help you with technical aspects of ensuring the receiving classrooms are connected to the meeting, sharing what is on the computer, and switching between instructor and student cameras, as necessary.
- The instructor may log into Zoom from a laptop, tablet, or cell phone to start or stop recordings and manage breakout rooms. (Don't connect audio on this device.)
- Participants, both at remote classrooms and from home, will be displayed on a monitor within the classroom. The facilitator can help adjust the layout, as needed.
- When asking questions during class, wait a little longer than you would in a traditional classroom as it might take students a little longer to answer while they come up with an answer and turn on their microphones.
- Zoom Participants:
- Encourage students attending via Zoom to keep their cameras on during class.
- Ask students to use their microphone to ask questions or comment, rather than the Zoom meeting chat. This will help to ensure you don't miss questions as they are asked.
- Use Zoom breakout rooms to allow students who are by themselves to work with or discuss class material with classmates. Breakout room groups can use the whiteboard to collaborate with each other.
- Outside of Class Time:
- Use Canvas for materials distribution and homework collection.
FAQs
Can I teach from an alternative location?
Faculty are expected to teach from a university classroom because students may choose to attend in-person. This delivery method is intended to be primarily in-person with a virtual option.
Are there equipment standards for students?
If students choose to attend virtually, they will need to have a camera and microphone to participate.
Will I have students out of state?
Yes. Students who live out of state may register for your class. You will need to use virtual proctoring or work with Academic Testing Services to arrange proctoring for exams.
Under the new definitions, can a Connect (IVC) class have reduced synchronous meeting times, like a Hyrid class?
Yes, with qualifications. The schedule needs to be set prior to student registration. If there will be reduced class time, students need to know when they register so they can plan their schedules accordingly.
Course Management
Course Quality
Engagement Strategies
Assessment
If you have students participating in class from out of state and the exams need to be proctored, remote proctoring via Proctorio will likely be the best option.
FAQs
Can I teach from an alternative location?
Faculty are expected to teach from a university classroom because students may choose to attend in-person. This delivery method is intended to be primarily in-person with a virtual option.
Are there equipment standards for students?
If students choose to attend virtually, they will need to have a camera and microphone to participate.
Will I have students out of state?
Yes. Students who live out of state may register for your class. You will need to use virtual proctoring or work with Academic Testing Services to arrange proctoring for exams.
Under the new definitions, can a Connect (IVC) class have reduced synchronous meeting times, like a Hyrid class?
Yes, with qualifications. The schedule needs to be set prior to student registration. If there will be reduced class time, students need to know when they register so they can plan their schedules accordingly.