Delivering activities online is different to face-to-face delivery in various ways.
- There are limitations on what you can do - demonstrations and interactivity are harder (or need to be handled/done differently) an things can take longer than in person
- You can’t necessarily see the audience and get live feedback as you would normally
- The audience are less committed to keeping their attention focused on you (it would be rude to walk out of an in-person lecture, but online it’s as easy as closing a window or looking at a different browser tab and you won’t notice)
- Watching a video call is tiring in ways watching a live talk isn’t (search for ‘Zoom Fatigue’), so people’s attention spans may be shorter; you can break up a talk/workshop with things to do that don’t involve looking at a screen
There are advantages to being online - your audience have access to the internet while you’re talking, and are at a computer. You can compensate for the lack of live feedback from looking at the audience by giving them chances to interact - polls, typing in the chat (text or emoji responses), ‘hands up’ features, and other interactive systems can allow you to work with them in real-time.
All of the same techniques apply as for real-world talks and workshops:
- maintaining eye contact (in this case, looking directly at the camera) - it’s tempting to look at the video of yourself to make sure you’re coming across ok, so put this in the middle at the top of your screen, close to the camera! And, so the audience can look back at you, make sure a video of you is visible on screen at all times, using video mixing or screen sharing; this will also help anyone with hearing impairment or sensory processing disorders who need to lipread
- reducing distractions - these may be different now - but you can control the environment you’re in, work with lighting and sound
- planning your content to engage - for example, building in a narrative arc to provide structure, using tension (jeopardy/suspense), humour and surprise, and making use of punchlines.
Other Thoughts and Tips
Make sure any technology (software, websites) you use is easy for participants to use - if it’s not something they’re already familiar with, build in time (including a low-risk activity like a simple ‘how are you’ question or icebreaker) for them to accustom themselves to how it works, and check it works for them. Have a fallback option for anyone who can’t get it working - some people might be using old laptops or not have good internet access, so you might need to offer options like email interaction, or low-bandwidth alternatives.
Two presenters is always a good idea if it’s practical - a dialogue is more engaging than a monotone, provides you with feedback and allows you to get a break. One person can monitor tech issues, watch the chat or answer participant questions while the other is talking, and it can allow you to develop routines like one person working behind the scenes to make a thing work while the other explains.
When you have two presenters:
Splitting the content between you with scripted/planned handovers can help break up content and introduce discussion around it
'Interview-style' presenting can work well - one person can serve as an audience proxy and ask obvious questions
If you’re both on screen at once while one of you is talking, make sure the other doesn’t look bored!
One person writing on-screen while the other person is talking can be an effective way to show some mathematical working
Allow time for people to do things! People might be using unfamiliar systems, they may be more used to in-person interaction, and they may find online interaction more tiring. Make sure you allow them more time than you might think to do things. Everybody is more easily distracted online. Set expectations clearly - specify how long you’re giving people to do a thing, how much they will have to do in that time, and give a clear signal to stop.
The barrier to participating in interactive activities is higher when you can’t necessarily see them, and won’t know whether they are doing the thing or not. Encourage people to participate through use of language - create a relaxed, welcoming environment, look after your volunteers and reward them, always be positive and praise contributions. If you have a way to see how many people are participating, use it - but don’t make people feel bad about not participating, as there may be a reason for that.
Some activities can be participated in anonymously - this might mean it’s anonymous to everyone, or that you can see who is doing something but the audience can’t. People may feel more confident doing a thing if it’s anonymous.