What is the Online Seminar?
As with lectures, there may be reasons why a blended approach to seminars is not possible or practical and a fully online, synchronous seminar is preferred. In many ways, this approach is similar to the blended seminar with the main difference being that the face-to-face students are now also attending online. The entire session is delivered through a webinar tool, with the tutor-led sections being delivered and broadcast to all students online and, depending on numbers and the type of activity, the student-led sections are either facilitated as a single cohort or the breakouts feature is used to place the students into smaller groups with the lecturer moving between breakouts to questions students, provide support and answer queries.
A recording of the non-breakout parts of the session can be made available if desired.
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Supporting Technologies
- Blackboard Collaborate – general guidance, guidance for students, breakouts
- Zoom – guidance for students, breakouts
Making it work
- Read the general teaching activity considerations for advice relevant to all approaches
- Establish behavioural ground rules for students prior to the session
- Practice using the webinar tool in advance, particularly the breakout features
- Make sure to regularly move between breakout groups because it can be easy to focus on a single group because the others are less visible than in a face-to-face setting
- Recording the session is possible, however, it isn’t possible to record the breakouts using either of the available tools
This model is part of Inquiry and Discussion
Inquiry: Students explore a question, problem, scenario or task.
Discussion: Students exploring, challenging and evidencing understanding by talking to tutors and peers.