This is second time in my career I will have taught "online." The first was in the early 2000s and led me to write something about an experience that re-opened the fundamental questions: what is a course? what is a degree? what is a graduate degree? Or, more specifically, what are the experences one should have for someone to "pass" a course or a degree. More on this ...

As I write this, I have not yet experienced the new contexts, though I have heard some of colleagues about their experiences with Zoom teaching over the past months.

This leads me to have:

Pedagogical concerns (given the affordances of Zoom) which I have answered, for now, as such:

Synchronous, or Asynchronous?

There will be a synchronous session. However much of the course content is available asynchronously. Students can use the course web site with class notes for each session. These can be the source of further investigation.

Lecture?

There will be some lecturing, based on the notes on the course web site for the particular session

Groups?

All students meet as one group.

Chat?

The chat feature on Zoom will be turned off.

Technological concerns and my advice

Monitors and windows

I strongly advise one large monitor. If possible, two monitors are better.

Lighting

Be sure that there is no bright source behind you.

Background

The background you chose (whether your space or something else) is one aspect of your "presentation of self." For good or bad, we all "read" the symbols each other present to those around us

Foreground

The current custom is to show one's face in what I believe is called a "head shot." One imagines there might be other possibilities.

Deictics

This may be the more complex of the Zoom limitations. In my teaching I often point, for example to give someone the floor. In a classroom, people can follow my fingers. On Zoom, this does not work. I am not sure how this will work.