The first semester of academic year 2021-2022 will start the 6th September. The latest news (August 17, 2021) is that students can return to the VU Campus and the 1,5 meter rule will no longer be in place. However, students can only attend physically in groups of less than 75 students. So, for lectures with large groups, teachers can opt to conduct these lectures still fully online or in hybrid mode. For hybrid teaching, teachers can make use of the upgraded classrooms and lecture halls with a camera and microphone.
Didactics - it is not easy!
It is not easy to conduct an engaging hybrid class or lecture. Teachers find it difficult to concurrently concentrate on the contents and the dynamics of the on-campus and online students. So make sure that you at least know how to operate the equipment. Also, make sure you have an assistant to monitor any chat messages from the online students. Read more do's and don'ts on the Canvas Online Education Hybrid Teaching page.
If you do not feel comfortable with hybrid teaching or the equipment is failing or missing, consider the following options:
- Return to full online teaching.
- Repeat your on-campus lecture or workgroup (so all students can attend on-campus).
- Record the lecture without the simultaneous presence of online students. You can focus your attention to the students in the classroom or lecture hall. The students who cannot come to the campus can then watch the recordings afterwards.
- As a variation on 3.: Make slidecast recordings. That is, record the PowerPoint and audio via Zoom, but do not record video. This way, students who are not on campus can still study the most important information of a lecture afterwards.
- Teacher online, students in the classroom. The teacher asks students or an assistant to switch on the beamer, computer and Zoom session.
- The teacher does not conduct a Zoom session with the VU computer and VU camera and microphone. Instead, students ask fellow-students to film and share the live lecture with them using their own private Zoom sessions.
Important tech advice
Make sure to be in your classroom at least half an hour before the start of your lecture or workgroup to check if the camera and all equipment is functioning (or present). Because of regular vandalism, the camera can be broken or the plugs are pulled out of the camera or computer. Also, because of administrative information lagging, some rooms may not have the equipment you need.
Bring your laptop as back-up camera device - It allows you to film yourself by also logging into your own Zoom session with your laptop! Also, you can use the microphone of your laptop.
Also, you could you use your mobile phone as a second camera device. Connect your mobile phone to the VU WIFI network, download Zoom on your mobile phone and join the Zoom session of your lecture. Put your mobile on a simple tripod or ask a student to hold up the camera. Tell your online students the name of 'the user' (your phone) by which they can access the scene the phone is filming.
Help
FCO/AVC will do their utter best to daily check each room to possibly fix equipment that is stolen, detached or vandalized. Please also be careful with the equipment for your colleagues as nothing is more annoying then failing technology when teaching.
In case of damaged equipment, please contact AVC directly by phone at 020-5985777
More information
All information about hybrid teaching at VU Amsterdam, including tips and tricks, the room list and detailed instructions can be found on the Canvas Online Education Hybrid Teaching page.