Crina Tarasi, Associate Professor, Marketing
Practice the software before the first class with family and friends, and do the things you consider doing and ask what they see. As instructors form positive habits that ensure that both audiences are equally engaged, I try to acknowledge all the online students before class as they log in and chat with both in-class and off class students as I set up. Likewise, when organizing students into small groups, I put the in-class students in groups together, and the remote students in groups, and after visiting with the in-class students, I visit with the remote learners, and tell them at the beginning of the activity that if they need me to call on me.
Even if one is unfamiliar with the technology, you do not have to be aware of all the settings and in-and-outs of the software. Figure out what you need, and you will discover easier ways to do things with every class. By the end of the semester, you will be closer to an expert.