Mr Rivera, a member of the PolSci faculty has produced some videos which featured resource speakers. This has given a live in-person class feel to his teaching and has connected his students to the “outside world”. Among his tips include preparing with the resource speakers, such as explaining the nature of the talk, the duration, the composition of the class, etc.
If possible, it is important to source questions from the students before the talk proper for a seamless effect. This would also help guide the speaker on the material to be presented. Additionally, if the platform for conversation is unfamiliar to the speaker, then it is advised to take time to go through the platform with the speaker beforehand.
A Powerpoint or any other visual aid is highly recommended if the online talk is to be engaging. The Powerpoint provides structure that’s helpful to the students, teacher and the resource person. This is also an enabling tool, because given that some of Mr Rivera’s guests were not used to talking to a large group online, the Powerpoint, as a platform for outlining bullet points, has created the basic framework for the faculty and the students to establish a conversational mood with the speaker.
