Best Practices

• Consider making the synchronous sessions optional or offering several sessions from which your students may choose.
  • Requiring synchronous sessions reduces the flexibility that appeals to, and is often necessary for the schedules of, many online students. They will appreciate your extra efforts in schedule accomodations.
• Send an email to your students explaining the technology and how they will use it.
• Preview Elluminate first, if possible with someone who can log in from a different location as a “test audience.”  Then you can run through your materials in Elluminate early, checking that everything loads properly.
• Learn how to use moderator override functions (such as turning students’ mics down for them or lowering hands if they forget).
• Use students’ names as frequently as possible.
• Use emoticons to substitute for facial expressions (and learn to interpret your students’ virtual facial expressions).
• Enable the user profile function—especially if your Elluminate sessions are frequent and/or are the only method of real-time interaction.
• Use breakout rooms for group interaction. [Elluminate Demo; PDF]
• Get comfortable with instant messaging. [Elluminate Demo; PDF]
• Learn how to monitor student activity by using ESP. [Elluminate Demo; PDF]
  • The feature housed in the participants’ window that shows students using Elluminate features and tools. ESP allows you to see if students have received file and video downloads as well and applications you might be sharing.