Best Practices for Teaching Live Online Courses
This handout provides recommended best practices for faculty teaching live, synchronous online courses using Microsoft Teams. It focuses on creating an inclusive, engaging, and well-managed online learning environment.
1. Course Design Principles for Live Online Teaching
- Structured: Clear routines, consistent meeting links, and predictable agendas
- Interactive: Frequent opportunities for student participation
- Inclusive: Flexible camera and participation expectations
- Purposeful: Live class time emphasizes interaction, practice, and discussion rather than extended lecture
Faculty should clearly communicate expectations in the syllabus and reinforce them during the first class meeting.
2. Sample Syllabus Statement: Live Online Course Expectations
Live Online Class Format and Participation
This course is taught live (synchronously) using Microsoft Teams. Students are expected to attend scheduled class meetings, arrive on time, and participate actively in learning activities.
Camera Use: Students are encouraged to turn on their cameras when possible, as this helps build community and supports engagement. However, students may choose to keep cameras off due to personal circumstances, technology limitations, or learning environment considerations. Camera use is encouraged but not required unless specified in advance for a particular activity.
Microphones and Chat: Please keep microphones muted unless speaking. Students are encouraged to participate using voice, chat, reactions, and other interactive tools provided in Teams.
Professional Learning Environment: Students should join class from a quiet space when possible and remain respectful and attentive, just as they would in a face-to-face classroom.
Attendance and Engagement: Participation may include speaking during discussions, responding in chat, contributing to polls, collaborating in breakout rooms, or engaging with shared content.
3. Camera and Audio Best Practices
- Explain why camera use can be beneficial for connection and engagement
- Normalize and support camera-off participation when needed
- Require cameras only for specific activities and communicate expectations in advance
- Model best practices by using your own camera when feasible
- Encourage headset use to minimize background noise
- Remind students how to mute/unmute efficiently
- Offer chat participation as an alternative to speaking
4. Microsoft Teams Tools for Student Engagement
- Chat: Low-stakes questions, quick check-ins, and written participation
- Reactions: Informal understanding checks and silent engagement
- Breakout Rooms: Small-group discussion, collaboration, and peer feedback
- Microsoft Forms: Polls and knowledge checks during live class
- Screen Sharing: Slides, demonstrations, videos, and walkthroughs
- Microsoft Whiteboard: Brainstorming, visual explanations, and collaboration
- Live Captions and Transcripts: Accessibility support and content review
5. Structuring an Engaging Live Class Session
- Welcome and Agenda (5 minutes): outline goals and start with a check-in
- Content Framing (10–15 minutes): short lecture or demonstration with interaction
- Active Learning (15–30 minutes): breakout rooms, polls, or collaborative tasks
- Whole-Class Debrief (10 minutes): discussion and synthesis
- Wrap-Up (5 minutes): key takeaways and next steps
6. Norms and Communication Tips for Faculty
- Set and revisit expectations frequently
- Be explicit about participation options
- Acknowledge chat contributions verbally
- Build intentional pauses for student response
- Communicate clearly when sessions are being recorded
Synchronous teaching in Teams works best when live time is interactive, human-centered, and intentional. Clear expectations, flexible participation options, and consistent use of Teams engagement tools help create a supportive and effective learning experience for all students.
Teams Audio and Recording Notice
If Teams is used in this class, it may be recorded for enrolled students, including those unable to attend live. Students who participate in any session with their camera engaged or who use a profile image consent to having their video or image displayed/recorded. If you are unwilling to consent to have your profile or video image displayed/recorded, be sure to keep your camera off and do not use a profile image. Likewise, students who unmute during class and participate orally are consenting to have their voices recorded. If you do not consent to having your voice recorded during class, you will need to keep your mute button activated and communicate exclusively through the “chat” feature, which allows students to type questions and comments live.
Resources:
Sample Document for Student Expectations for Live Online Classes in Microsoft Teams – You can download this document and modify it to fit your course needs.
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Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00 am -6:00 pm
FRCAE Microsoft Teams Training Recordings –https://tinyurl.com/ysyx3zvf