Live And Online!: Tips, Techniques, And Ready-to-use Activities For The Virtual Classroom

Live and Online! offers the key to designing effective interactions for the synchronous classroom. This ensures that participants have ample opportunity to collaborate and interact, which in turn helps them to successfully learn online.

Author Jennifer Hofmann explains the use of powerful synchronous tools-Whiteboard, Chat, Breakout Room, Application Sharing, and Synchronized Web Browsing-provides sample exercises for each tool, and offers advice on how each tool fits into the instructional landscape. At the end of each exercise there is space provided for notes and suggestions on how to customize the interaction for specific projects.

The companion CD-ROM contains sample graphics, leader guide pages that support the exercises, and templates for creating leader and participant materials and interactive plans.

Live and Online! also includes instructional and design guidelines for course development and explores what topics work best in the synchronous classroom environment. The book examines the four factors critical to creating effective participant learning environments: participant motivation, opportunities to collaborate and interact, usable technology, and an active and participative trainer.

Praise for Live and Online!

"Jennifer Hofmann does it again! She has the unique combination of practical wisdom and clear writing skills. Now, her second book enables me to travel through more exciting landscapes and savor wonderful 'landscapets.'"
-Sivasailam "Thiagi" Thiagarajan, Resident Mad Scientist, Workshops by Thiagi and author of Design Your Own Games and Activities

"This book presents the 'how tos' for instructors and learners with practical application forensuring a learner and learning-centered online environment."
-Judith A. Converso, Ph.D., instructional systems designer and online instructor, Florida State University, Nova Southeastern University

"Detailed, creative, and proven techniques for teaching live online. Jennifer Hofmann has created a superb guidebook for every level of instructor regardless of your chosen synchronous platform."
-John Walber, CEO, LearningTimes, LLC

"Teachers, trainers, professors, and designers-anyone planning to teach at a distance-will find this practical and comprehensive book a necessary companion as they venture into the virtual classroom."
-Michael Simonson, editor of Quarterly Review of Distance Education

"Live and Online " offers the key to designing effective interactions for the synchronous classroom. This ensures that participants have ample opportunity to collaborate and interact, which in turn helps them to successfully learn online. Author Jennifer Hofmann explains the use of powerful synchronous tools--Whiteboard, Chat, Breakout Room, Application Sharing, and Synchronized Web Browsing--provides sample exercises for each tool, and offers advice on how each tool fits into the instructional landscape. At the end of each exercise there is space provided for notes and suggestions on how to customize the interaction for specific projects. The companion CD-ROM contains sample graphics, leader guide pages that support the exercises, and templates for creating leader and participant materials and interactive plans.