Creating a Virtual Classroom for the US History Survey

Utah State University offers a two-semester beginning-level survey of U. S. history that fills requirements for the general education program as well as for history majors.   Many students take the history survey sequence through Utah State University’s IVC broadcast system.  This means that students in classrooms spread out across the state gather at an appointed time to watch a professor deliver course content via live video.  Some students watch the class alone in a small room outfitted with a single computer screen.  Larger groups of students may sit in a traditional classroom with a giant projection screen.  The course may include up to twelve classrooms in different geographic locations with total enrollments of 60-70 students.  The instructor can “see” each classroom on a large screen television and can interact with students though real-time audio/video. 

The key to successful delivery of the U. S. history survey in this IVC broadcast format is to establish a singular, inclusive and interactive “virtual” classroom.   Regardless of physical location, students must have a constant sense of belonging and presence when engaged in any aspect of the course.  Instructors do best when they select from a palette of digital tools and pedagogical strategies to create a sense of place and purpose for students.

This presentation will explore ways to integrate classroom presentation software, digital polling aps, and learning management systems in order to create a “virtual” classroom that gives students a feeling of inclusion and engagement during lectures, active-learning projects, writing assignments, and exams.  I will offer examples of interactive exercises and reviews for the U. S. survey course that can be easily created with presentation software such as PowerPoint and Keynote and illustrate how these can be adapted in multi-formats for synchronous in-class group work and individual asynchronous preparation or review.