Part A: How to Manage Your Live Sessions

1. Create a focus ritual before class starts to help center you.
   • Try meditating.
   • Organize all of the materials that you need for class.
   • Remove any distractions (put away your phone, turn off media).
2. Mute all notifications and close browser windows to eliminate distractions.
   • DO make sure that notifications will not go off during class.
   • DO make sure that the browser window that is open is only for class– this can also help if your tech resources are limited. Browser tabs are resource hogs, so closing them or using a tool like Google OneTab to pause tabs will save your processing power AND prevent distractions.
3. Open the full screen to help keep your focus on the course.
4. Try using apps like Freedom or FocusMe to help with being productive and staying focused.
   • DO try to increase productivity be thinking about using apps that will help you stay focused.
5. Keep your camera on throughout the class if it is safe and comfortable to do so.
   • This will help you to focus on the class instead of being distracted. It also helps your instructor help you: they can use your facial expressions to gauge if students are understanding or when energy is waning and it’s time for a break. Being able to put a face to a name and a voice is also helpful in making connections with you instructors and your peers, something that is sometimes trickier to do over Zoom than in person.
   • We know that not everyone has the privilege of dedicated working space. DON’T feel you have to have your camera facing a wall of leather bound books. Try for good light from a lamp or window if you can get it.
   • IT’S OKAY if work spaces are kitchen counters, a bed, the floor of a closet, etc. Work in a place that is comfortable and as distraction free as possible. You don’t have to dress up for class, but do wear clothing!
   • IT’S OKAY if a human or furry colleague wanders through your background. While we hope you have a distraction free environment for live sessions, we recognize that people live with families, friends, and pets.
6. Try to participate by raising your hand during class, either on video or using the Zoom hand raise feature.
   • DO try to participate by answering a question posed by your instructor or classmates at least once during each class.
   • DO remember that participation in Zoom can take many forms: speaking through a mic, making a gesture on video, using a Zoom feature such as hand raise, or posting comments in the chat.
   • DO pose questions during class and share your thoughts related to the class content.
   • DO offer to serve as the person who reports to the class on behalf of small groups if you’re looking for other ways to participate in live online classes.
   • DO ask your instructor how best to interact live: through the hand raise feature in Zoom (helpful if many don’t have video access or in very large classes) or by simply raising your hand in a way that visible to your camera.
7. DO make sure that your phone is not close by during class.
   • DITTO for other devices that might serve as a distraction– tablets or gaming systems for example.
   • CAVEAT: sometimes it is helpful to have readings or other course materials open during the class. A second device can help. Other students have computers that work well for sound or video but not both, and so use a phone as a mic or camera. YOU KNOW YOUR OWN SET UP BEST: do what makes sense for you.
8. Incorporate some type of active movement (walk, dance, jump around) into your class routine.
   • DO take time to get up and move around before your class, during class breaks, and after your class.
     • If you it helps and you can do so without distracting others, DO stand during part of the course time to get your blood moving.
     • DO stretch before sitting for a long Zoom session.
9. Bring snacks and a drink to class.
10. Take notes with a pen and paper or a stylus, however you would in a normal class. If an instructor provides you with a PowerPoint or other lecture file before class, use it to help structure your notes.
    • DO try out digital note taking if you don’t have a note taking system that works for you.
    • DON’T do the type-and-zone-out. Many of us have experienced the phenomenon of typing notes during class or a meeting without really listening to or processing what is being said. Focus on a structure that helps you write down what you need to know and what is useful for you, rather than trying to transcribe the speaker.
11. Video conferencing fatigue is real! The cognitive load of direct eye contact and the limits to mobility are distinctly different that traditional meetings, where you can wiggle more and look away at others things. To decrease fatigue:
    • Sit further back from your camera
    • Minimize the speaker’s window size (try gallery rather than speaker view)
    • Hide your own video feed from yourself
    • Remember to move– you can briefly turn off your camera, but you should also feel free to stand and move a little with the camera on.

Part B: Staying In-Touch and Motivated

DO attend social events and office hours that your professor schedules to help build stronger ties with faculty and colleagues.

DO reach out to your professor if speaking out/participating in live sessions is challenging for you. It can be a struggle to interact in Zoom settings. While we probably all need to practice effective ways to be heard in online settings, given that this will probably be a permanent feature in future employment settings, there can be barriers that are technological or personal. Talk to your professor about alternatives if necessary– forum posts, after class emails, or one-on-one Zoom chats with instructors are just some ways to show what you know.