Moving my first lecture online

Being faced with moving your lectures online can be a stressful time for any lecturer. Following these basic steps will make the transition as simple as possible.


Moodle is key

When working off-site, Moodle becomes the replacement University, with the module pages a substitute for the classroom. Moodle can be a place for information, a place for guidance and a place for collaboration. 

  • Make sure that your Moodle pages are fully up to date and laid out in a clear manner. Please follow our Moodle Minimum Requirements guide for support
  • To replace each lecture/topic, think about how you structure your learning materials and activities. How would you guide them through a topic in the classroom? Think about setting out a journey for them: Read this article then watch this video, then use this forum to discuss... 
  • If you're expecting your students to engage in the forums, you must engage yourself. Lead by example, highlight good discussions and stir up debate
  • There is a host of great activities with which to engage your students. With editing turned on, select Add an activity or resource to see a list of what is available. 
  • Each Moodle page will have an Announcements activity (sometimes called News Forum). Use this to post updates for your students ("I've just updated...", "Please participate in...", "I'll be available online...") as these messages will be sent to their emails. (Make sure the activity isn't hidden!) 

Further tips are being curated here: Teaching online for the first time

Full online guide to Moodle can be found here: Moodle overview for staff


Video recording yourself

You may decide to create a recording to replicate a lecture. You can use Panopto on a University or personal device to record your audio, video and anything on your PC screen (PowerPoint slides, software demonstrations, etc)

  • You can link Panopto to your Moodle module page. This means that you can record straight into the page, allowing access only to those students enrolled on the module: Staff - adding Panopto to your module page
  • Don't stress about producing a BAFTA-worthy video. Your students are used to watching amateur content on YouTube and on social media. In this instance, content is key! Try to keep it as natural as possible and use the pause button if you need to collect your thoughts. Presenting to a computer, instead of an audience, takes a while to get used to. It'll get more natural the more you do it. 
  • You don't have to record yourself if you don't want to. You can select Panopto to only record the audio and your PC screen 

Our full guide on using Panopto can be found here: Panopto Introduction


Additional support

Please try to work through our online guides before requesting additional support. If you get stuck or need further guidance on teaching online, please contact tel@chi.ac.uk

Still need help?