5 Facilitator Tips Every Instructor Must Know to Create the Perfect Online Course Setup

Online workshops are becoming increasingly popular, with growth predicted to continue in the coming years. They are an excellent way for remote teams and students who can’t attend classes in person to connect with professionals. 

Creating an online workshop relies significantly on your software system’s capabilities, but even the best workshop can’t work well if other facets aren’t adequately prepared. 

The way you design your room and equipment can have a significant impact on your live video’s reception is the way you create your space and equipment. Organizing your online course setup can make all the difference in terms of how well your online workshop is received.

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Necessary Equipment For Your Online Course Setup

Camera

To create an online workshop, start by using your smartphone. You can record high-quality videos, do live videos, and take original photographs for marketing and promoting your online workshop. If you also need a professional camera with 1080p video capture resolution and a glass lens, look for one with those specifications.

If you don’t want to buy a camera, there are still ways to get good footage without one. You can use a webcam with a good-quality glass lens and 1080p camera like the Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam. This webcam has an embedded mic so you can record everything with it, but ultimately you’ll want to get a separate microphone for better quality audio recordings.

Learn the ins and outs of how to use Zoom Whiteboard with Klatch’s Facilitation Tips: Using The Zoom Whiteboard in An Online Workshop

Microphone

The built-in cameras on laptops and webcams can do the job, but they don’t produce the best sound. If you have the budget, upgrading your microphone to a Blue Yeti or Blue Snowball will improve your audio quality.

The most popular USB microphone is the Blue Yeti, and with good reason. Finally, you can get studio-caliber audio at a reasonable price. You can record in cardioid (from the front of the mic), stereo, omnidirectional, or bidirectional modes using the four pattern settings.

Prefer a budget-friendly USB microphone with the same engineering as the Yeti? Give the Blue Snowball a try.

You can use it to connect your microphone and begin recording. It’s also one of the most reasonably priced microphones available.

However, if you need to be able to record yourself while moving about, desktop mics won’t work. Consider using a lapel mic for that.

Despite being somewhat expensive, the Shure BLX14/SM31 wireless microphone kit produces high-caliber audio. Movo also sells lapel microphones that connect to your phone.

Lighting

Photography is based on the principle that nothing can be photographed without light. This is also true for video content, as the film industry evolved from the successes of photography. Likewise, the success of your online course setup heavily relies on your lighting.

There are a few basic guidelines to remember for your online course setup:

• Always sit so that you are facing the source of light.
• Natural sunlight is one of the best lighting sources if you’re doing a webinar throughout the day. Your skin tone will typically be attractive and silky. If the light is too intense, try to diffuse it with an off-white or similarly translucent curtain. Before buying new gear, experiment with what you already have at home.
• You have two options if your room is dark or if you know that your webinar will be filmed in the evening when the light changes after the sunset. The first is less expensive. You can place a lamp (or two) in front of you, but make sure to put it at least a few feet away to reduce the contrast. Purchasing a ring lamp is the second alternative.

Facilitator Tips For Teaching Online

Facilitator Tips 1: Keep Your Eyes on the Camera

One of the most critical but often overlooked facilitator tips is to keep your eyes on the camera. Many people often mistake looking at their video playback rather than the lens. This will make it feel as though you’re talking directly to your students.

Facilitator Tips 2: Be Human‍

Humans have personalities, quirks, and flaws. These can be fun to show off and tell stories about. If you make a mistake, laugh at yourself and keep going. Keep the energy high by speaking naturally with varied pacing. And lastly, be authentic – just be yourself!

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Facilitator Tips 3: Eliminate Visual Distractions From Your Online Course Setup

When presenting your online workshop, it is crucial to keep the focus of the audience on you and your presentation. Consider your surroundings and ensure that there are no distracting elements behind you. Keeping things simple with subdued colors may be best for keeping the audience’s attention on what you’re saying.

Facilitator Tips 4: Camera Height and Stability

Nobody enjoys watching videos that are unsteady and continuously shifting. Viewing a video host’s face from an absurd angle might be equally annoying when the camera is set too low or high. These are among the top ten blunders you may make before and during your online workshop. When setting up an online workshop, it is essential to remember to place your camera at face height, no matter the device. You can raise devices using books if necessary, which is simple and effective.

Facilitator Tips 5: Check the Audio of Your Online Workshop

Your voice is as important as the video image when hosting an online workshop. That’s why checking to ensure your microphone is working correctly and that your audience can hear you are a must.

A microphone built into most newer models of laptops often does not capture your voice enough to be usable in recordings. Therefore, headphones may provide better results if you use a computer for recording.

For more facilitation tips, visit How to Facilitate Online Workshop Discussion: Top Tips for Group Facilitation

Make Your Online Course Setup!

The last step is ensuring your online workshop will appeal to your audience. Remember, a well-done workshop can help make your brand more memorable.

To ensure a smooth presentation, perform a dry run before going live. This will help you avoid any potential glitches. Additionally, ask a friend or colleague to join the online workshop and watch your presentation from their perspective.

If you want to host an online workshop, it’s crucial to choose a platform like Klatch that can manage the process through.

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