A Guide on

Conducting Online
Classes
• CONSIDERATIONS, TOOLS AND STRATEGIES FOR DIGITIZATION
This material is prepared by ILC Diliman

For questions and clarifications, please open a ticket at ILC Helpdesk

(helpdesk.ilc.upd.edu.ph).
Things to consider in
an Online Class
Flexibility of Synchronous or Asynchronous
Online
Learning
❑A lecture or activity
in an online class
may be classified
as…

Source: https://elearningindustry.com/synchronous-vs-asynchronous-learning-can-you-tell-the-difference
 Flexibility of Online Learning
❑A lecture or activity in an online class may be classified as…

❑Synchronous
❑ Realtime interaction – the interaction between the teacher and students happens at the same time.
Synchronous lecture (e.g. video conferencing) is the best way to simulate a “face-to-face” learning
experience in an online classroom.

❑Asynchronous
❑Learning on-demand – Students watch video lectures, read relevant materials, and do activities at their
own pace and time. Teacher prepares activities and resources in advance and instructs students to do
a list of tasks within a reasonable timeline.
Preparations…
Before you decide on conducting a video conference or any online class
strategy, don’t forget to consider the following:
❑Plan ahead the contents and/or activities
❑Keep it organized
❑Choose a platform, consider availability of technology/tools
❑Access to Internet and devices (smart phones, PCs, laptops)
#1 Plan ahead the contents and/or activities
A simple way to plan your activities is to revisit your syllabus, check the outline of topics,
and assess how each part can be conducted online. Below is a simple template:

Approximate TOPIC Method of Delivering Platform Online Activity or

time to finish Content and/or Assessment
Applications
2 hours How to use Reading Material, and a UVLe Q & A Forum: Reflection;
teach online Video Lecture Assignment: submit a
classes? sample online class
instruction plan
1 hour How to use Reading Material for initial UVLe, Zoom Assignment: submit
Zoom ? instruction, and Video video recording of a
Conference (live video conference via
demonstration) Zoom
#2 Keep it organized, Choose a platform
Choose a platform that can serve as an organized repository of online activities and
resources. Consider a learning management system (e.g. UVLe) or an online classroom (e.g.
Google Classroom).

UVLê Google Classroom

UPD,
UVLê has your back!
❑University Virtual Learning
Environment (UVLê) is a comprehensive
learning management system designed to
address the needs of a diverse community
like UP Diliman.
❑It’s a Moodle site. Moodle is the world’s
most popular and comprehensive learning
platform. It is being used in 190+ countries
with 100,000+ sites.
 ❑ UVLê allows UP Diliman teachers to design online spaces
where activities, feedback, content, and other course components
can be delivered.

❑ILC Diliman has been developing UVLê to better fit the needs of
the UP Diliman community. Many of the recent developments are
UPD, feedback-driven:
UVLê has ❑Having a “Teacher (Basic)” role for beginners, and a “Teacher

your back! (Advance)” role to support innovative and/or disruptive online

learning ideas.

❑Automated creation of course pages, enrollment of students,

etc. via CRS

❑Conversion of online quizzes to printable PDF documents

etc.
F E AT U R E UVLê G O O G L E C L A S S RO O MS

Course Page Creation ✓ Automated via CRS ✓ Manual through the UP Mail
account

Enrollment of ✓ Automated via CRS, synced ✓ Manual Invitation or by self-

Students with Class List enrollment

Structure of a course ✓ Modular, with different ✓ One simple/straightforward

page / online options for course format modular structure
classroom

Content / Resources ✓ Different options – URL, ✓ Different options – URL,

Quick
videos, images, files videos, images, files Comparison
Assignments ✓ Comprehensive features for ✓ Basic features sufficient for
deadlines, notifications, conducting assignments
submission type, grouping, online.
and grading

Forums ✓ Comprehensive, can be used ✓ Available (“stream”), one

for assessment and/or forum type only
announcements
✓ Q&A Forum allows recitation-
like activity online
Feature UVLê Google Classrooms

Online Quiz ✓ Comprehensive selection of question ✓ Enables creating quiz

types (from simple to compounded through google forms
questions) (question types are
✓ Has option for time limit, paging, limited to the question
question bank and randomization, an types of google form)
adaptive mode, etc.
✓ Has a feature that lets teachers print

Other
online quizzes into questionnaires

✓ Gamification and/or adaptive learning

Quick
Advance
Features
tools
✓ Peer Evaluation Systems (exchanging
Comparison
files for peer rating)
Etc.

Others ✓ Teachers can easily link other ✓ Well supported by google

applications (e.g. google drive, google apps. Linking with other
forms, YouTube video, video tools is possible too.
chatroom, etc.) in a course page.
✓ Learning resources available at the
YouTube channel and website of ILC
Diliman
✓ Local Tech Support in ILC Diliman
#3 Check Connectivity (Internet Access)
Before conducting a synchronous lecture or activity, check if you and your students have
a stable internet connection.
TIPS: (more details in next pages)
✓Conduct a speed test.
✓Ask your students first ☺
✓Always choose to record the online meeting!
✓Keep the file size manageable for uploading and downloading.
✓Give students a reasonable time to get materials online.
✓Poor internet connection may interrupt your instruction in a synchronous set-up.
#3 Check Connectivity (Internet Access)
Before conducting a synchronous lecture or activity, check if you and your students have
a stable internet connection.
TIPS:
❑Conduct a speed test. Go to https://www.speedtest.net/. Minimum of 4 Mbps
download speed and 128 kbps upload speed is typically enough for a small video
conference (around 10 participants). A large video conference may require better
internet speed. If you have time, test the quality of the stream with your colleagues
before using it in a class.
❑Ask your students first ☺ Ask if they have a device and internet access at
home/dorm. If a significant proportion of your students have poor internet access,
teachers are advised to maximize asynchronous lectures/activities.
❑Always choose to record the online meeting! Allow your students with poor internet
access to catch up by letting them participate asynchronously.
#3 Check Connectivity (Internet Access)
Before conducting a synchronous lecture or activity, check if you and your students have
a stable internet connection.
TIPS:
❑Keep the file size manageable for uploading and downloading. Always remember
that data / internet is costly for some students.
❑Create several short videos (5 to 15 minutes) or opt for a podcast (if applicable)
❑Save videos at average quality (360p or 480p), unless the lesson requires better resolution.
❑Downloading video lectures may consume less data than watching a livestream.

NOTE: In general, it is more difficult to successfully upload/download a single large file

than uploading/downloading several small files one at a time.
#3 Check Connectivity (Internet Access)
Before conducting a synchronous lecture or activity, check if you and your students have
a stable internet connection.
TIPS:
❑Give students a reasonable time to get materials online. Schedule synchronous
activities in advance, so students can prepare. Be considerate. Strike a balance between
synchronous and asynchronous activities.
❑Poor internet connection may interrupt your instruction in a synchronous set-up.
If you have poor internet access at home, it is recommended to optimize asynchronous
methods.
#4 Check Availability of Tools
Check if you have the tools necessary to deliver an online strategy.
TIPS:
❑ NO VIDEO RECORDING TOOLS? Not an excuse…
❑Optimize available materials online
❑Check credible and relevant YouTube videos
❑Check if you can borrow/download some materials from relevant MOOCs (coursera,
udemy, canvas.net, MIT Open Courseware, etc.)
❑Maximize reading materials paired with online assignments, quizzes, forum, or
chat!
#4 Check Availability of Tools
Check if you have the tools necessary to deliver an online strategy.
TIPS:
❑ For Video Conferencing:
❑Laptop – most laptops have built-in microphone, camera, and speakers.
❑Earphones (optional)
❑Video Conference Application (more about this later…)
❑For Video Lectures:
❑Screencast with Voice Over: Laptop + Screen recording application (+ earphones)
❑Video Recording of a Lecture: Video Camera (phone camera works!)
Other tips/strategies
Find an optimal combination of applications. UVLê, Zoom, and
Google Drive will be a good combination for delivering online
classes. UVLê shall act as the main platform. UVLê already has
sufficient tools for sharing files and creating different online
activities (forums, quizzes, assignments, games, etc.).
Supplement UVLê with Zoom for Video Conferencing and Google
Drive for extra file storage.

Always prepare a back-up plan!

Other
tips/strategies…
❑TEAMWORK!
❑Teachers teaching the same
course may work together in
developing online/digital
materials.
Other
tips/strategies…
❑Asynchronous learning involves a lot of
“self-paced learning”. They will need
guidance and support.
❑Guide your students by giving them a
weekly checklist or targets. Consider also
providing the (approximate) duration of an
activity.
❑Keep them motivated or goal-oriented by
including an activity in each weekly task.
Other
tips/strategies…
❑It is also good to provide trial activities.
This is to prepare students on how to
use the online platform.

❑Provide a trial online quiz, so students learn how to

answer a quiz.
❑Try forums by requiring your students to introduce
themselves in the online forum.
❑Provide a trial assignment, so you can check if
students know how to upload a file.
Other
tips/strategies…
❑Provide support. Open a
forum or portal where they can
ask questions.
❑Set regular consultation hours
– remind your students that you
are not online 24/7.