MTP Comodal Training

#slides

MTP Comodal Training

Vikram Singh | University of Sherbrooke | 2025-03-03

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Host slides
Backup of slides on USB
Start Teams call on phone with earbud.
Provide list of challenges for second activity.
Load a YouTube video to demo sharing.
Create a document in OneDrive to demo permissions.

Define what a comodal class is and its key characteristics.

Identify common challenges in comodal teaching.

Describe strategies to address these challenges.

Design a comodal class that ensures equitable participation for both online and face-to-face students.

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Definition

A comodal class is a synchronous learning experience where both online and face-to-face participants engage simultaneously and equitably in the same session. Comodal delivery requires intentional design to ensure that all students, regardless of their location, have access to the same instructional content, opportunities for interaction, and meaningful participation. Effective comodal instruction leverages digital tools, structured facilitation, and pedagogical strategies to create a seamless and inclusive teaching and learning environment.

Definition

Abbreviations

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	F2F	Face-to-Face Participant
	ONL	Online Participant
	RP	Resource Person
	TS	Technical Support Person

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Activity 1/2: Challenges of Comodal

Identify potential challenges in a comodal class and devise solutions for both the RP and the TS.

Fill in the table below with the challenges, solutions, and responsibilities.

Challenge	Solution	RP	TS
Poor audio for ONL participants	Use an external mic and do sound checks	Speak directly into the mic, check in with ONL students	Monitor audio via Teams, troubleshoot issues

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Time: 10m

This activity raises awareness of comodal difficulties and best practices.
Online students often experience audio, engagement, and accessibility issues.
Monitor the chat & online whiteboard to ensure online students contribute equally.
Take photos of the whiteboard and upload to Teams for online accessibility.

Discussion

Which challenges were most common?
Were there overlapping responsibilities between RP & TS?
What were the most creative solutions shared?

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= ONL = F2F

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Challenge	Solution	RP Responsibility	TS Responsibility
Poor audio for ONL participants	Use an external mic and do sound checks	Speak directly into the mic, check in with ONL students	Monitor audio via Teams, troubleshoot issues
ONL participants feel ignored	Regularly engage ONL students and monitor chat	Look at the camera, check chat frequently	Alert RP when ONL students raise hands, monitor chat
Delayed participation due to online lag	Allow extra time for responses (5-second pause)	Wait before moving on, repeat key points	Inform RP if ONL responses are delayed
Presentation not visible to ONL	Screen share directly in Teams	Share slides digitally, avoid pointing camera at screen	Verify that ONL students can see shared content
Inaccessible in-class materials for ONL	Provide digital versions in advance	Ensure all materials are digitized	Upload/share materials in chat
Breakout rooms are difficult to manage	Use clear instructions and noise suppression	Give structured tasks, check in on groups	Set up breakout rooms, assist ONL groups
Echo or feedback when playing videos	Mute classroom mic and share system audio	Remind TS to mute class mic	Monitor sound and confirm ONL audio clarity
ONL participants can't see in-class activities	Capture & upload whiteboard or group work	Summarize key points, take photos if needed	Upload images/files to Teams in real-time
Session not recorded for later review	Ensure recording starts at the beginning	Remind TS to record	Start and verify session recording

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This activity raises awareness of comodal difficulties and best practices.
Online students often experience audio, engagement, and accessibility issues.
Monitor the chat & online whiteboard to ensure online students contribute equally.
Take photos of the whiteboard and upload to Teams for online accessibility.

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RP Responsibilities

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Prepare instructional materials in advance and share them with the TS. Remember the TS is not responsible for creating class materials.

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Design activities with comodal participation in mind. Have a digital equivalent to every analogue component.

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Ensure digital accessibility (permissions) of physical materials for online students.

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Time: 20m

Show how to use an incognito browser to test links.

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RP Responsibilities

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Allocate extra time as comodal activities often take longer than expected.

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Make the end of activities visible to all students by quickly sharing in-class work digitally.

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Screen share presentations via Teams; do not point the camera at the board.

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TS can share participants' work by taking pictures and uploading them to Teams.
Ideally, there'd be a tablet in case the RP wants to handwrite something. Alternatives for this are to use the mouse to write on a digital whiteboard, or have the TS write in the chat what the RP is writing on the board.

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RP Responsibilities

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Look at the camera when addressing the class to engage online participants.

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Pause after asking questions to account for online lag (5-second wait).

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Regularly check in with online participants to make them feel included and part of the class.

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TS Responsibilities

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Conduct a sound check with online participants ~10 minutes before class starts.

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Facilitate in-class activities by troubleshooting technical or logistical issues.

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Distribute digital materials and verify accessibility for all students.

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TS Responsibilities

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Capture and upload in-class work (e.g., photos of whiteboard notes) for online students.

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Monitor the Teams call to ensure clear audio and video quality.

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Alert the RP when online participants raise their hands.

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TS Responsibilities

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Monitor the chat and relay important messages to the RP.

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Manage breakout rooms and assist with group coordination.

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Hit the record button to ensure the session is available for review.

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Arranging Groups

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Participants

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= ONL = F2F

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Time: 30m

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Arranging Groups

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Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

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Participants

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= ONL = F2F

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Arranging Groups

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Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

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Strategy A

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Strategy B

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= ONL = F2F

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This configuration is better for the online participants since they get to switch up who they're with for different group activities. Since we only have one or two F2F classes now per course, this is probably less of an issue.

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Arranging Groups

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Challenge: Ensuring clear communication between online and in-class participants without ambient noise interference.

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If possible, move the F2F group and a laptop to another classroom.

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Maximize the distance by placing ONL and their F2F group in the furthest corners of the room.

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Arranging Groups

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If needed, move into the hall with a table and chairs (though this may be inconvenient).

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Turn on Teams' "Noise Suppression" to filter out background noise.

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If only one ONL is in a breakout group, no need to create a separate Teams room.

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Showing Videos

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Toggle "include computer sound" if you want to share your screen with the video playing.

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Or, you can share the link to the video in the chat and the online participants can watch in their browsers independently.

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If you do share the link, mute the classroom mic to avoid any echo or feedback when playing videos.

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If you have time, you can share a random YouTube video.

Activity 2/2: Plan a Comodal Class

Choose one class from a course you've taught before that contains one or more activities.

Fill out the table below, or choose your own planning method!

If you've already taught this in a comodal setting, what could be improved upon?

Time	Activity	F2F Setup	ONL Setup	RP Focus	TS Focus
10 min	Lecture on topic X	Project slides, whiteboard	Screen share slides, use digital whiteboard	Engage both F2F and online students, make eye contact	Ensure screen sharing works, monitor chat

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Time: 40m

This activity helps participants think proactively about comodal design.
Encourage groups to review each other's plans and suggest improvements.
Take photos of F2F whiteboards & upload to Teams so online participants can engage.

Discussion

If you’ve already taught this in a comodal setting, what worked and what didn’t?
How can you improve it for the next time?
Each group shares their comodal class plan with the room.

Nadine

Dianne

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Groups 1, 2, 3 work on PowerPoint. Group 4 on class whiteboard.

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= ONL = F2F

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Time	Activity	F2F Setup	ONL Setup	RP Focus	TS Focus
10 min	Lecture on topic X	Project slides, whiteboard	Screen share slides, use digital whiteboard	Engage both F2F and online students, make eye contact	Ensure screen sharing works, monitor chat
15 min	Group discussion	Small group clusters	Assign breakout rooms	Check in on F2F groups	Monitor & manage breakout rooms, alert RP to issues
20 min	Hands-on activity	Provide physical materials	Have digital equivalents (PDFs, online tools)	Ensure online students get equal participation	Distribute digital files, test links, troubleshoot issues

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Community of Inquiry

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Social Presence: Ensuring engagement and interaction among both F2F and ONL students.

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Cognitive Presence: Facilitating deep learning through structured activities that work for all participants.

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Teaching Presence: Designing, guiding, and adapting learning experiences to support equitable participation.

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Key Considerations

How do we create a sense of community across both modalities?
What strategies foster deep learning in comodal settings?
How do RPs and TS ensure equal access and engagement?

The CoI model helps structure meaningful online and in-person learning.
Social presence: Encourage F2F-ONL interaction (e.g., breakout groups, chat monitoring).
Cognitive presence: Use well-structured activities that translate across both formats.
Teaching presence: Requires clear facilitation, tech support, and adaptability.

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Digital Competency Framework

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Leveraging technology to enable students to communicate & collaborate together.

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Using different platforms to foster creativity both in class and online.

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Designing accessible activities that work for both groups equitably.

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Increasing digital literacy in students by navigating online resources effectively.

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Key Considerations

How do we use technology to bridge the gap between F2F and ONL students?
What tools and strategies ensure inclusive, accessible learning?
How does comodal teaching develop students' digital competencies?

Digital competency is key to comodal success.
Collaboration: Online chat, breakout rooms, shared docs, peer review.
Technology integration: Screen sharing, noise suppression, recording tools.
Accessibility: Provide alternative formats, check for technical issues.
Critical digital literacy: Ensure students can navigate digital learning spaces effectively.

References

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Chill Cinema Sticker by Capsen [Digital image]. (2018). Retrieved from https://giphy.com/stickers/movie-cinema-watch-2eKfq00HWfb91flICf
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Drawing Office Sticker by fric [Digital image]. (2025). Retrieved from https://giphy.com/stickers/emoji-direction-compass-VdcrzQAm1R0Hoe1yzm
Friendship Working Sticker by おめがちゃん [Digital image]. (2020). Retrieved from https://giphy.com/stickers/transparent-online-usapipi-W3NjuxoCNrfTLGJxfX
Garrison, R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: computer conferencing in higher education. Internet and Higher Education, 2(2–3), 87–105. https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/10.1016/S1096-7516(00)00016-6
Happy Fun Sticker by Kennysgifs [Digital image]. (2022). Retrieved from https://giphy.com/stickers/cartoon-loop-kawaii-bPdzSyA3CswM4mGKSn
Ministère de l’éducation et de l’enseignement supérieur. (2019). Digital competency framework. https://www.education.gouv.qc.ca
Welsh Corgi Teacher Sticker by Lazy Corgi [Digital image]. (2022). Retrieved from https://giphy.com/stickers/lazy-corgi-ZiT4BATmuZ5brqUxvb
Whats Up Hello Sticker by Holler Studios [Digital image]. (2023). Retrieved from https://giphy.com/stickers/HollerStudios-duck-holler-studios-qwak-7lTUgVeYpeNWbdFrVG
Work Love Sticker by illusbyjo [Digital image]. (2024). Retrieved from https://giphy.com/stickers/love-illusbyjo-atelierbyjo-u7Q3bJnID2DJ6ydItj

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Thank You

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Questions? Comments?

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