Virtual Communications and Presentations

Abstract

Virtual communication has become essential to educational and professional environments. Using interactive modules and videos, this course introduces undergraduate students to a set of critical skills for communicating effectively online in different contexts such as presentations and team meetings.

To begin, students will learn about the importance of communicating effectively and the most common challenges of virtual communication: demonstrating empathy, staying present, and addressing fear of public speaking. Next, students will learn to deliver their message with confidence and clarity. The course will introduce students to vocal techniques, such as pace, pitch, pause, and enunciation. Along with vocal techniques, students will also learn to employ non-verbal communication techniques such as posture, facial expressions, hand gestures, and appearance. In this section, students will have the opportunity to do a series of interactive exercises and will be asked to record a baseline video, to which they can come back after they completed the module to check their learning.

In the concluding section of this course, students will learn to identify and develop strategies and tools to set up their video space effectively. They will learn how to apply various techniques for adjusting their lighting, camera, background, and audio to improve the quality of their image and sound on video calls. Students will also reflect on how to best make improvements to their video call setup while considering their particular needs and situation.