Designing Engaging and Interactive Synchronous Online Class Sessions

Using Adobe Connect to Maximize its Pedagogical Value

Edited by Matthea Marquart, Lia W. Marshall, Rebecca Y. Chung, and Kristin Garay

Foreword by Ray Schroeder

Chapters contributed by Malwina Andruczyk, Johanna Creswell Báez, Aparna Samuel Balasundaram, Sara Bartlett, Hans Bernier, Sahani Chandraratna, Sarah Clem, Beth Counselman Carpenter, Agata Dera, Mary Downs, Taylor Eutsey, Krystal Folk, Helen Garcia, Bonnie Glass, Ana Grullon, Robert Paul Hartley, Christine D. Holmes, Carly King, Edy Kupietzky, Josh Levine, M. Karen Lichlyter-Klein, Elexia A. Gonzalez Lowe, Vitina Monacello, Melissa Thompson, Murali Nair, Amelia Ortega, Mary Piepmeier, Sabeen Qureshi, Morgan Ritacco, Allison Ross, Roxanne Russell, Delia Ryan, Jessica Satkunasingham, Katherine A. Segal, Dawn E. Shedrick, Kelly Smith, Sierra Spriggs, Marianna Stayer, Sara Terrana, Elise Verdooner, and C. Danette Wilson Gonzalez. Additional chapters coming this year from Adrianna Taylor, Brittany Lytle, Fatima Mabrouk, and Kevin Ram.

Access the free interactive ebook, including AI-generated audio files for each chapter, on the EdTechBooks platform

Coming later: Download a free PDF of the book from Columbia University's Academic Commons

Coming later: Purchase a print copy of the book from Amazon

Chapter author group pic, August 2022

Top row, left to right: Matthea Marquart, Jessica Satkunasingham, Kristin Garay, Sara Bartlett, Elise Verdooner

Middle row, left to right: Edy Kupietzky, Lia Marshall, Bonnie Glass, Aparna Balasundaram, Adrianna Taylor

Bottom row, left to right: Amelia Ortega, Krystal Folk

Adobe product screenshot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe.

Chapter author group pic, August 2022

Top row, left to right: Helen Garcia, Matthea Marquart, Murali Nair, Kristin Garay, Josh Levine

Middle row, left to right: Carly King, Mary Downs, Agata Dera, Katherine Segal, Allison Ross

Bottom row: Elexia Lowe

Adobe product screenshot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe.

"We're way beyond just porting what we do in traditional classrooms to the online environment. This book is essential for educators working hard to to improve the online learning experience with real best practices. This is a practical guide that addresses myths about the online environment, using a framework of equity to make the learning experience a truly inclusive one for students. The focus on truly engaging students with the class content, rather than constantly managing student behavior, is truly inspiring."

Stephen Cummings, MSW, ACSW, LISW

Clinical Associate Professor, MSW Program Director

University of Iowa School of Social Work

"Virtual classrooms have been around for 20+ years - but still most publications are anecdotal and promotional. "Designing Engaging and Interactive Synchronous Online Class Sessions is different. It s a resource on virtual learning that is focused on maximizing the instructional technology (in this case, Adobe Connect) but based on research and drawing on different experts in the field as strong contributors. This book provides the "why", the "how" and examples of activities in that maximize engagement. Worth space on your virtual bookshelf."

Jennifer Hofmann

Founder & President

InSync Training

"Designing and planning for effective and efficient online engaging interaction in synchronous online instruction is not intuitive. It takes knowledge, skills, and a commitment to continuously improve your online course design and delivery. This book is full of information and resources that target practical active learning approaches specific to synchronous online interaction that you can adapt and apply in your own online instruction, and supports you in your efforts to do that in a reflective, mindful, and an intentional way. I highly recommend this book."

Alejandra M. Pickett

Director, Online Teaching

State University of New York System Administration, SUNY Online

Designing Engaging and Interactive Synchronous Online Class Sessions

Chapter author group pic, August 2022

Chapter author group pic, August 2022

Gold Trendsetter in Distance Learning Award, 2023

Diamond Learning Technology Innovation Award, 2022

Gold Technology Award, 2022