If a private conversation is necessary, a phone is available at each site. A list of all students and remote site facilitators will be available at each site. This can aid the teacher in balancing interaction between sites. Roll sheets can be passed around at the end of classes to discourage students from leaving early. Students can be assigned questions ahead of time to help them add to discussions.
Instructors can use the space provided on the list to make personal notes about each student.
They often feel more connected to the class if the instructor knows enough about them to ask about their career goals, experiences, their families or something else of interest. Students can be assigned to groups at each site or between sites to discuss, debate and solve problems . Silence can be used to give students time to think through problems. Formal lecture time can and should be broken into short segments. Writing adds a physical dimension to student involvement.