ITV teachers must always be aware of camera presence and providing a positive image, welcoming students into your distant classroom. Verbal intonation carries heavier weight too. Students recognize tone and feel the distance or feel welcomed. They suggest devoting greater than normal effort toward preparation and development of instructional strategies to actively engage learners. It is necessary to use a variety of techniques to provide content and keep interest levels high.
Regular television is a passive medium, but instructional television is inherently active.
These students watch television daily, and when they get bored, they pick up the remote control and change channels. With that awareness, the instructor becomes the remote and incorporates variety by adding audio, video, graphics, using presentation software, pulling in web pages, allowing student led discussions or even inviting guest speakers to share different perspectives. Format options include lecture, team teaching, cooperative groups, demonstrations, panel discussions, or case studies among other traditional formats. Another technique I use is silence. When learners are sharing in cooperative groups, I may place a graphic or leave a question on the monitor and turn my audio off.