In this case example, I am demonstrating how to maximize the use of layouts in Adobe Connect to encourage live, collective participation in guided mindfulness and meditation in the virtual classroom. Using and resizing video pods and share pods within layouts allows for both instructors and students to access video and/or visual examples while watching each other synchronously practicing the skills they may utilize in clinical practice or in their own self-care. Having students practice collectively on camera creates community, provides opportunity for real-time virtual adaptations of practice activities, and allows for visual demonstration of skills that may occur in-person in other training or education settings. In this specific classroom example, the professor sought to:
As a Live Support Specialist, assigned to an online social work course for the full semester in order to be responsible for the classroom design and technology support for the online classes, the instructor provided me with a description of the activities and lesson plan for the class that described wanting all students on camera simultaneously while also showing slides with an image of Chair Yoga poses. In recognizing that she wanted to demonstrate some practical breathing, mindfulness, and meditation, with students following along on video simultaneously, I began preparing layouts in the Adobe Connect classroom. I saved multiple layouts to be used moving forward in the succession of courses, that could be utilized depending on if the instructor was demonstrating techniques themselves on video, whether all (or most) students would be joining and following along on video, or whether the instructor had an external video clip or image to show for demonstration while the class collectively followed along.
Keeping layouts saved from week to week in the classroom and only changing out the media files uploaded in the Share pods, was incredibly helpful for a recurring class where a similar activity might be completed in subsequent classes. Additionally, we found that students liked to be given a heads-up that they would be participating in on-camera activities during class. The weekly activities were engaging, well received by students, and easy to execute in planning and in setting up the Adobe Connect classroom. It was an effective tool to model and practice skills collectively and to promote conversation and community building in the virtual classroom. It also breaks up the monotony of lecture-based classes where only the instructor may be on video in a virtual learning environment during the majority of a synchronous online class.
Image 1: Panel discussion layout being edited. Adobe product screenshot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe.
Image 1 Alt-Text: This image is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. At the top of the screengrab, the room is named “Pedagogy Practice Room 1.” On the left side of the screengrab, the Attendee’s pod is shown small in the bottom corner, with gray space to the top and right where it had been resized from its original placement in the layout. At the top of the classroom layout is the video pod, stretching horizontally almost the whole way across the layout. The button labeled “Start My Webcam” is visible in the video pod, however, no webcams are turned on in this screengrab. Below the video pod are the chat pod and a share pod displaying a slide. The chat pod displays text that says “Start a conversation with everyone or chat privately with the Hosts, Presenters, or any Attendee.” The slide in the share pod has a header that says “Role Play Coping Strategies” and text in the body that says “Coping Strategies.” On the right of the screengrab, the Layout Manager banner is visible descending down the right hand side of the page. Multiple saved layouts are visible in the banner, each gray as they are not selected. The final layout is highlighted in blue indicating it is the current layout displayed, titled “Large Video”.
Image 2: Adobe Connect classroom layout with a large Video pod for the class’s webcams, and a slide in a Share pod. Adobe product screenshot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe.
Image 2 Alt-Text: This image is a screengrab of the same Adobe Connect classroom as in Image 1, but in a different layout. In the top left corner of the classroom is a share pod that is displaying an example powerpoint slide with text that says “Could Upload Image or Slide Here with Diagram/Display. (This is where the Instructor displayed an image with variations of Chair Yoga Poses for students to emulate.)” The share pod has two arrows at the bottom facing in opposite directions, to advance or rewind the slides as needed. Directly below this Share Pod and image is the Attendee’s pod, displaying only one attendee, named “Pedagogy Institute (you).” The largest area of the classroom layout is the Video pod which is to the right of the share pod and takes up about 60% of the layout. The button labeled “Start My Webcam is visible” in the video pod, however, no webcams are on in this screengrab. Directly below the video pod, at the bottom of the classroom (and to the right of the Attendee’s pod), is the chat pod. The chat pod displays text that says “Start a conversation with everyone or chat privately with the Hosts, Presenters, or any Attendee.” On the right of the screengrab, the Layout Manager banner is visible descending down the right hand side of the page, as in Image 2.
Image 3: Adobe Connect classroom layout with a video demonstration in Share pod and large Video pod to start webcams. Video created by the author of the chapter, with special thanks to social worker, Zaire Morris, MSW for demonstrating. Adobe product screenshot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe.
Image 3 Alt-Text: The image is a screengrab of the same Adobe Connect classroom as in Images 2 and 3, but in a different layout. In the top left corner of the classroom is a share pod that is displaying a video. The video shows a person sitting on a mat on the floor, holding their feet together, back straight. The video pod has a progress bar showing that the video is playing at 0:12 of 1:52 minutes total. Directly below this Share Pod is the Attendee’s pod, displaying only one attendee, named “Pedagogy Institute (you)” logged in. The largest area of the classroom layout is the Video pod, which is to the right of the share pod and takes up about 60% of the layout. The button labeled “Start My Webcam is visible” in the video pod, however, no webcams are on in this screengrab. Directly below the video pod, to the bottom of the classroom (and to the right of the Attendee’s pod), is the chat pod.
Image 4: Adobe Connect classroom with a video demonstration in Share pod and a Poll question. Video created by the author of the chapter, with special thanks to social worker, Zaire Morris, MSW for demonstrating. Adobe product screenshot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe.
Image 4 Alt-Text: The image is a screengrab of the same Adobe Connect classroom as in Images 1, 2, and 3, but in a different layout. In the top left corner of the classroom is a video pod; the button labeled “Start My Webcam is visible” in the video pod, however, no webcams are on in this screengrab. Directly below this video Pod is the Attendee’s pod. At the top of the classroom layout, to the right of the video Pod, is a share pod displaying a video of a woman laying on a mat on the floor with her knees bent towards her stomach, holding them in. The video pod has a progress bar showing that the video was paused at 1:45 of 1:57 minutes total. To the right of the share pod is a poll pod. The poll is a short answer/ open response poll that displays the question, “How could this be adapted for clients with disabilities or varying needs?” The poll pod displays buttons across the top that include, “view votes”, “broadcast results”, “edit”, and “end poll”; “broadcast results” has been selected in this screengrab. The bottom of the poll displays an open field to type responses, with the faded text, “Type your response here”. Directly below the video pod and poll pods, to the bottom of the classroom (and to the right of the Attendee’s pod), is the chat box pod.
I’d like to thank Matthea Marquart and Dr. Johanna C Báez for introducing me to the opportunity as an Alumnae to work with the CSSW Online Campus and for continuing to always see me and my professional potential; Dr. Julia Colangelo for challenging me as a Live Support Specialist to learn creative ways to alter layouts so that students could have a shared virtual space to be in community, on camera together, practicing mindfulness in real time in the Adobe Connect Classroom; Professor De’Asia Thompson for demonstrating the need for self-care among social workers and in academia by beginning each class she taught with a mindfulness/ deep-breathing moment and a check in with students; Zaire Morris, MSW, for the yoga demonstration video; All of the CSSW online campus team that I’ve had the pleasure of working with and learning from on my journey from student to alum to staff; and my family for always having my back and being part of my village.
Spijkerman, M. P. J., Pots, W. T. M., & Bohlmeijer, E. T. (2016). Effectiveness of online mindfulness-based interventions in improving mental health: A review and meta-analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials. Clinical Psychology Review, 45, 102–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2016.03.009 from https://edtechbooks.org/-HyEo
Widener University Center for Social Work Education; Columbia University School of Social Work
This content is provided to you freely by EdTech Books.
Access it online or download it at https://edtechbooks.org/designing_engaging_interactive_synchronous_online_classes/layouts_for_mindfulness_meditation_yoga.