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The State Change Method by @wes_kao is a masterclass on creating an engaging Zoom presentation.
Here are highlights from her article on the State Change Method to help you create an engaging presentation
Here are highlights from her article on the State Change Method to help you create an engaging presentation
Paying attention on Zoom is hard. It requires effort and energy. That's why Zoom fatigue is a thing. Heck, staying engaged in a lecture or discussion is difficult WITHOUT the distracting environment.
But creators are up against a ton of distractions.
But creators are up against a ton of distractions.
There's kids, dogs, neighbors, construction, laundry, unfinished tasks around the house, literally everything but what they're supposed to be doing right now.
Which is listening to you.
You can't afford to be boring.
You must be engaging and entertaining.
Which is listening to you.
You can't afford to be boring.
You must be engaging and entertaining.
Course creators have to balance education with entertainment.
It's up to us to keep our audience's attention.
Wes developed the State Change Method to help course creators do that.
It's up to us to keep our audience's attention.
Wes developed the State Change Method to help course creators do that.
She notes:
"Monotony causes audiences to tune out. Movement causes audiences to become alert."
We pay attention to change. It causes us to become alert. To focus.
This is why the State Change Method works. Because it's constantly redirecting our focus to keep us engaged.
"Monotony causes audiences to tune out. Movement causes audiences to become alert."
We pay attention to change. It causes us to become alert. To focus.
This is why the State Change Method works. Because it's constantly redirecting our focus to keep us engaged.
The State Change Method:
"Aim for a state change every 3–5 minutes to break up the monotony of a monologue-style lecture. A state change is anything that punctuates an instructor’s monologue and offers a change in pace that causes students to perk up and snap back to attention."
"Aim for a state change every 3–5 minutes to break up the monotony of a monologue-style lecture. A state change is anything that punctuates an instructor’s monologue and offers a change in pace that causes students to perk up and snap back to attention."
Examples of state change include:
- breakout rooms
- asking students to comment in the chat box
- switching from screen share back to gallery view mode, vice versa
- asking students to unmute to chime in
- literally having anyone else talk
- breakout rooms
- asking students to comment in the chat box
- switching from screen share back to gallery view mode, vice versa
- asking students to unmute to chime in
- literally having anyone else talk
"The State Change Method is built around modern audiences that are even more naturally restless--and instead of blaming people for not being able to sit still, the responsibility is on the instructor (that’s you) to make the lectures exciting enough to want to stay awake for."
Our goal is to create student transformation. To do that, we must be both instructor and entertainer.
"Now that universities have to compete with everyone else, they have to compete with cohort-based courses and content creators who actually had to earn a student's attention."
"Now that universities have to compete with everyone else, they have to compete with cohort-based courses and content creators who actually had to earn a student's attention."
Here are ways to create state changes and avoid looking like Ben Stein:
1. Vary your pace/style.
The State Change method creates a dynamic sense of rhythm.
Create music with your words. Use long, meandering sentences that seem to go on forever and ever. Then stop. Pause.
1. Vary your pace/style.
The State Change method creates a dynamic sense of rhythm.
Create music with your words. Use long, meandering sentences that seem to go on forever and ever. Then stop. Pause.
2. Fight the urge to tell.
Ask questions instead. Give your students the opportunity to think. Gift them the challenge.
Instead of answering their question, open it up for discussion.
Ask:
"What do you think?" or "What do we think about this?"
This is also a state change.
Ask questions instead. Give your students the opportunity to think. Gift them the challenge.
Instead of answering their question, open it up for discussion.
Ask:
"What do you think?" or "What do we think about this?"
This is also a state change.
3. Add interactivity. And then add some more.
And then add a little more.
"The tactics you use for active learning provide a whole category of state changes."
Here are a few:
- small group discussions
- hands on projects
- critique/feedback
- Q&A
- role playing
And then add a little more.
"The tactics you use for active learning provide a whole category of state changes."
Here are a few:
- small group discussions
- hands on projects
- critique/feedback
- Q&A
- role playing
When you're teaching on Zoom, use active learning to create movement and keep students engaged. The time will fly by.
As Wes says:
"State changes are your friend. Embrace any opportunity to offer a state change away from you being the only voice talking."
As Wes says:
"State changes are your friend. Embrace any opportunity to offer a state change away from you being the only voice talking."
Read the full article here: https://www.weskao.com/blog/the-state-change-method
