Online Learning Instructions

You can join class in-person or remotely. On remote days one of our TAs will come to the classroom to set up the Zoom call, but the learning experience will be better if you just join online. I’ll also have an easier time calling on you or noticing if you have a question if you join the Zoom call yourself, even from the classroom. You are not required to join in-person.

Plan for synchronous participation. Please be prepared to join during our scheduled class time.

In preparation for our class, please carefully read and follow the instructions below!

Software

We will be using two big pieces of software for this course:

Zoom for any remote lectures and creating recordings.
Microsoft Teams for office hours through Khoury Office Hours

We recommend using the desktop app for both.

Setup and Testing

Equipment & Space

Think about where you will be joining class from. Please find somewhere that is private, quiet, and has a good internet connection. We suggest a dedicated workspace—do not work in bed/on the couch or in a café; sit at a desk or table instead.
Use the most powerful machine and network you have available. Video conferencing will eat your CPU and bandwidth.
Find a good headset with a microphone, or a good microphone/speakerphone and headphones. We suggest the Blue Yeti desktop microphone and the Jabra Speak 410 speakerphone.
Find a webcam to use.
Have a smartphone or other tools for photographing sketches. We like the IPEVO V4K document camera.
Find a phone to dial in to the call as a backup.

Joining Lectures

See the Syllabus/Homepage for the Zoom link.

Zoom is video conferencing software. To get started:

Log in, download, and install Zoom. There are also web clients and mobile apps, but the desktop client is better.
Make sure to log in with your Northeastern account, otherwise you may not be able to access the class session.
Make a test call (instructions here115002262083-Joining-a-Zoom-test-meeting).
Update your Zoom profile. We want to be able to easily see who is included, call on you, and contact you if there are technical issues. To that end:
1. Use your registrar-known full name.
2. For your profile picture, add a good head-on headshot. This helps us know who is in the call and get to know you better.

Joining Office Hours

We will be using Microsoft Teams with Khoury Office Hours

Microsoft Teams is a lot like Slack, supporting instant/asynchronous messaging as well as video chat. To get started:

Log in, download, and install Microsoft Teams. There are also web clients and mobile apps, but the desktop client is better.
Make a test call instructions here.

Lecture Policies

Lecturing and discussing through video conferencing is not ideal and fraught with complications. Our tools and policies may evolve throughout the course. However, these guidelines should help us manage the difficulties:

Set up in your dedicated work place and log in early: We suggest you set up 30 minutes before class to review your materials, ensure your equipment and supplies are good to go, and get in the “zone” for class. With video conferencing there are sometimes nasty surprises that delay your joining. Try to join the video call at least 5 minutes ahead of time.
Be present in class: Treat the video conference like going to class—get dressed, groomed, turn on your video, and be ready to talk.
You may leave your webcam off for any reason. We prefer, but do not require, you to turn on your webcam, at least when you are speaking. This supersedes any other guidance on this page. There are many reasons why turning on your webcam is helpful. E.g., the instructor can more easily notice student engagement or confusion, it helps build a community in the class, it helps people who need lip reading to understand what is said… However, a webcam can also reveal extreme inequity among students, uncooperative housemates/family in the background, or make students with certain medical issues uncomfortable with always being on screen. Having at least 8 students with their webcams on helps us teach better!
Use headphones: By using headphones, you further reduce issues with echo and keyboard clacking.
Mute your microphone by default: We want to avoid issues with echoing and other noise. E.g., keyboard clacking.
No typing while microphone is unmuted: It becomes really hard to hear with keyboard noises. And you shouldn’t be doing other electronic things during lecture anyway ☺.
Signal you want to speak by unmuting and asking, or by a chat message in Zoom. If by chat, please briefly describe the topic of your question/comment. The instructor will call on you to unmute your microphone to speak.
Be ready to unmute your microphone & webcam when called on: The instructor may call on you randomly, so be ready to unmute and talk. If we are recording the session and you opted out, please instead respond by Zoom chat.

Troubleshooting

Echo: If there is an echo, ensure everyone is muted and using headphones. We can see who is speaking in Zoom and mute you as well.
Video lag: If the video is unusable, turn it off. Next time try to find a place to join with better bandwidth.
Audio lag: If the audio is unusable, turn off video to save bandwidth. If that doesn’t fix it, dial in by phone.
Issues & Questions → Zoom chat, then Canvas or email: If you are having trouble connecting, asking a question, or any other real-time issues, use the Zoom chat to bring it to our attention. If you’re unable to use Zoom, use Canvas or email instead.
Other Issues: Try the Zoom support site or Teams support site to find a solution, post a discussion topic on Canvas, or email us.

Suggestions for Remote Learners

Here are some further suggestions for students joining remotely:

Pay attention to the due dates & times on the schedule. The teaching staff will be discussing these as if you are in the Eastern time zone.
Keep a good schedule with block periods for study—and stick to it! During these times turn off all phones, messaging software, and other distractions.
Schedule breaks. Staring at a monitor all day can be exhausting.
Schedule each week in advance so you know what’s due when and when you’ll do what work. Ideally at least two weeks in advance as deadlines can overlap and assignments can be big!
Form peer groups to work—even if you are just watching each other do work individually, it makes you accountable to your peers.
Focus while watching the video call—take hand-written notes, and if we are programming try to follow along.

Accessing Paywalled Materials

If accessing paywalled publisher materials off-campus, use this NU Library bookmarklet or the Library search interface.