Shared content as a virtual background in video conferencing
Webex and Zoom are the primary video conferencing platforms used at UOW for online and blended synchronous delivery.
When presenting using these platforms, the default is the teacher (host/presenter) in a separate window from any content they share.
Both platforms now allow for the teacher to be displayed in the same window as the content. This allows students to maintain eye contact and observe the body language and facial expressions of the presenter, while they are sharing their content.
The differences between the two platforms are:
The differences between the two platforms are:
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Zoom allows this over pre-prepared PowerPoint or Keynote presentations as a virtual background.
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Webex allows the presenter to be overlaid on any screen-sharing content.
Example - Sharing of content with the default presenter view
Click to expand. Sharing of content with the default presenter.
Example - Sharing with presenter shown over the content
Click to expand. Sharing with presenter shown over the content.
Why?
With the teacher (presenter) in a separate window from the content, students may miss gestures, facial expressions and other body language from the teacher that can help inform and add meaning to the information conveyed.
Removing this barrier can enhance teacher presence, which "can help establish a stronger social bond between the teacher and learning, causing the learner to try harder to make sense of the instructional message and thereby build a deeper learning outcome." (Mayer, 2020, p.345).
This increase in teacher presence also comes with flexibility. The teacher can position and resize themselves on the screen to fit the context of the materials presented. This further enhances " ways that onscreen instructors can use their bodies to enhance the act of instructional communication” (Mayer, 2020, p.344).
Removing this barrier can enhance teacher presence, which "can help establish a stronger social bond between the teacher and learning, causing the learner to try harder to make sense of the instructional message and thereby build a deeper learning outcome." (Mayer, 2020, p.345).
This increase in teacher presence also comes with flexibility. The teacher can position and resize themselves on the screen to fit the context of the materials presented. This further enhances " ways that onscreen instructors can use their bodies to enhance the act of instructional communication” (Mayer, 2020, p.344).
How?
Webex:
For a step-by-step guide on how to overlay your camera window over your screen sharing content, please refer to the Webex support article Show your video over shared content in Webex Meetings and Webex Webinars.
Note: The Webex recording will show the default presentation view and will not show the presenter as an overlay.
Zoom:
For a step-by-step guide on how to integrate your PowerPoint slides as your virtual background in Zoom, please see the following Zoom support article, Sharing slides as a Virtual Background. You can control the PowerPoint slides from within the Zoom interface meaning the view of your students, the slides, and your own video window are all consolidated, and the digital space is easily managed from one window.
Note: If the presenter records the meeting locally, the recording will show their camera window embedded in the slides. However, if saved to the cloud, the camera video will be separated from the slides in the recording.
Related information
- Show your video over shared content in Webex Meetings and Webex Webinars | External resource
- Sharing slides as a Virtual Background | External resource
References
Mayer, R. E. (2020). Multimedia Learning (3rd ed.), 341-356. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
