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7.1.1 Pedagogical and instructional strategies

The first step to design educational webinars should be choosing the pedagogical approaches
such as active learning or learning-by-doing. Under the umbrella of active learning, a wide range
of pedagogies coexists, such as Problem-Based Learning, Inquiry-Based Learning, Cooperative
Learning and Case Studies. The next step is formulating the learning outcomes of the session (of
which there should be three to five). It is essential to use learning to guide the development of
these outcomes to ensure they are achievable.

From the learning design perspective, using a sequence, such as presenting a concept, a worked
example, activity and feedback, could promote student engagement. Interactivity in webinars is
recommended due to the short attention span of students in online settings. Using polling
systems and quizzes that measure higher-order thinking will engage the students. Ideally, these
interactions should be used every ten minutes to break up the monotony.

The use of breakout rooms allows students to work in groups on an activity provided by the
educator and reconvene in the main room to summarise their findings, contribute their
perspectives, or engage in a debate. Ensuring that groups have four to five students will lead to
effective group work and collaboration

7.1.2 Lecture content

Educators should ensure the topic chosen can be covered in the prescribed length of the
webinar. It is recommended that webinars should run between 45 to 60 minutes for maximum
impact on student learning. This approach will require the development of a lesson plan in which
all content and activities are listed, along with their respective time allocation. Having and
adhering to a lesson plan will help educators cover the intended content in the timeslot
allocated. From a cognitive load perspective, it is essential to present and discuss complex
concepts at the beginning when attentional resources are optimal. For instance, research
conducted in intensive mode delivery showed that students tend to get tired towards the end
of the session. It is a desirable practice to provide the students with a five-minute break every
30minutes.

If the students needed to prepare for the webinar, educators should ensure that students have
understood the essential concepts by using a poll at the beginning of the webinar and then
addressing misconceptions via direct instruction as used in flipped learning approaches. During
the webinar, it is essential to link to preparation material and to other relevant content for the
topic with which the students must engage after the webinar. Providing content just for the sake
of it could damage student attitude towards preparation if they do not find it to be of value.
Towards the end of the webinar, a checklist of concepts covered provides an excellent summary
for the students. It is also desirable to include references, both on the slides and at the end of
the presentation, that highlight the critical articles for students to review. As previously
mentioned, breaking the webinar every ten minutes with an activity, or asking questions is likely
to keep students engaged.

In terms of slide design, educators should employ a minimalistic design with minimum text
and with diagrams and pictures. Use of images should have a purpose, not used merely as

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