Lectures & Large Teaching Events

Lectures and events offer powerful opportunities for students to connect with expert knowledge and real-world experience. When thoughtfully supported by digital tools, these sessions can become even more inclusive, engaging, and impactful. Whether you are delivering live sessions, pre-recorded content, or running interactive events, digital approaches can help you meet diverse student needs and enhance learning outcomes.

Below are practical ideas and examples to help you embed digital effectively in your teaching or event delivery, with a focus on accessibility, pedagogy and ease of use.

Tips for lectures and large teaching events

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Record and share lectures or events

Recordings support flexible access, revision, and inclusion for students who may be unable to attend. You can pre-record using tools such as , , , or , and consider breaking longer sessions into short 10–15-minute segments to improve engagement and accessibility. Panopto-enabled rooms on campus make it possible to record live events with ease. Always follow accessibility best practices by adding captions, using clear visuals, and referring to the . For those who need a more polished finish, the offers professional event recording and editing for Lancaster-based teaching and learning activities.

How to: 15 minute lecture breakdown accordion

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Make lecture recordings interactive

Interactive content encourages active learning, reflection, and deeper understanding. By using Panopto or , you can embed quizzes, polls, or reflective prompts directly into your recordings. Aligning these questions with key learning points helps students check their understanding and remain engaged throughout the session. Guidance is available on how to add interactivity to pre-recorded lectures.

How to: Formative assessments in lecture recording accordion

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Use live interaction tools during lectures or events

Live digital tools can significantly boost participation, especially for students who prefer anonymous or low-pressure ways to contribute. allows you to create live polls, word clouds, or Q&As, which can be easily integrated into PowerPoint slides. Teams Polls can be used in synchronous online lectures to check understanding or stimulate discussion.

How to: Polling with Mentimeter in Microsoft Teams accordion

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Use a digital whiteboard for collaboration

Digital whiteboards provide an effective way to capture, save, and build on ideas, making them particularly useful for visual learners and collaborative thinking. Tools such as Microsoft Whiteboard or can be used both in live and asynchronous settings. Students can be invited to contribute during or after the session to encourage interaction. For in-person teaching, you can even snap a photo of a physical whiteboard and upload it online to continue the discussion beyond the classroom.

How to: Live collaboration in Microsoft Whiteboard accordion

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Extend learning with asynchronous activities

Blending synchronous and asynchronous learning deepens engagement and supports a variety of learning styles. You might add or to extend lecture content beyond the live session. or Moodle Feedback can be used to gather informal student feedback, while structured follow-up activities in Moodle or Teams can help encourage reflection and peer engagement. can provide interactive, self-paced tasks with instant feedback that can reinforce knowledge and engage learners.

How to: Collecting student feedback for a revision session accordion

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Prioritise inclusion and accessibility

Inclusive digital design ensures that all students can participate fully and equitably. To support diverse learning needs, share all materials at least three days in advance. Always provide accessible formats, use meaningful links, add alt text to images, and avoid unnecessary complexity. For further practical steps, refer to our

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