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Table of Contents

1. Preface

2. Main Article

3. Readers’ Favorite

Preface

🙏 Thank you, everyone, for the great feedback on my brand-new podcast!

By now, I've released 5 episodes, and I already cringe when I listen to episode #1 🤦‍♂️.

If you don't know what "cringe" means, you're not alone 😊. I just learned it a few months ago myself. It means feeling embarrassed and awkward.

So yes, I cringe when I listen to myself on episode 1.

Episodes 2 and 3 are slightly better, and I think episode 4 is a significant improvement.

Based on your feedback, I've transitioned into a more conversational tone and away from a storytelling one.

I still use a storytelling tone when I'm, well, telling a story, but I try to minimize it otherwise.

🎙️ I also tweaked my recording settings to create a more "airy" and "light" sound atmosphere and less of a "radio-broadcaster" vibe that might be less pleasant to listen to.

For those who don’t like installing podcast apps, I added an option to listen to it on YouTube. Simple and intuitive.

🎧 I started listening to podcasts about 2 years ago and fell in love with it. It has become my number 1 choice while driving, riding the train, walking, and even jogging.

In the US, 42% of the population listens to a podcast at least once a month. 42%!

In the past, I devoted substantial time to reading the news and listening to the radio.

Nowadays, I prefer to be the one who chooses what goes into my ears, rather than a news reporter who tries hard to evoke primal fear 😱 to keep me until the next commercial.

Am I being harsh?

Perhaps.

But if everything becomes "breaking news," I'll stick with my positive, wholesome, and clean podcasts every day.

They’re fun to listen to, and I learn a lot.

I listened to them on Spotify in the past, but now I use Apple Podcasts. Both are free and easy to use.

Enough about podcasts!

Today we'll discuss the top 4 mistakes people make when delivering Zoom lectures and how they can be easily fixed.

Enjoy number 51!

Main Article

Zoom lectures (or: webinars) have become popular.

🦠Covid-19 was the main contributor to this trend, but even in this post-pandemic world, many of us continue to use Zoom instead of attending lecture halls.

Sure, Zoom lectures have many advantages, but ever since they stormed into our lives, our lectures have suffered.

Think back to a Zoom lecture you attended. Try to recall the rare occasions when you actually sat in front of the screen and listened to it, instead of multitasking.

"Why not drive somewhere 🚗 or do laundry 🧺 at the same time?"

🤔 It's difficult to remember, right?

Do you know why?

It's because Zoom lectures are bad for teaching by default.

⛔ Zoom and similar platforms weren't designed with teaching in mind. They were designed with flashing lights, avatars, backgrounds, chats, and anything else to distract you from the lecture.

But here's the silver lining: Zoom lectures are merely another stage in the evolution of lectures. The ultimate factor that determines a lecture's quality is the teacher.

👨‍🏫 As a teacher for the last 30 years, I delivered lectures in all possible formats. I've lectured with chalk, markers, paper, and film; I used blackboards, whiteboards, and projectors; I delivered talks in nature, in acoustic halls, and in pitch dark when the power went out.

And the best part?

The fundamentals of teaching have always been the same.

So let’s take this experience into practice, and discuss the four most common mistakes while delivering Zoom lectures and, of course, how to fix them:

🥱Mistake #1: Your Slideshow is Boring and Passive

Zoom lectures can feel like reading a boring story while someone talks in the background.

🧠 Our brain hates information overload, and loves structure and focus.

Brain attracts to asymmetry, random shapes, diagrams, and unpredictability — the complete opposite of a typical Zoom lecture.

🔧 Fix:

Utilize PowerPoint's on-screen pen 🖍️ and draw as you talk 🎨. Underline vital words, add “!” next to significant facts, and sketch simple diagrams.

Don't be a perfectionist! The more random your drawing is, the more engaging it becomes.

Keyboard shortcut: ctrl+p (cmd+p on a Mac) to toggle the pen on/off, E to erase it.

👀 Mistake #2: You Don’t Maintain Eye Contact

Connecting with your audience can be tricky when you're looking at the screen 👩‍💻 instead of the camera 📷.

This is a problem we never had when we gave physical lectures!

When you look at someone in physical lectures, they know it. With Zoom, if you're looking at someone on the screen, they see you gazing down or sideways.

Sure, we got used to it. But think about it for a moment. How weird is that?! 🤪

🔧 Fix:

After every sentence, look directly at the camera for 1-3 seconds.

Simple, right? The effect will be enormous!

🤝 Mistake #3: You Don’t Interact With Your Audience

How easy is it to deliver a lecture without anyone asking you anything?

With Zoom, that’s the default state. It’s difficult to ask a question, because you can’t see the reaction of others.

As a teacher, you must remember that every member of your audience will feel uncomfortable asking questions.

It’s your job to make it easier for them.

🔧 Fix: Embrace the pause!

Stop every 3-5 minutes to allow questions. Pause, and wait. Embrace the silence.

In groups of 40 or less, use audio. Hear the voice of your audience!

For larger groups, utilize the chat or delegate someone to summarize the questions for you.

🗣️ Mistake #4: Your Audio is Annoying

Your audience will become frustrated when they can’t hear you.

That’s a problem we rarely had in the past.

But nowadays? It’s all the time!

Do you know these Zoom lectures where the teacher speaks away from the microphone 🧏, and shouts right into it a few seconds later 🙉 ?

Your audience will not tolerate it!

🔧 Fix: Consistent audio is key.

🎤 Use a reliable microphone that is ATTACHED TO YOU (like the ones we used to get when buying a new phone).

You can also use Bluetooth headphones you trust. But be careful - the signal of Bluetooth headphones with a built-in microphone can break off, so have an alternative ready.

If online lectures are something you do regularly, invest in a wired, lavalier microphone. This is a type of microphone you pin onto your shirt.

🎧 Don’t use a headset where the microphone is positioned next to your mouth! There’s nothing more annoying than hearing a speaker breathe, swallow, and sip water in high volume 🤦.

If you like to hear more, check out episode #5 of my podcast, where I dive deeper into all these.

Link at the top.

Readers’ Favorite

Want to read more about the fundamentals of teaching?

In Issue #40, I uncover my 5 secrets for delivering a great lecture. 20,000 hours of teaching condensed into a 5-minute read. Enjoy!

Epilogue

That’s it for this issue.

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Have a great weekend!

Shay