Using Flipcharts in Online Sessions#
Tags flipcharts facilitation production visibility legibility cognitive-load engagement online-delivery visual-aids accessibility
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Using this pattern#
Flipchart management is key to delivering Better Conversations online. This pattern provides practical guidance for using flipcharts effectively in virtual environments where traditional in-person techniques need adaptation.
Effectively using flipcharts is crucial for engaging participants and visually anchoring learning in Better Conversations online sessions. This pattern provides practical guidance for adapting flipchart techniques for virtual environments, addressing challenges unique to online delivery and maximizing their impact on participant learning and engagement. Flipcharts in online sessions act as a dynamic visual anchor, mirroring the benefits of in-person sessions by maintaining focus, fostering collaborative note-taking, and ensuring key concepts are visibly reinforced. This pattern emphasizes strategies to overcome common online visibility and engagement hurdles, drawing from practical observations and feedback from numerous online course deliveries. It also incorporates principles from “The Extended Mind” by Annie Murphy Paul, recognizing the crucial role of gesture in extended cognition and communication, especially in virtual learning environments.
This pattern helps facilitators to:
Maximize Participant Engagement: Use flipcharts as a dynamic visual tool to maintain attention and energy in online settings.
Guarantee Content Visibility & Legibility: Ensure all participants, regardless of device or connection, can clearly see the flipchart content.
Reduce Cognitive Load: Structure information visually on flipcharts to simplify complex topics and aid comprehension.
Foster Interactive Online Learning: Create a virtual learning environment that feels dynamic and responsive, similar to in-person interactions.
Effectively Support Neurodiverse Participants: Provide visual aids that cater to diverse learning preferences and processing styles, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility.
Visually Capture and Validate Group Contributions: Document emergent discussions and participant ideas in real-time, fostering a sense of shared understanding and value.
Leverage Gesture for Enhanced Communication and Cognition: Incorporate deliberate gestures to amplify explanations, improve clarity, and facilitate deeper cognitive processing for both facilitators and participants.
This pattern is essential for:
All Better Conversations modules where flipcharts are integral to the learning design.
Facilitating Group Discussions requiring real-time visual capture of key points and agreements.
Explaining Complex Concepts in a visually accessible and memorable manner.
Conducting Collaborative Learning Activities where visual co-creation and shared understanding are key.
Flow#
Before Your Session: Preparation is Key
- Conduct a Thorough Technical Check:
Camera Angle and Framing: Test the camera to ensure the entire flipchart is consistently in view. Adjust the angle to minimize distortion and maximize visibility.
Lighting Assessment: Evaluate lighting for glare and shadows. Natural light from a window behind the camera is ideal. If using artificial light, position lamps to provide even illumination across the flipchart surface, avoiding direct reflection into the camera. Consider practicing with different lighting conditions. If main illumination is via window, document this best practice. Metering setting on camera needs to be “multi” when working with flipchart.
Marker and Material Test: Use the intended markers on the flipchart paper and test visibility through the camera on a participant-view screen (if possible) or by recording a short test segment. Ensure markers are bold and ink doesn’t bleed through.
Zoom Level and Visibility Check: At different Zoom levels (especially when participants might reduce video sizes), confirm that writing remains legible.
Prepare Flipchart Frameworks:
Pre-draw Headers and Key Sections: Prepare headers and section outlines lightly in advance to save time during the live session and ensure structure.
Plan Layout for Key Modules/Activities: Consider creating templates for recurring activities or modules to ensure consistency and efficient information capture.
Collaborate with Producer for Technical Verification:
Producer Dry Run: Conduct a brief dry run with the producer to verify camera feed, spotlight functionality (if used sparingly and cautiously), and chat monitoring setup.
Communication Channels: Confirm communication channels with the producer for real-time issue reporting during the session (e.g., backchannel chat).
Practice Writing for Online Legibility:
Writing Size and Spacing Practice: Practice writing larger than usual and with generous spacing between lines and words. Aim for maximum clarity rather than fitting in maximum text.
Minimize Word Count: Focus on capturing key phrases and keywords rather than full sentences to enhance readability at a distance. Use participant’s words where possible.
Prepare Backup Options:
Digital Whiteboard as Backup: Have a digital whiteboard application ready as a backup in case of technical issues with the physical flipchart setup.
Pre-prepared Digital “Flips”: For crucial sections, consider having digital versions of key flipchart content ready to share as screen captures if camera visibility fails.
Plan and Practice Gestures:
Identify Key Moments for Gesture: Anticipate points in the session where gestures can enhance explanation or emphasis.
Practice Natural and Purposeful Gestures: Rehearse gestures that feel natural and directly support the content being delivered, ensuring they are visible within the camera frame.
During Your Session: Dynamic, Responsive, and Embodied Use
- Producer-Facilitator Spotlight Coordination:
Strategic Spotlight Use: If using spotlight (use cautiously, see note in ‘Delivery Roles’), the producer should manage spotlight timing to coincide with key flipchart writing or explanation moments, ensuring smooth transitions and avoiding abrupt shifts.
- Clear Verbalization, Writing in Tandem, and Embodied Explanation:
“Write-and-Say-and-Gesture” Technique: As you write, verbalize briefly what you are writing, and incorporate relevant gestures to embody the concepts. This multi-sensory approach reinforces information auditorily, visually, and kinesthetically, helping participants follow along and process information more deeply.
Summarize and Repeat with Gesture: Periodically summarize key points captured on the flipchart verbally, using gestures to re-emphasize and visually organize the information. Repeat back what participants say when scribing, using gestures to acknowledge and validate their contributions.
- Proactive Chat Monitoring for Visibility Feedback:
Producer Chat Watch: The producer should actively monitor the chat for participant comments about visibility issues (“Can’t see clearly,” “blurry”). Respond quickly to adjust camera or lighting if needed.
Periodic Visibility Checks: Facilitator to periodically ask participants directly “Is the flipchart view clear for everyone?” or use a quick poll for larger groups.
- Observe and Adapt Based on Participant Engagement:
Engagement Cues: Monitor participant reactions (or lack thereof). If engagement seems to drop during flipchart use, vary your delivery - step away from the flipchart briefly, ask a direct question, incorporate a gesture, or use more dynamic movements.
Adjust Pace: Be mindful of writing speed. Don’t write too quickly; allow time for participants to process what is being written and observe associated gestures. Use writing pace to control session rhythm.
- Maintain Consistent and Deliberate Positioning and Embodiment:
Stable Stance and Embodied Presence: Maintain a stable stance relative to the flipchart and camera to avoid constant re-framing, which can be distracting. Utilize gestures to enhance your embodied presence and connection with participants, even at a distance.
Strategic Movement and Gesture for Emphasis: Use movement around the flipchart and purposeful gestures intentionally to emphasize points, illustrate concepts, and maintain energy. Ensure gestures are deliberate and visible within the camera frame to maximize their communicative impact online. Avoid unnecessary pacing that can be visually jarring online.
After Your Session: Reflection and Iteration
- Producer-Facilitator Debrief:
- Structured Debrief: Conduct a structured debrief with the producer focusing on:
Flipchart visibility successes and failures.
Participant feedback (from chat, surveys, or verbal comments).
Technical issues encountered and solutions.
Timing and flow of flipchart integration.
Effectiveness of facilitator’s use of gesture in conjunction with the flipchart.
- Document Issues and Action Items:
Log Visibility Problems: Document any recurring visibility problems (e.g., glare in a specific room, marker bleed-through).
Capture Observations on Gesture Use: Document observations about the effectiveness of gesture integration – moments where gestures seemed particularly impactful or areas for improvement.
Actionable Improvement Steps: Based on the debrief and documented issues, create actionable steps for improving flipchart design, setup, delivery, and gesture integration in future sessions.
- Continuous Improvement Mindset:
Iterative Refinement: Treat each session as an opportunity to refine your flipchart delivery technique and your use of gesture. Experiment with different layouts, writing styles, technical setups, and embodied communication strategies.
Pattern Evolution: Contribute successful strategies, identified challenges, and insights on gesture integration back to the “flipchart patterns” documentation to benefit the wider facilitator community.
- Share Learnings and Best Practices:
Community Sharing: Share successful flipchart examples, templates, and lessons learned with other facilitators through internal documentation, workshops, or community forums. Include specific examples of effective gesture use and their impact.
Contribute to Documentation: Update this pattern document with new insights and refined techniques based on your experiences and observations, particularly regarding the integration of gesture for online flipchart delivery.
Delivery roles#
Facilitators: Visual, Verbal, and Embodied Communicators
Legible and Concise Writing: Prioritize clarity over volume. Write large, use keywords and phrases, and ensure writing is consistently legible through the camera.
Dynamic Energy and Movement: Use physical movement around the flipchart to maintain visual energy and engagement in the online environment, mimicking in-person dynamics.
Pacing and Flow Control: Use writing pace deliberately to manage the session rhythm, allowing processing time and preventing cognitive overload.
Active Listening Signal: Use the act of writing on the flipchart as a visible cue to participants that their contributions are being heard, valued, and captured.
Strategic Pen Gestures for Visual Cues: Utilize pen gestures (circling, underlining, arrows) to direct attention, emphasize key elements, and guide group focus on the visual content.
Purposeful Body and Hand Gestures for Embodied Explanation: Incorporate a range of gestures (iconic, metaphoric, deictic) to enhance explanations, clarify abstract concepts, emphasize key points, and add dynamism to online delivery. Ensure gestures are visible within the camera frame and feel natural and congruent with the spoken content.
Accessibility Awareness: Be mindful of participants with visual impairments or neurodiversity. Verbalize flipchart content and ensure alternative formats are available if needed (link to accessibility guidelines).
Camera and Lighting Awareness: Maintain awareness of camera framing and lighting throughout the session. Make minor adjustments as needed to ensure consistent visibility and clear capture of both the flipchart and facilitator’s gestures.
Producers: Technical Support and Visibility Guardians
Technical Setup Management: Oversee all technical aspects related to flipchart and facilitator visibility, including camera setup, lighting adjustments to capture both flipchart and gestures, and backup system readiness.
Chat-Based Visibility Monitoring: Actively monitor the chat for participant feedback related to flipchart visibility and legibility, and also for any comments related to the facilitator’s presentation style and use of gesture. Proactively alert the facilitator to any reported issues.
Facilitator-Producer Timing Coordination: Work closely with the facilitator to coordinate spotlight timing (if used), screen sharing of digital flips (if needed), and any other technical integrations related to flipchart and embodied delivery.
Accessibility Support Implementation: Ensure accessibility features are in place and functioning (e.g., providing alternative text descriptions of flipchart content in chat if requested, recording sessions with clear visual and embodied capture).
Technical Issue Resolution: Be prepared to troubleshoot technical issues related to flipchart visibility, camera feeds, and clear capture of facilitator gestures swiftly and efficiently during the session.
Important Notes:
Spotlight Caution: While Zoom spotlight can draw attention, overuse can be disorienting and limit facilitator’s view of participant reactions and their ability to see the facilitator’s full embodied communication. Use strategically and sparingly, primarily for brief moments of emphasis on the flipchart.
Writing and Gesture as Engagement, Not Just Reading and Listening: Emphasize to participants that seeing the facilitator write and gesture, capturing ideas and embodying concepts in real-time, is a key engagement strategy. Perfect legibility of every word at all times is less critical than the dynamic visual and embodied connection created by the flipchart process. The writing and gesturing process itself signals active listening, responsiveness, and enhanced cognitive engagement.
Note that we advise the participants it is not necessary to be able to read all of the text on the flipchart, but they should be able to see the facilitator writing. This is because the writing is what engages people and shows that they are being listened to.
Examples and resources#
We have examples of flipcharts for each module here.
Note that we do not recommend using a physical whiteboard due to issues with glare.
Implementation#
Pre-Session Technical Checklist
[ ] Complete “Flipchart Visibility Checklist” (see Delivery Materials).
[ ] Camera Angle and Framing Test: Verify full flipchart and facilitator gesture visibility and optimal framing through the online platform.
[ ] Lighting Setup Verification: Confirm lighting setup minimizes glare and shadows while also illuminating the facilitator adequately for gesture visibility. Test under various room lighting conditions if possible.
[ ] Audio Check (with Flipchart Writing and Facilitator Movement): Test audio while writing on the flipchart and moving to gesture to ensure marker sounds are not distracting, voice remains clear, and audio levels are consistent with movement.
[ ] Backup System Readiness: Ensure digital whiteboard or pre-prepared digital “flips” are readily accessible and tested.
[ ] Producer Communication Test: Confirm communication channel with producer is working for real-time support during the session.
[ ] Gesture Practice and Integration: Mentally rehearse key gestures to integrate into the session flow naturally. Ensure gestures are visible within the camera frame during practice.
Evaluation#
Discussion on:
Participant feedback on visibility (although this is balanced against the advice that it is not necessary to be able to read all of the text on the flipchart, but they should be able to see the facilitator writing)
Participant contributions
Session pacing effectiveness and using the flipchart to manage the pacing of the session and participant engagement
Additional delivery factors#
Common Challenges & Practical Solutions#
- Glare and Reflection Issues:
Challenge: Glare from lighting or windows making the flipchart unreadable.
Solutions: Adjust lighting angles, use diffusers on lights, reposition flipchart to avoid direct window reflection, draw curtains or blinds, angle camera slightly if glare persists, test different room setups.
- Writing Size and Legibility Online:
Challenge: Writing that appears clear in person is too small or unclear through the camera.
Solutions: Write significantly larger than usual, use thicker markers (chisel tip), maximize spacing between lines and words, focus on keywords and phrases, minimize text density, practice writing for camera view.
- Unexpected Technical Issues:
Challenge: Camera malfunction, lighting failure, internet connectivity problems disrupting flipchart visibility and gesture capture.
Solutions: Have fully tested backup systems ready (digital whiteboard, pre-prepared digital flips), ensure producer is trained to troubleshoot technical issues quickly, practice quick transitions to backup options, communicate clearly with participants about any technical disruptions.
- Maintaining Consistent Visibility Throughout Session:
Challenge: Flipchart drifting out of frame, lighting shifting during session, facilitator unintentionally blocking view or gestures.
Solutions: Use stable flipchart stand, mark floor position for easel to ensure consistent placement, periodically check camera framing, be mindful of body position relative to flipchart and camera to ensure both are consistently visible, including gestures, producer to monitor view continuously.
- Sustaining Participant Engagement with Online Flipcharts and Embodied Communication:
Challenge: Online participants may become less engaged with flipcharts compared to in-person settings; passive viewing. Difficulty maintaining attention and connection in a virtual environment can be exacerbated without embodied communication.
Solutions: Facilitator to use dynamic delivery style (standing, movement, and purposeful gesture), incorporate interactive elements using the flipchart (asking participants to contribute keywords to write, using polls to guide content), verbally reinforce visual content and embodied explanations, use pen gestures and body gestures to direct attention, vary visual presentation (layout changes, symbols), ensure flipchart use and embodied communication are directly tied to session activities and learning objectives.
Accessibility Focus: Inclusive Flipchart and Embodied Delivery#
- Support for Neurodiverse Participants and Visual Impairments:
Recommendations: Always verbalize flipchart content clearly. Offer to provide digital summaries or transcripts of flipchart notes after the session. Be prepared to describe visual elements and key gestures for participants with visual impairments. Use simple, consistent visual structures. Allow participants to request alternative formats. Provide content in advance where possible.
- Visual Processing Considerations:
Recommendations: Keep flipcharts visually uncluttered. Use ample white space. Limit color palettes to high-contrast combinations. Use clear, sans-serif fonts if creating digital flips. Avoid distracting backgrounds or animations if using digital whiteboards. Ensure gestures are clear and purposeful, avoiding overly rapid or erratic movements that could be visually overwhelming.
- Learning Style Balancing:
Recommendations: Combine flipchart use and embodied communication with diverse delivery methods (verbal explanation, breakout discussions, interactive polls, chat activities) to cater to a range of learning preferences. Don’t rely solely on flipcharts as the primary mode of information delivery. Ensure that embodied explanations are integrated seamlessly with other modalities to create a holistic and engaging learning experience.
Offer Individual Adjustment Options: Encourage participants to adjust their personal Zoom view settings (pin video, speaker view) to optimize their viewing experience for both flipchart and facilitator gestures.
Technical Requirements#
Reliable High-Definition Camera Setup: Use a camera capable of providing a clear, sharp image of the flipchart at different zoom levels and capturing facilitator gestures clearly. Test camera performance thoroughly before each session, specifically assessing gesture visibility.
Consistent and Adjustable Lighting: Invest in adjustable lighting to ensure even illumination of the flipchart surface, minimizing glare and shadows, while also ensuring facilitator is well-lit and gestures are clearly visible to online participants. Test lighting under different room conditions, evaluating both flipchart and gesture illumination.
High-Quality, Bold Markers: Use thick, chisel-tip markers specifically designed for flipcharts in a limited, high-contrast color palette (black, blue, green, red).
Stable and Adjustable Flipchart Easel/Mounting: Employ a stable easel that prevents wobbling or unintentional movement. Consider an adjustable easel for optimal height and angle.
Robust Backup Systems: Have readily available and tested backup options (digital whiteboard, pre-prepared digital flips) in case of technical failures with the physical flipchart setup or issues with camera capture of facilitator gestures.
Improvement process#
We have a continuous improvement process for the flipchart delivery pattern.
References#
Related Patterns: