ISLA (Inclusive Synchronous Learning Activities) guide

Hybrid-teaching co-pilots at City are university students who can be hired by Schools and assigned to a particular module in order to attend live sessions and assist lecturers in running those sessions. Co-pilots may be postgraduate or later year undergraduate students interested in gaining experience by observing teaching, or learning new content, or both. Co-pilots may be asked to co-facilitate activities, such as:

• Monitor the chat to inform lecturers of student participation and/or flag up student questions,
• Assign and/or move students to breakout rooms,
• Assist in setting up and powering down ISLA technologies before and after live sessions,
• Facilitate use of third-party technologies, such as PollEverywhere, for example sending out links in the chat, ensuring students can access them, monitoring responses, etc,
• Assisting in monitoring live and online group work.

Co-pilots will receive technical training from LEaD equivalent to that which lecturers receive. Please note that co-pilots are not IT or AV experts.

To book a co-pilot please speak to your main course office and/or send an email to copilots@city.ac.uk. Book as far in advance as possible to avoid disappointment. 

Although hybrid-teaching co-pilots are students, in this capacity they are acting as professional colleagues. We recommend that lecturers/lead facilitators agree in advance with co-pilots how communication will be handled and what the module-specific expectations are.