The AHA is committed to making web-based content accessible. All staff-produced AHA Online events will have automated live captioning. Due to technical constraints, interactive workshops and/or events that feature breakout groups cannot be automatically captioned. We will arrange captioning of workshops and other events that use breakout rooms upon advance request. Please contact us at ahaonline@historians.org at least two weeks before the scheduled event. We will remind speakers to briefly describe any images used in their presentations.
Recorded events posted on the AHA YouTube channel will have automated captioning. Please contact us at ahaonline@historians.org if you have any questions or notice issues with the captioning.
Detailed instructions for viewing captions are available from Zoom.
AHA Online events are covered by the Code of Professional Conduct at Officially Sanctioned AHA Activities.
The AHA is committed to creating and maintaining a harassment-free environment for all participants in the Association’s activities, regardless of their actual or perceived sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, race, ethnicity, nationality, ability, socioeconomic status, veteran status, age, or religion. All members and participants, including speakers, participants, and guests, are expected to engage in consensual and respectful behavior and to preserve AHA’s standards of professionalism at all times. By registering for or participating in the AHA’s web-based events, participants agree to abide by the AHA’s Code of Professional Conduct. Details about reporting violations of the code of conduct are also available via the link.
To ensure the best possible experience for everyone at AHA Online events, we have established some basic guidelines for participation:
- The AHA’s web-based programming is subject to the Code of Professional Conduct at Officially Sanctioned AHA Activities
- All speakers and participants should be guided by the AHA’s Statement on Standards of Professional Conduct
- Moderators might read comments posted in the Q&A to the speakers; phrase your query as you would in a professional context
- During meetings and small group workshops, moderators may request that attendees turn their cameras on, if they are comfortable doing so and are in an environment where they can
- Be mindful of the time available for discussion when asking or responding to questions; the AHA makes every effort to conclude its online programming at the scheduled time
- Use of the chat function will vary by event. In general, you are welcome to engage with your fellow attendees in ways guided by the standards of professional conduct
- The AHA welcomes discussion of its events on social media
- Don’t attack others. The discussions and comments are meant to stimulate conversation. Criticisms and disagreements should be handled in a civil manner. Let others have their say.
- All defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, or illegal materials are strictly prohibited. Do not post anything that you would not want the world to see or that you would not want anyone to know came from you. If you’re unsure whether something is offensive, it’s very likely that it should be set aside
- The AHA does not actively monitor all discussions for inappropriate postings or comments. However, in the event that any inappropriate posting or comment is brought to the attention of the AHA we will take all appropriate action consistent with the Code of Conduct
Getting Everyone on the Same Page
Communicate with participants (i.e. presenters, facilitators, or discussants) in advance, requesting any information you need to introduce them effectively, including their personal pronouns and pronunciation of their name. The AHA will provide a bio for each. Remind participants to review the AHA Online policies, including the Code of Professional Conduct.
Be mindful of the time. Inform participants well in advance how long their presentations should take; be sure to leave ample time for discussion.
Before the event begins, advise participants whether the conversation will be recorded. Ask participants if any of them would prefer that the event not be live tweeted. Remind participants to mute themselves when not speaking.
Introducing the Event
An AHA staff member will offer a brief welcome for your event. After the welcome, chairs and moderators should play an active role in encouraging discussion. A three- to five-minute introduction to the session provides an opportunity to offer context: What is at stake? Why will this be an interesting conversation?
It is also helpful to explain in advance to the audience what the format will be, and to communicate any expectations related to audience participation. Will there be breakout rooms or a Q&A? How can audience members engage with one another or the panelists, if they can? Will attendees be expected to turn their cameras on or explicitly participate at any point?
Inform the audience at the beginning of the event if it is or is not being recorded. If any panelist has requested that the session not be live tweeted, notify the audience.
Moderating Discussion
Be sure to consult with participants in advance about the best way to indicate when a speaker’s time is nearly up. For example, you might direct message the speaker using Zoom’s chat feature.
Moderators should inform the audience how to submit questions, and whether they will be able to see one another’s questions. For events in the Zoom “webinar” format, this will generally be using the Q&A system. For events in the “meeting” format, it can be via the chat function.
Moderators should select questions and relay them to speakers to answer. Moderators should use the name of the person who asked the question, if known, and summarize or read questions to the presenters. For accessibility reasons, it is important not to give an answer without first reading out the question. We strongly advise against having attendees turn on their video/audio to ask questions as this usually slows down the event and causes confusion as to who is muted/unmuted.
Be sure to relay questions from a diverse group of questioners (to the best of your ability given the format).
It’s useful to prepare a few questions that will stimulate conversation among the panelists.
Be prepared to challenge offensive or discriminatory comments, making sure to distinguish between appropriate controversy and offense, and work to defuse controversy that is veering into what might be considered offensive. This is difficult terrain; just do your best. For example, a chair might say, “Let’s talk about that idea, how do the other panelists feel about that?” Or even, “Is that the language you want to use?” If someone talks over a fellow panelist (which is all too easy on Zoom) the chair might say, “I think [name] wanted to make a point.” If you think that a participant has violated the AHA’s Code of Conduct, please notify reports@historians.org as soon as possible after the session (or even during, if that’s practicable).
Do not take new questions too close to the end of the event; it is critical that AHA Online events conclude at the scheduled time. Generally, an AHA staff member will provide a brief conclusion to the event, which means that the last question should not be asked fewer than 5 minutes from the end of the event. Even simple-seeming responses can take multiple minutes to deliver, especially if on a new topic.
General
Remember to shut down your computer before the event to clear any temporary files that slow it down. Make any recommended or required updates to your video conferencing software and your operating system. Close all unnecessary windows and tabs and turn off any sound notifications. This is both to increase your computer’s efficiency and to avoid potentially displaying personal information during a live broadcast.
Internet
Whenever possible, use a wired ethernet connection during any live webinars as it provides a more stable connection for transmitting video and audio. Measuring your internet connection speed—on sites such as M-Lab—can help you gauge how well it will handle live video streaming. For example, Zoom recommends at least 3.0 Mbps upload speeds for its webinars. If you are below the recommended upload speeds, you can take some steps to improve your connection:
- If you are using on WiFi, sit close to the router and make sure it is unobstructed and away from other electronics
- Reduce the number of devices drawing on your connection (phones, TVs, other computers, etc.)
- Reboot your router (just unplug it for a few minutes)
Update your router’s firmware - Reset your router (this restores factory settings and should only be done if your connection is much slower than it should be)
Camera and Microphone
We encourage joining the event 15 minutes early to test your audio and video. If you are using an external camera or microphone, test them to ensure that they are selected as the input devices for your calls. Center your camera and place it level with your line of sight to avoid unflattering angles. If you are reading from any prepared materials, position them near the camera so that you are not looking off-screen frequently. Avoid sitting with your back to a window and try to have your light source in front of you. Avoid busy backgrounds if possible. Use whatever real or virtual background works best for you.
Copyright and Fair Use
We ask presenters to stay within the boundaries of fair use of copyrighted material in a nonprofit, academic context. Your university library may have guidance on fair use in this context. In keeping within fair use, participants should credit any and all materials used in their presentations. The following resources have explanations and recommendations for fair use in live and recorded online presentations:
CMSI Best Practices for Online Videos
Do not use a virtual background containing copyrighted images; if you are unsure, use a different image. It is permissible to participate and record online events with copyrighted materials in sight in the background, provided that you have not intentionally placed them to enhance your presentation.
Accessibility
Many of the tips for making a live presentation accessible apply in a virtual format. For example, avoid monotone and/or rushed speech, which can make it difficult for many people to absorb the ideas in a presentation. Remember to briefly describe any images used in your presentation, providing vital information for those with visual impairments.
Troubleshooting
Participants should keep a (silenced) cell phone and the backup phone number for the event nearby. Iif your WiFi or power goes out, dialing in by phone is the fastest way to rejoin the event. Panelists may wish to share cellphone numbers prior to the event so you can communicate by text if something goes wrong. In a scenario where your connection is cutting in and out to the extent that it makes it impossible to understand your presentation, consider turning off your video camera.
It is important to manage permissions before and during online events to prevent accidental or intentional disruptions. Event organizers work with AHA staff to determine how audience members will participate and how much access they will have for each event.
Most platforms give the host the ability to limit participant permissions to share video and screens, unmute themselves, send chats, and more. Generally, for AHA Online events, attendees will be accepted into the event from a waiting room, will be muted and have their cameras turned off upon entry, will not be able to share their screens, and will not be able to submit questions anonymously.
Do not provide your login, host link, meeting ID, or passcode to attendees or anyone else; all participants and attendees should have their own registration.
The AHA invites proposals for a very limited number of online events throughout the calendar year. Proposed events should focus on issues related to the historical profession broadly, such as professional development or advocacy work. We will accept pitches from all AHA members (including but not limited to those working at colleges and universities, K-12 schools, museums, and archives), at all degree levels, and of all professional ranks. Proposers should expect to organize and/or moderate their events.
Proposal Process
Proposing an online event is a two-stage process. Before submitting a full proposal, organizers should send a two- or three-sentence pitch describing the planned event to ahaonline@historians.org. Descriptions should give us a better understanding of the topic and your viewpoint, as well as indicate the intended audience for the event. Please also confirm that you are an AHA member when submitting your pitch. An in-house programming committee will review and invite a full proposal if it seems like the event would be an appropriate addition to the AHA's online programming calendar. Pitches will be accepted on a rolling basis; you will receive a response within four weeks.
Presenting Historical Research
The AHA does not host research panels as part of its online programing; such sessions should be submitted to the annual meeting instead. In addition, online programming takes a great deal of staff time to put on. Only an extremely limited number of slots will be available each year for such programming; accordingly, we will only accept proposals from members. Events may be recorded and made available on the AHA's YouTube channel, if appropriate.
Certificates are not automatically provided, but a letter of participation is available on request; contact ahaonline@historians.org. Letters will be provided after an event, once the requester’s attendance is confirmed for the duration of the event.
Many AHA Online events will be recorded and posted on the AHA YouTube channel. Videos will remain on the YouTube channel permanently, unless the AHA elects to remove them. Hosts will advise participants whether the conversation is being recorded at the beginning of each event.
Certain small group discussions where confidentiality is expected of all participants will not be recorded, to promote thoughtful and candid participation. The AHA requests that participants in these sessions not record the session (audio or video), and that they use discretion when using social media.
For events in the webinar Zoom format, most attendees will participate via the Q&A feature, which will not appear in recordings. Moderators may read questions submitted via the Q&A feature aloud to facilitate discussion. If participants are unmuted, their questions will be recorded. Webinar participants should not record the session separately or reproduce/distribute presentations without permission.
Participants are expected to abide by the AHA’s Code of Professional Conduct across any social media platform hosting AHA Online content.
Participation in webinars via audio or video constitutes an agreement to the use of the attendee’s image and/or voice in screen captures, video, audio, and electronic communications. The AHA sometimes receives requests from the media to rebroadcast select events. Staff will obtain written permission from all speakers before agreeing to a rebroadcast. Every effort will be made to secure rebroadcast permission before the event is recorded.
The AHA is not responsible for unauthorized recording but does reserve the right to bar anyone who records sessions without appropriate permissions from future programming.