Excited to present "How to Give a Chalk Talk" today at 11:45am at the ASCB Cell Bio Virtual 2020 meeting. Here are some chalk talk tips for virtual presentations:

Most important. Do not rely on a wireless connection. Plug your computer in directly to the ethernet. Loss of connection or a weak connection can destroy even the best practiced chalk talk.

I recommend doing the chalk talk in a professional setting, such as a conference room. It will minimize distractions from you and your presentation.
Choose your media well in advance and practice with it several times to be familiar with it.

Record your session to see how it is coming across on a standard laptop, which several committee members may be using. If something is too small, low res or whatever, that’s a problem. What media to use? Powerpoint is the most familiar, but not necessarily the best choice.

It is rigid and that’s the opposite of the whole concept of the chalk talk. The chalk talk is simultaneously organized and spontaneous. You want to be able to respond to questions and some responses do best with a sketch, a model, a diagram, etc.

I highly recommend using the whiteboard feature in zoom. It’s free and gives the best resolution. It also lets you write quickly (typing). You can set up your whiteboard in advance, just as you would for a chalk talk.

It takes a little practice and will benefit from a gaming mouse or touch pad that gives you maximal control
Wear an interview outfit. I do not recommend a suit, but do look professional.
Not everyone communicates on zoom in the same manner.

You may have some people raise their hand or enter a query by chat. If you’re drawing and talking, it is easy to miss those people. At a minimum, check your screen for queries every few minutes. Better yet, ask people to state their question out loud.

Alternatively, you can ask your host in advance if he/she would be willing to assist and interrupt you with questions from others as appropriate.
Include a notepad for yourself and water to clear your throat.