Synchronous Communication
F. Feedback via Instant Messaging
Instant messaging (IM) is a form of synchronous or real-time communication between two or more people based on typed text over a low-speed Internet connection. The text is conveyed via computers connected over a network such as the Internet. Each member of the chat room sees all the messages typed by others. There are many benefits of instant messaging, including
- Offering real-time communication
- Allowing easy collaboration among participants
- Being able to see other participants using webcams
- Most systems are avaialble for free
- Participants know whether the peer is available as most systems allow users to set an online status or away message so participants know when the user is available, busy, or away from the computer.
Here are some ideas for using instant messaging:
- Using chat for real-time question and answer sessions
- Using chat for brainstorming, troubleshooting, and problem-solving sessions
- Using chat for ""office hours" during which learners can ask questions
- Using chat for interview sessions during which learners can interview experts
- Using chat for "Study Group Meeting" among teams of learners
- Using chat for private meetings with the instructor
You can explore instant messaging by going to some free programs such as Yahoo Messenger at http://messenger.yahoo.com or Windows Live Messenger at http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=MSNTDLINK
G. Feedback via Blackboard Chat
Text-based communication is also available via the Blackboard Chat. Simply do the following three steps and you can connect with your students in the real time communication via the Blackboard Chat:
The major advantage of chat is to provide immediate feedback. For questions that require follow-up or clarification, a chat session can accomplish in minutes. The disadvantages of chat include crude transcript and requiring typing skills. When reading the recorded written transcript, it may seem to be crude since the chat participants type fast to exchange ideas in the chat session. Only those people with good typing skills feel comfortable in the chat session, and people with inadequate typing skills can feel very frustrated.
- Click Communication on the Course Menu
- Select Collaboration Tools
- Click Join next to a Chat session
Two things are import to remember when using the Blackboard Chat: 1) Make sure to download the Java plug-in to your computer; and 2) Make sure to turn off all the pop-up blockers on your browsers.
Below are some tips for using the Blackboard Chat:
- Three to five or seven participants are a good number for a chat session. Two participants chatting may seem to be very slow, and more than five or seven participants can be difficult to keep up in the chat session.
- Providing etiquette guideline and chat rules. It is important to provide guidelines and rules for how the chat will be facilitated. Such topics may include the order of questions and raising your hand.
- Do not have to greet or say goodbye to everyone. Most synchronous chat software like Blackboard provides a list of who has entered or left the chat room, so it is not necessary to greet each new participant or post a goodbye message.
- Do not respond to every message. Respond only to messages that address you specifically or to which your response will make a valuable contribution to the discussion.
- Writing comments and questions in advance. It is important to prepare live chat room discussion ahead of time using word processing program. Simply copying and pasting messages to the chat room can prevent delaying the conversation.
- Keeping sessions small and short. It is good to keep sessions to 30 or 45 minutes in length.
- Keeping postings short and to the point.
- Leaving irrelevant spelling or grammar errors. It is not necessary to post another message to correct the misspelling in a chat unless the misspelled word would significantly change the meaning of the message.
- Avoiding sarcasm, idoms, slang, and jokes. The cultural or regional differnece can easily result in miscommunication.
- Keeping a record or transcript. It is critical to keep a record of the live chat discussion and make it available for the students to read later.
H. Feeback via Blackbaord Virtual Classroom
In addition to the text-based chat, an instructor can also participate in breakout sessions and clarify questions, exchange ideas, solve problems, and illustrate explanations by using the whiteboard and taking a web tour in the Blackboard Virtual Classroom. The instructor can open the Virtual Classroom by following the steps below:
- Click Communication on the Course Menu
- Select Collaboration Tools
- Click Join next to a Virtual Classroom session
Like Chat in the Blackboard, it is important to remember two things when using the Virtual Classroom: 1) Make sure to download the Java plug-in to your computer; and 2) Make sure to turn off all the pop-up blockers on your browsers.
If you want to know more about how to use the Blackboard Chat and the Virtual Classroom, you are welcome to attend the CTELT workshop - Blackboard: Communication and Collaboration or contact CTELT staff for help.
I. Feedback via Clickers
Clickers are simple personal response systems that are very similar to TV remote control units in function. A small receiving station is usually placed in the front of the class to collect and record student responses. Each clicker can be registered to a student and generate an identifiable signal. Clickers started being used in college and university courses since about 1980 as faculty explored how to increase interaction and feedback. Clickers can be used for both large lecture classes and small classes.
Advantages of clickers include ease in use, use for multiple classes, enabling faculty to fine-tune their instruction based on student responses, and enhancing students’ learning experience.
It is easy for the instructor and students to use Clickers, but the cost of acquiring and using clickers can be a downside. It costs several thousand dollars for the receiver, connection wires, and related software for the system. For the students, it typically cost about $10 to buy the remote unit. However, they need to buy a new one and register the new device if lost.
Currently, faculty members in several departments at FHSU are using clickers, such as the Department of Geosciences and the Department of Physics.
J. Feedback via DyKnow
DyKnow is educational software designed to engage students in learning and to increase collaboration with the instructor and other students in a pen-enabled computing environment. It can be also used on a laptop or desktop with limited functionalities. DyKnow software includes two parts: DyKnow Vision and DyKnow Monitor. The Vision is a teaching and learning tool. The Monitor is a classroom management tool that can monitor, control, and reduce electronic distraction in the mobile learning environment.
FHSU has purchased a DyKnow server license and a thousand of concurrent user seats are currently available to the instructor and students. All DyKnow users need to download the free DyKnow Client from the DyKnow website at http://www.dyknow.com/download.
In a similar way, DyKnow Vision can provide instructors and students interaction and feedback promptly. Its Chat Session, Polling, Participant Status, Return Panels from Notebook, and Panel Management functions provide the instructor immediate feedback on students’ prior knowledge and understanding of the lectures. If you want to know more about these functions of DyKnow, please attend the two workshops at CTELT: DyKnow Basic, and DyKnow Advanced. You can also learn more about DyKnow through the following links:
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