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Facilitating Chat
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HAVE A COMMUNICATION PLAN
- Greet students by name when they enter the chat room, particularly if the official class discussion has not started yet.
- Address the challenges of online communication directly with students.
- Create a culture where asking for clarification is okay.
- Be sure everyone is ready when you move from topic to topic. (Often an instructor asks if students are ready and then asks for a confirmation of * = yes)
- Use student names in conversation.
- Read chat logs to discover quieter voices
- At specified times, allow students to each answer questions one at a time. (You can go straight down your user list if you need a quick way to determine order.)
- Contact students by phone to make sure they understand course material.
- Draw out introverts or slow typists during chat—especially if it looks like they are having trouble “getting a word in.”
- Incorporate a diversity of voices
- If you have someone very non-participatory or very dominant, work with that student to monitor his/her own participation and/or set goals to make adjustments.
- Strongly discourage the use of private chat windows between students during class chat time. An instructor may occasionally wish to “whisper” to a student, but you should be sure you know how to do it correctly if you are going to say anything private.
- Encourage everyone to log in a few minutes before class starts so you can start and end on time. Consistently starting ten minutes late does not show respect for those who were there on time and does nothing to motivate others to be on time.
- Contact absent students regarding trouble they may be having or possible make-up assignment.
- Discourage multiple (usually non-course related) “side conversations.” These make it difficult for other learners (particularly those new to the chat process) to stay focused on the discussion.
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HAVE A PLAN FOR CONTENT
- Have a list of questions prepared before the chat begins. These allow for a quick “comprehension check.”
- Discuss a question until it is exhausted and then ask everyone to indicate readiness to move on (*).
- Chat is not the place for extensive new learning or information. Its main function is to reduce isolation, build community, motivate learners, open issues, tie things together, and give the instructor a “feel” for how the class is going.
- If there is confusion about a concept or assignment beyond what can easily be addressed in a chat format, prepare a short lecture or e-mail and post it or send it out to the students afterwards. (Tell them you are going to do that.)
- Do not use large amounts of chat time on one student’s particular issue. Tell them you will contact them after chat to discuss it further and then move on.
- Read the chat logs to discover discussions/questions that were overlooked during the chat. Send feedback to the class about your observations from chat.
