This evening we held an online chat. We were able to have a live discussion about topics relating to building communities online. Many in the group seemed to feel that chats are disorienting, especially when there are many people chatting simultaneously. I can't disagree. I have to concentrate much harder to have a simple discussion than I would if I were having the discussion face to face. Between the reading of everyone's thoughts, processing your own thoughts, and typing, it is way more work than other forms of communication. However, I recognize that kids love it. They find it more natural and motivating.
I have had pretty good success with it in the past. Once I figured out to break the kids up into small groups, things went well. I monitored the chats by flipping between them. I would give prompts to let them know I was watching and to keep them on topic. I also tend to keep the sessions short for elementary students. After about 20 minutes, they lose focus. This might not be the case for older students.
Another concern brought up by the group was that while shy students may be more willing to come out of their shell online, others may feel overwhelmed by this form of communication. I agree with this concern. To me it is something to monitor rather than a reason not to use it. This problem would occur with any form of communication. There are always dominant people in every conversation. If I notice this happening, I prompt the less dominant people to share something.
Another big piece of using chats in school is etiquette. I always notice how students online don't know how to spell, don't provide enough information to be understood, don't understand how others might misinterpret their comments, etc... We do a chat where everyone is together in the lab. I project the chat onto a SmartBoard. Then I can lock their screens and show them specific examples of how their posts can be improved. It works pretty well. It also is a great reminder that I am watching.
One of the most important uses of chats has nothing to do with the teacher. I think the best use of a chat is for students to collaborate on homework. They can discuss math problems, share links to relevant information, provide support, and answer questions. Moodle is a great source for those who don't use IM.
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