Some coping stategies for monitoring and
conducting Online text Chat include:
-
Be Prepared:
Good preparation and structure is critical to the success of your
chat session. Some instructors use pre-typed questions or short
comments that they cut and paste into the chat program from their
word processor.
-
Limit the Number of Participants:
Schedule several sessions on the same topic and have students sign
up. Conducting small group chats is more manageable than chatting
with a large group. Try to limit the small groups to 5-6 students.
After each group's session, post the transcripts to a Web page
or your class asynchronous discussion forum so everyone can see
all the conversations. Reading multiple versions of chat sessions
on the same topic is a valuable study tool for some students.
-
Have Definite
Starting and Ending
Times:
Advertise your chat sessions well in advance so your students have
time to arrange their schedules to be able to attend. This will also
give them time to prepare for the discussion and think of 2 or 3
questions they would like to ask. Limit each session to 30 minutes
and cut it off when the time is up. Chatting is a high intensity
activity, and it is difficult to stay focused for long periods.
- Limit
the
Topic
of
Conversation:
Limit the chat session to one specific topic and stick to it. Students
must come prepared to discuss one topic only. This lends structure
to the discussion and helps the chat session stay focused.
- Help
Late
Comers:
If one or two students join the chat session after it has started,
take a moment to orient them to the discussion by summarizing the current
thread of conversation. This will give everyone a break and allow stragglers
to catch up.
- Teach
Chat
Etiquette:
Publish a list of protocols or rules for your students to follow. This
will help maintain order in the discussion and facilitate clear communication.
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