Faculty Focus Special Report 051910

Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning
Tools: 15 Strategies for Engaging Online
Students Using Real-time Chat, Threaded
Discussions and Blogs

Featuring content from

A MAGNA PUBLICATION

Effective Group Work Strategies for the College Classroom. • www.FacultyFocus.com

Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning Tools:
15 Strategies for Engaging Online Students Using Real-time Chat,
Threaded Discussions and Blogs
In a traditional face-to-face class, students have many opportunities to interact with their
instructor and fellow students. Whether it’s an informal chat before or after class, or par-
ticipating in the classroom discussion, interaction can be an important factor in student
success.

Creating similar opportunities for participation and collaboration in an online course is
one of the biggest challenges of teaching online. Yet, opportunities for meaningful interac-
tion online are plentiful, provided you design and facilitate your course in the correct
manner and with the proper tools.

Asynchronous and synchronous learning tools, such as threaded discussions, instant
messaging, and blogs play an important role in humanizing online courses by replicating
the classroom experience of information exchange and community building, not just
between students and teacher but among the students as well.

This Faculty Focus special report features 15 articles from Online Classroom newsletter,
and will provide you with specific strategies on how to use synchronous and asynchro-
nous learning tools to engage your online students.

Here are just some of the articles you will find in this report:
• A Plan for Effective Discussion Boards
• Using Video Clips to Stimulate Discussion
• Using Individual and Group Instant Messaging to Engage Students
• Nine Strategies for Using IM in Your Online Course
• Four Ways to Improve Discussion Forums

Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning Tools: 15 Strategies for Engaging Online Students
Using Real-time Chat, Threaded Discussions and Blogs is loaded with practical advice from
educators who’ve found effective ways to promote learning and build community in their
online courses.

Rob Kelly
Editor
Online Classroom

Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning Tools: 15 Strategies for Engaging Online Students Using Real-time Chat, Threaded Discussions and Blogs
2
www.FacultyFocus.com

Table of Contents
Asynchronous Discussion: The Heart of the Online Course ........................................................................................4

What Do Students Say about Online Discussion? ........................................................................................................5

Using Video Clips to Stimulate Discussion ..................................................................................................................7

A Plan for Effective Discussion Boards ......................................................................................................................8

Four Ways to Improve Discussion Forums ................................................................................................................10

Nine Strategies for Using IM in Your Online Course ..................................................................................................11

Blogs or Discussion Boards? ....................................................................................................................................12

5 Suggestions for Equitable Online Facilitation ........................................................................................................13

Using Individual and Group Instant Messaging to Engage Students ..........................................................................14

Protecting the Online Classroom Community ..........................................................................................................16

Using Discussion Boards for One-on-One Interaction ................................................................................................17

Threaded Discussion: ‘Lifeblood’ of Online Math Courses ........................................................................................18

How to Engage Students in Meaningful Discussion ..................................................................................................19

Threaded Discussions: They’re Not Just for Controversial or Ambiguous Issues ......................................................20

Open-Source Blog Platform Provides Much-Needed Communication Flexibility ........................................................22

3

students know generally when I will

Asynchronous Discussion: be in the course, and that’s
important.”

The Heart of the Online Course To help get a better idea of how
well she was communicating in her
courses, Heflin sought feedback from
her students beyond the standard
course evaluations. She learned that
By Rob Kelly her communication was coming
across as “tense, concise, and
abrupt.”
She decided to use emoticons to
synchronous online discussion schedules. I tried that, but the course

A plays a key role in humanizing
online courses. Asking
provocative questions is an important
lost that interactive quality. It’s
critical to keep people on the same
schedule, or else they don’t talk to
communicate tone and posted a
photo of herself and an introduction
(not just an e-mail that gives infor-
mation about the course, but a
part of getting students to participate each other,” Heflin says.
message that gives some personal in-
in discussions, but the right With just one deadline at the end
formation), and her students were
questions alone are not always of a discussion, students tend to cram
very positive. “These things don’t
enough to create a truly connected the discussion into a few hours just
seem like a big deal, but they can
class. before the deadline. This decreases
change the course. I’ve gotten so
“The discussion forum is most
much feedback from students that
closely going to replicate the experi-
they like having a face to place with
ence of exchanging information, not
“The discussion forum is most a name and the text that’s coming
just between students and teacher
across. It’s a very simple thing, but it
but among the students, as if we
were in the classroom. It has to be
closely going to replicate the really works.”
Heflin also makes it a point to
the heart of the course,” says Kyla experience of exchanging make students aware of her presence
Heflin, director of extended studies in
in the course by posting weekly an-
the College of Education at the information, not just between nouncements and posting frequently
University of Colorado at Colorado
students and teacher but in the discussion forum, “so it isn’t
Springs.
just me posting one lecture and never
To get students to appreciate the
significance of the discussion forum, among the students, as if we getting back on there. It feels more
like a conversation that way.” @
Heflin has a Web page in her courses
that explains the grading rubric for
were in the classroom.”
discussion and her expectations. An
important part of her rubric is having
two deadlines for each weeklong dis- the likelihood for well-crafted
cussion. The first deadline, which responses and leaves those who
occurs in the middle of the week, is posted early waiting a relatively long
for students to post their initial time to receive feedback.
responses to the discussion prompt. Requiring students to respond to at
Then the students have until the least two classmates’ initial responses
second deadline to respond to at least keeps them from getting stuck in
two classmates’ initial responses. their own threads and talking about
“At first, students were very what they posted.
resistant to having two deadlines per Heflin actively participates in each
week. They felt that taking an online discussion and holds herself to the
course would give them complete same deadlines in the discussion
freedom to do the work on their own forum. “I noticed that that has helped

4

Equally interesting was looking at

What Do Students Say about their reasons for not participating in
online discussion. Responses varied
between the anticipation of the online
Online Discussion? course discussion and the post-course
reality. Half of undergraduate and 65
percent of graduate students believed
that a lack of interest would keep
By Glenna L. Decker, EdD, and Sarah J. Cox them from participating, but fewer
than 19 percent reported the same at
the end. The biggest barrier to partici-
e know that the literature courses. On average between the two pating was time. At the end of the

W suggests that online collab-
oration and discussion are
key elements to success for an online
groups, nearly 12 percent reported
that they read 100 percent of the
online discussion, and approximately
courses, an average of nearly 88
percent reported that lack of time kept
them from participating. Half of un-
dergraduate students thought that too
course, but what do students think 55 percent reported that they typically
about online discussion? We decided read 75 percent to 99 percent of much text on the discussion board
to find out by conducting an online discussion. Just over 24 was a barrier, as did 38 percent of
anecdotal study to see if what our percent read less than half, while graduates. On average, 12 percent did
students (undergraduate and graduate nearly 10 percent chose not to answer. not complete the preparation work, 10
students in a midsize Midwest univer- We were interested in what percent did not participate in non-
sity) reported matched what the liter- motivates students to participate. In a graded discussion, and 14 percent did
ature suggests. pre-class survey, 100 percent not respond.
After years of listening to varied expressed that interest in the subject Summarizing their responses, along
comments from our students, we will get them to participate; on with the literature, we determined our
surveyed two classes at the beginning average, 78 percent reported that they own “best practices.”
of a semester. Of 32 surveys sent, 25 participate if it is graded. This last
were returned. We then held focus number, however, rose to closer to 85 1. Make the topic interesting and
groups with an additional 20 graduate percent in a post-course survey. Few relevant. The online discussion must
students and with 20 undergraduate claimed that peer pressure served as a be a topic of interest. Questions that
students. Our topic was their percep- motivator, but comments included the have relevancy to the students,
tions of course online discussion. We importance of other students also par- whether in their immediate lives or
asked such questions as ticipating. Other comments suggested that they can connect to their future,
• “Do you participate in face-to-face comfort in the online environment will elicit higher participation. Take
class discussions?” because they have time to think time to inform students why you
• “How much do you generally read before responding. Of particular value discussion and what you hope
of online discussion?” interest is how much of the online they gain from it. Identify ahead of
• “What motivates you to partici- discussion students read. time the educational objectives, and
pate?” Approximately 23 percent of inform students how the discussion
• “What has made for good (and graduate students and no undergradu- will add to their understanding of the
for poor) experiences of online ate students reported reading all of content (Jenkinson, 1994).
discussion?” the online discussion; an average
between the two groups indicates that 2. Encourage timely participation.
More than 80 percent of graduate approximately 58 percent read Students reported that they preferred
and 66 percent of undergraduate between 75 percent and 99 percent. when all participated in a timely
students reported generally contribut- The rest (except for the 9 percent who manner. The instructor can be pre-
ing to face-to-face class discussions. did not answer) read less than half, scriptive in this, allowing only a few
More than 80 percent of the total with about 8 percent of graduate days for initial responses, with follow-
reported that they had participated in students reporting reading less than
PAGE 6
online discussions in previous 25 percent.

5

FROM PAGE 5 posting solely for credit. One way to A final note is to address the instruc-
manage this is to rotate students or tor’s role in the discussion. Be clear
up responses one or two more times groups to be the topic facilitators. with your students about your own
throughout the duration of the discus- Students will then hold each other ac- participation. Students report that an
sion. Another approach that has been countable for the relevancy of the con- overly involved instructor will inhibit
successful with the author’s graduate tributions to the topic at hand. participation, as students will be
students is to spend the first week of waiting to hear the “correct” answer.
the course having the students them- 6. Create a safe environment. The In addition to the author’s own inves-
selves define the parameters. As they quickest way to shut down discussion tigation, a study by Rourke &
discuss their own positive and is for someone to feel attacked. Anderson (2002) concluded that
negative experiences in online discus- Students need (and deserve) to feel “student-led discussions provide a free
sion, the students can then vote on safe in class discussion (Doyle, 2005), and relaxed atmosphere for discus-
their own expectations, including and this is perhaps more challenging sion, which makes students feel unin-
when and how often they should con- in the online environment, where hibited in asking questions and
tribute. With a social contract, they typed messages are easily misinter- challenging the statements of others”
own the criteria and hold each other preted. Students report the need for an (p. 4).
accountable, allowing the instructor to honest, open, and respectful environ-
be less prescriptive. ment. The instructor has the responsi- References
bility of setting this tone from the Doyle, T. (2005, February 4). A real
3. Ask two or three open-ended beginning. Model appropriate world model for classroom discussion.
questions to provide opportunity for responses and challenges through ad- Lecture presented at Pew Faculty
ongoing dialogue. Students will con- ditional questions. Teaching & Learning Center, Grand
tribute more when they learn from the Valley State University.
discussion and find the dialogue 7. Make expectations clear. One Jenkinson, E. (1994, January).
thoughtful and meaningful. They are challenge with online discussion is Writing assignments, journals, and
more interested when there are a that it is not contained within the student privacy. ERIC Clearinghouse
variety of perspectives and opinions. period of a class meeting. Students on Reading, English, and
Encourage their opinion, backed up by look for clear expectations and guide- Communication, digest #88. Retrieved
referencing the literature. Students lines, with an identified beginning and October 15, 2007, from Indiana
want somewhere to go with the dis- ending. Address this with a rubric that University School of Education
cussion; they do not want a closed clarifies expectations of quality discus- website: www.indiana.edu/
response or to feel forced to reword sion, including how often, when, and ~reading/ieo/digests/d88.html
the same response as others. Be clear how posts must contribute to the Nielsen, J. (1997). How users read
that simply agreeing with a colleague ongoing dialogue. on the web. Retrieved October 15,
is insufficient without explaining what 2007, from Nielsen Norman Group
informs their opinion. 8. Use group discussions. Students useit.com website: www.useit.com/
reported that they favored group dis- alertbox/9710a.html
4. Encourage clear, concise cussion (these groups averaged five Rourke, L., & Anderson, T. (2002).
dialogue. Students shared that time participants) and liked having Using peer teams to lead online dis-
restraints were a barrier to participat- assigned roles. Requiring students to cussions. Journal of Interactive Media
ing and they welcomed succinct, to- rotate roles such as facilitator, re- in Education, March, 2002(1), 4.
the-point responses. Model for searcher, summarizer, and questioner Retrieved October 15, 2007, from The
students how to write for online gave them purpose and eased Open University, United Kingdom
dialogue. Short, inverted paragraphs anxieties. They knew their expecta- website: www-jime.open.ac.uk/
and bullet points are more effective for tions and enjoyed the dialogue more. 2002/1/rourke-anderson-02-1-t.html
reading online (Nielsen, 1997). The quality and depth of the discus- @
sion also improves as the students
5. Rotate students or groups. engage further in higher-order
Staying on topic is important to thinking skills.
students, and a reminder of this may
dissuade ill-prepared students from

6

Williams typically asks students two

Using Video Clips to Stimulate questions based on the content of the
video clip, and they are required to

Discussion respond with a minimum of two
paragraphs and responses to at least
two classmates. “This gets the con-
versation going. It simulates what
happens in a classroom, and it does
By Rob Kelly tend to draw out the students who
wouldn’t necessarily participate in a
discussion in person. For me, it
f you’re looking to improve • Readings—These include becomes a key part of an online

I threaded discussions in your
online courses, consider using
brief video clips as discussion
textbook and online readings found
in library databases on real
companies.
course,” Williams says.

Each of these unit elements builds
on the next. “I give them the founda-
prompts. When carefully selected and
integrated into a course, these clips • PowerPoint—The PowerPoint tional information first and then
can lead students to higher-order slides emphasize the key concepts bring in the video to kind of get them
thinking and appeal to auditory and covered in the readings. “Whatever to that application point where they
visual learning styles. they didn’t get from the readings, the can see the things that we talked
Stacey Williams, distance learning PowerPoint will hopefully bring out about or the things that we read
council co-chair and director of for them and make it a little easier to about. They can see these concepts
distance learning at Naugatuck Valley focus on the relevant key points,” being applied by real-world
Community College, uses video clips Williams says. companies,” Williams says.
to prompt discussion and says that
her retention rates and student satis- • Concept quiz—After the Selecting video clips
faction have improved as a result. PowerPoint presentation, Williams Video clips can come from a wide
The key is to use these video clips has students do practice assignments, variety of sources. When selecting
within the context of scaffolding as- typically multiple-choice or true/false video clips, consider the following:
signments rather than as stand-alone quizzes. “They tend to do those
course elements. practice tests or quizzes a little bit • Select video relevant to the
Each unit in Williams’ courses in- more readily when it’s a safe environ- course. There is a wealth of video
corporates the following elements: ment, so I keep those as a tool just posted online that has potential for
for them,” Williams says. use in online courses. However, it’s
• Learning objectives—These important to select video clips that
serve as a guide in selecting appropri- • Video clips—Williams uses brief are directly related to learning objec-
ate readings, activities, and video (up to five-minute) video clips from tives and the concepts in the unit,
clips. To make these objectives clear sources such as corporate websites, Williams says. “Don’t just put up
to students, Williams sends them to textbook publishers, video without context around it.
students as either weekly email or www.merlot.org/, Don’t just build an assignment
pop-up announcements. The www.youtube.com/, and without telling them why they’re
advantage of using pop-up announce- www.teachertube.com/. “One of the viewing it. Tie it into the topics that
ments is that students have to do biggest challenges is finding videos to you’re trying to cover that week.
something with them (either close use in a streaming format, but I do Don’t let that be the only thing.
them or move them out of the way) like the challenge of going out and Scaffold it with the lower-order
before proceeding to the course activ- finding them,” Williams says. thinking—objectives, readings,
ities, which increases the likelihood PowerPoint—and then start to get
that they will read them. • Discussion—After viewing a into the application part and let that
video clip, students participate in a push the students to think about
discussion based on the video.
PAGE 8

7

FROM PAGE 7 • Have a contingency plan. video is forcing us to do that,”
Williams does not currently have Williams says.
things and apply the concepts and access to a streaming server, so she
understand them and demonstrate links videos from other sources to her Student reaction
their understanding through how course site. The disadvantage of not Although she has not yet
they respond to questions and other hosting the videos is that the creators conducted research on the effects on
students’ responses.” or hosts of these videos can take using video clips to prompt discus-
them down at any time, which means sion, Williams has gotten positive
• Check sources. Textbook pub- that it is important to have a contin- feedback from students. “They ab-
lishers are an excellent source of gency plan in case students cannot solutely love them. It’s hard to feel a
video. To incorporate videos on a view a particular video. “I’m always student’s passion for a topic when
course site requires permission from thinking, what if we can’t get to a they’re not right in front of you, but
the publisher. If the videos are in video? Typically I have reviewed when I get the conversation going
DVD format, they will need to be several when I make my choice so and see a threaded discussion of
converted to streaming format, which there are other possibilities out there. twenty threads from the first posting,
can take a substantial amount of I use a variety of sources as well so that to me is a measurable outcome.
time. Videos from other sources such I’m not just pulling [videos] from That to me is feedback that these
as YouTube are easily accessed, but YouTube. If YouTube were to go down students are really engaging on a
remember that YouTube is not the tomorrow, I have some other collegial level and a scholarly level.”
creator of the video, nor is the creator resources I can use,” Williams says. @
necessarily the person who posted it.
“I pretty much stick to educators or Once you have incorporated video
corporations because it’s easy to clips into your course, it’s important
verify that a certain professor holds a to check the links on a regular basis.
PhD and does indeed work at a par- “You need to check to see if the
ticular institution. I also limit my videos are still there. You need to
videos to things that are recognizable keep your course fresh, and I think
to the students and companies that that’s a really good practice. Using
are recognizable,” Williams says.

A Plan for Effective Discussion Boards
By Rob Kelly

eaningful online discussions promote deeper thinking, says Elaine course, focusing on the most contro-

M that promote learning and
build community usually do
not happen spontaneously. They
Bennington, director of instructional
technology, distance education, and
adjunct faculty development at Ivy
versial, most difficult, and most
important concepts. “People don’t
even think about that for their on-
require planning, good use of ques- Tech Community College of Indiana. campus courses. Half the time they
tioning techniques, and incentives for The first step that Bennington rec- prepare a three-hour lecture with no
student participation. ommends in planning discussion- time for questions, and that trend has
Before the course begins, the in- board use in an online course is to continued online. But you cannot do
structor should consider the purpose consider how many discussions to that. This is your feedback
of each discussion, how it relates to include. She recommends at least 12 PAGE 9
the learning objectives, and how it can discussion boards for a 16-week

8

FROM PAGE 8 addition to an introduction, discus- • Conceptual clarification
sions can be used for reflection, questions—questions that get
mechanism. This is your listening op- debate, or exploring case studies, students to think about concepts
portunity, and you’ve got to prime among other things. And as a course behind their arguments, for
the pump with the best questions you progresses, the online discussions example, Why are you saying
can think of,” Bennington says. can help move students to the higher that? What exactly does this
end of Bloom’s Taxonomy of mean? How does this relate to
The first discussion in an online Cognitive Domain (knowledge, com- what we have been talking
course should serve as a way of intro- prehension, application, analysis, about? Can you give me an
ducing students to each other and to synthesis, and evaluation). example?
the use of the discussion forum, • Probing assumptions—
including technical issues and Types of questions questions that get students to
netiquette. The asynchronous nature of the think about the beliefs that they
Discussions should not be included discussion board makes it more base their arguments on, for
in courses arbitrarily, Bennington important to plan specific questions example, What else could we
says. Rather, the instructor should because it’s not as easy as in a face- assume? How did you choose
build the discussions around the to-face class to ask a follow-up those assumptions? How can you
course’s learning objectives. question when your initial question verify or disprove that assump-
“[Discussions] have got to bring fails to elicit the level of dialogue you tion? What would happen if …?
the concept and objective together in had hoped for. This is not to say that • Probing rationale, reasons, and
a way that brings out more questions. all questions in online discussions evidence—questions that get
That to me is very important—to need to be scripted. Another students to think about the
relate those objectives and the important role for the instructor is to support for their arguments, for
concepts under those objectives to participate in these discussions and example, Why is that happening?
the discussion board,” Bennington help students explore relevant but How do you know this? Can you
says. “The questions allow the unplanned discussion topics and to give me an example? What do
students to complete the learning get them back on topic when they you think causes …? On what
outcomes. The questions in a discus- stray too far. authority are you basing your
sion board are like essay questions “Spontaneity can be there, but it is argument?
on a test where students can give not a justification for not planning • Questioning viewpoints and
these ideas and then communicate the initial discussion,” Kirkner says. perspectives—questions that get
more creatively. But the question in Initial questions in an online dis- students to consider other view-
the discussion board is even more cussion might ask closed questions, points, for example, What are
important. It allows students more which can help establish a set of some alternate ways of looking at
freedom because it is not a test. It principles to build upon. But for the this? Who benefits from this?
allows students to answer a question most part, threaded discussions How are x and y similar?
in a way that a teacher can know that should feature open-ended questions • Probe implications and conse-
the student has got it.” that elicit divergent thinking from the quences—questions that get
Here are two key questions to ask students. students to think about the what
when planning a discussion: Too often, however, instructors follows from their arguments, for
• What do I want students to be simply ask students to state their in- example, Then what would
able to do? dependent thinking on a subject and happen? What are the conse-
• In what ways do I want students perhaps comment on two classmates’ quences of that assumption?
to understand this material? postings. Bennington and Kirkner • Questions about the question—
recommend using the following six questions that turn the question
Answering these questions can Socratic questioning techniques as in on itself, for example, What
help determine the types of questions delineated by Richard Paul (see was the point of asking that
to ask, says Laurie Kirkner, Internet reference below) to get students question? Why do you think I
technician at Ivy Tech. involved in discussions that go asked this question?
A course can include different beyond simply their opinions:
types of online discussions. In PAGE 10

9

FROM PAGE 9 the students will take them • www.cos.edu/view_page.asp?
seriously,” Bennington says. nodeid=3885&parentid=3872&
moduleid=1
Make it count There are many online-discussion-
Bennington and Kirkner grading rubrics out there. The Reference
recommend grading online discus- following are links to some examples: Paul, Richard, Critical Thinking:
sions according to a rubric that in- • http://ois.unomaha.edu/ How to Prepare Students for a
structors share with students at the amfarm/Courseinfo/discuss.htm Rapidly Changing World, 1993.
outset of the course that considers • www.cu- @
the quality and quantity of students’ portland.edu/its/WebCT/
postings. “These discussion boards student_orientation/DB_PDX.htm
have to be a graded situation so that

Four Ways to Improve Discussion Forums
By Rob Kelly

ebecca Arbisi, chair of the wonderful English skills,” Arbisi her courses. When teaching new

R business department at State
Fair Community College in
Missouri, offers the following tips for
says. Sometimes when a student
writes poorly in an online forum,
the other students in the course
online learners or first-year
students, she makes it a point to
let students know that the views
improving the quality of threaded dis- will comment about it. “I think she is expressing are not neces-
cussions: peer pressure is a good thing. sarily her own. Whereas more so-
phisticated learners are able to
1) Model good communication. If pick up on that without her
students do not meet your expec- Occasionally, you will need having to explicitly state it, “I
tations for proper grammar, capi- think it’s important to help
talization, etc., email the to get students’ attention in students see all different sides of
individual student privately to an issue and to help them
express those concerns. the online forum to redirect problem solve and think a little
bit more,” Arbisi says.
2) Although proper grammar is
the discussion or clarify
important, do not overempha- what you expect of students. 4) Use color for emphasis.
size it to the point that you in- Occasionally, you will need to get
timidate students and make students’ attention in the online
them reluctant to post. “If Sometimes students can say forum to redirect the discussion
you’re teaching an English class, things that have more effect than or clarify what you expect of
and grammar is part of the my telling students over and over students. One way to do this is to
course, [you need to emphasize to be careful about what you use a different color font. @
good writing], but in most [write],” Arbisi says.
classes, you need to focus on
what students are saying, not on 3) Help students understand your
how they say it. Don’t expect that role in the discussion forums.
just because these are Web Arbisi often plays devil’s
students that they will have advocate in the online forums in

10

7.Establish realistic expectations.

Nine Strategies for Using IM in Increased access to the instructor
can foster unrealistic expecta-
tions. For example, just because
Your Online Course students are able to communicate
with you synchronously does not
mean that they will get their
graded assignments back any
By Rob Kelly sooner. Explain your communica-
tion policies clearly in your
syllabus.
nstant messaging can be an the interaction and help students

I effective online learning tool that
can build community and foster
collaborative learning. The following
get the most out of the sessions.

4.Form study groups. Group chats
8.Don’t micromanage. Like the
private conversations that take
place among students before and
after face-to-face classes, IM can
are some suggestions from Debby are an excellent way for students
be an informal form of communi-
Kilburn, computer science professor to make connections with each
cation that can help students
at Cero Coso Community College, for other. Encourage them to
learn and provide social connec-
making the most of this tool: continue their chats in groups or
tions that might not otherwise be
one on one.
available in the course.
1.Explain how to get set up.
Although many students may
Not everyone can be 9.Keep a chat log. Not everyone
have used IM, they probably
can be available for synchronous
have not used it for academic
purposes. The syllabus should
available for synchronous sessions, but they can still benefit
from transcripts of the communi-
explain how to set up students’ sessions, but they can still cation that occurs in these
IM accounts. Have students use a
sessions. @
multiprotocol instant messaging benefit from transcripts of
application such as Trillian or
Gaim to make communication the communication that
across different IM systems
easier. Remind students to add
occurs in these sessions.
each other to their buddy lists.

2.Offer group chats at different 5.IM your students. Isolation is
days and times. IM can be used one of the dangers of online
for group chats. In order to keep learning. Simple, synchronous
chats manageable, limit them to messages from the instructor can
eight students per session and open up communication and
offer them at different days and encourage students.
times, so students can find a
session that is convenient for 6.Invite students to IM you.
them. Because you are on their buddy
lists, students will be able to tell
3.Ask for students’ undivided when you are online (as long as
attention. Online learners often you have your IM application
balance many responsibilities open). This open line of synchro-
and can get distracted during nous communication can be an
synchronous chats. Ask that they excellent way of holding online
focus exclusively on the chat. office hours.
This will improve the quality of

11

Advice for using blogs
Blogs or Discussion Boards? Crosslin offers the following advice
for those considering using blogs in
their online courses:
• Use blogs for a specific pedagogi-
cal purpose.
By Rob Kelly
• Don’t duplicate content from the
main part of the course.
• Provide a rubric to help students
logs and discussion boards According to Crosslin, blogs have know what is expected of them.

B both provide opportunities for
interaction in online courses,
but there are instances when one is
the following pros:
• Blogs generally have an interface
that is intuitive to use.
• If possible, host the blog within
the course management system
so you won’t have to depend on
an external host.
more appropriate than the other, says • Blogs present content in reverse
Matt Crosslin, instructional designer chronological order, which makes
at the University of Texas at it easy to follow.
Arlington’s Center for Distance Uses for discussion boards
Education. Discussion boards will continue to
Blogs are typically organized in have a place in the online classroom,
Crosslin says. “Some instructors just
reverse-chronological order and focus Blogs and discussion boards want the questions up there and the
on the most recent input, whereas
discussion boards focus on the both provide opportunities student responses. That’s their focus.
feedback to an initial prompt. I still think there’s a great use for dis-
Blog entries are typically longer for interaction in online cussion boards, especially for
than discussion board prompts and feedback forums, to ask questions. If
can include multimedia. These blog
courses, but there are you don’t have a news or announce-
entries are excellent places to comment function, a discussion board
instances when one is more can be a great place to put news and
plement the content in the rest of the
course by providing current informa- appropriate than the other. announcements, and students can
tion on a topic culled from the Web. ask questions if they need
“When you’ve got five, six, or ten clarification.” @
paragraphs of initial stuff to comment
on versus one question, it does give • Blogs enable instructors to add
the students a lot more to base their current content to their courses.
response on,” Crosslin says. • Blog platforms have tools that
Often the prompt for commenting enable live chat and the viewing
on blogs is simply a comment button. of content by date or topic.
With discussion boards, since there is
usually just a short introduction, the Crosslin cites the following cons:
prompts tend to be more specific. “A • Most course management
discussion board can have a broader systems do not feature blogs, and
range of questions, more than just so blogs are often hosted by
‘what are your comments?’” Crosslin external websites, which brings
says. up the issue of support and
ownership.
Pros and cons of blogs • One downside of keeping one’s
As with all tools, there are positive course up to date is that there are
and negative aspects of blogs in an fewer opportunities to proofread
online course. this content before posting it.

12

2. Establish early an environment

5 Suggestions for Equitable that enables participants to be safe
and secure. This could come from

Online Facilitation the type of professional development
or learning the group is participating
in as well as the facilitator’s style of
engagement. The facilitator could
provide the ground rules, including
By Marianne Castano Bishop, Indiana University South Bend the right to ask questions and to
respond in ways that are respectful of
one another. The facilitator could also
take the discussion to a deeper level
andling equity and diversity manifested in discussion forums and

H issues sensitively can be a key
to retention in online
programs. In asynchronous discus-
may be enhanced by fostering a safe
and prosperous learning community
by the facilitator. An effective facilita-
or move to the exploration of issues
with equity implications.

3. Intervene, as necessary, to keep
sion forums, participants usually tor is mindful and purposeful about
the discussion on track. When par-
come from diverse backgrounds, diversity and its accompanying
ticipants become disrespectful to
including gender and culture, and the issues, ensuring equity and respect
each other, demonstrate rude
textual cues they post online are for all.
behavior (flaming), or post inaccu-
usually reflections of their own A goal of equitable online facilita-
rate information, the facilitator needs
diversity. Such postings sometimes tion is the promotion of a safety net
to intervene as quickly as possible.
disclose personal information, and the provision of opportunities to
While a telephone call could be an
whether the authors are consciously freely express one’s ideas, feelings,
effective course of action, much of
doing so or not. These disclosures and experiences in an online discus-
the conflict resolution should be done
could impact the interaction online in sion forum. The hope is that this will
online. Modeling good and effective
meaningful ways. ensure respect for diversity and other
behavior that fosters equitable inter-
What is usually required to important issues as well as promote
action is critical.
promote this and any other kind of reflection and better understanding.
interaction is a sense of safety on the At the Education Development
4. Monitor the level of trust that
part of participants to express them- Center’s Gender, Diversities, and
exists. The facilitator is the agent
selves without fear of repercussions. Technology Institute, we explored
who promotes the building of trust
This sense of safety could enhance issues regarding equity in online pro-
among participants. At the same
the learning experience, promote fessional development. Based on Dr.
time, the facilitator makes sure that
academic performance, and create a Joyce Kaser’s publication, “Equity in
any sensitive issue that becomes a
learning community in which partici- On-line Professional Development: A
point of discussion and exploration
pants are enriched by each other’s Guide to E-learning That Works for
within the course is appropriate for
ideas and the sharing of individual Everyone” (2004), I describe briefly
the level of trust within the group.
and common personal experiences. the suggestions discussed for facilitat-
When several of the participants post
Having online facilitators who are ing issues of equity in online courses.
messages and no one dominates the
sensitive to diversity issues and
discussion in any significant way, it is
skilled in facilitating the exchange of 1. Monitor the course to make
possible that participants trust one
content in discussion forums sure that the equity content is
another to express what’s on their
becomes a critical component that accurate and comprehensive. The
minds.
defines the effectiveness and quality facilitator is the individual who must
of an online course. be aware of possible stereotypes and
5. Note your own hesitancy about
Common to any facilitator role is biases embedded in the course and
exploring any aspect of equity. The
the active promotion of strategies that who is able to examine and analyze
facilitator should ask him/herself
result in deeper and deepening these issues in light of what is being
what his/her personal biases or fears
insights among participants as well discussed in the course and the
as shared inquiry. This is usually forum. PAGE 14

13

FROM PAGE 13 Publishing. Development Center, Inc., Newton,
Castano, M. (2003). Disclosure in MA.
might be that may interfere with Online Racial Dialogues: A Study of Palloff, R. M. & Pratt, K. (1999).
effective facilitation. These issues How and Why Participants Disclose, Building Learning Communities in
may result in the facilitator’s and How Others Respond to the Cyberspace: Effective Strategies for
avoidance of certain salient topics or Disclosure. Cambridge, MA: Harvard the Online Classroom. San Francisco:
discomfort when participants raise University. Jossey-Bass.
points related to those topics. In such Collison, G., Elbaum, B., Haavind, Palloff, R. M. & Pratt, K. (2005).
an instance, the facilitator could raise S. & Tinker, R. (2000). Facilitating Collaborating Online: Learning
his/her reservations to the group, Online Learning: Effective Strategies Together in Community. San
making this a learning opportunity for Moderators. Madison, WI: Francisco: Jossey-Bass Guides to
for everyone. Atwood Publishing. Online Teaching and Learning.
While online courses are becoming Collison, G., Facilitating Online Rudenstam, K. E. & Schoenholtz-
increasingly available, online facilita- Learning: Effective Strategies for Read, J. (Eds., 2002). Handbook of
tors are faced with finding effective Moderators. Madison, WI: Atwood Online Learning: Innovations in
strategies that help promote excel- Publishing. Higher Education and Corporate
lence in teaching and learning. Hanson, K., Flansburg, S. & Training. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Knowing and implementing ways to Castano, M. (2004). Genderspace: Publications.
facilitate that respect diversity and Learning Online and the Implications
ensure equitable interaction is a sure of Gender. In Suki, A., Benjamin, S. & Marianne Castano Bishop (EdD,
step in the right direction. This could Mauthner, M. L. (Eds.). The Politics Harvard University) is the instruc-
result in deeper insights, reflection, of Gender and Education: Critical tional strategies consultant at the
and understanding. Perspectives. London: Palgrave University Center for Excellence in
Macmillan Ltd. Teaching at Indiana University South
References Kaser, J. S. (2004). Equity in On- Bend. She is also associate faculty in
Bender, T. (2003). Discussion-based line Professional Development: A the Psychology Department. @
Online Teaching to Enhance Student Guide to E-learning that Works for
Learning: Theory, Practice and Everyone. Gender, Diversities, and
Assessment. Sterling, VA: Stylus Technology Institute, Education

Using Individual and Group Instant Messaging
to Engage Students
By Rob Kelly

ebby Kilburn, a computer computers involves learning about students to add each other to their

D science professor at Cero Coso
Community College, has two
compelling reasons for using instant
instant messaging.” Second, it creates
a sense of connection that, she says,
improves student satisfaction and
buddy lists and use the tool throughout
the course as they see fit.
The syllabus explains how IM will be
messaging (IM) in her online courses. retention. used in the course and how to get set
First, it’s an integral part of the Kilburn uses IM for conducting syn- up. In many cases, students have
content—she teaches an online version chronous chat sessions, as well as to already been using IM, but not neces-
of introduction to computer informa- provide individual communication
tion systems, and “learning about with students. She also encourages PAGE 15

14

FROM PAGE 14 establish study groups, and Kilburn which class they’re in and to keep
encourages students to add each the conversation focused on the
sarily in an academic setting. Kilburn other to their contact lists. After this course.
uses a multiprotocol instant first session, each student has a When Kilburn sees that one of her
messaging application and encour- group of six or seven people that they students is online, she may contact
ages her students to do the same. have already interacted with, whom him or her as well. “I’m very
This makes communication easier they can turn to individually if they random, especially if I see somebody
across different synchronous commu- have questions. “Even if they don’t come online whom I haven’t seen a
nication systems, such as AOL Instant talk to each other, they can see when lot of activity from. I’ll pop them off
Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, and [other students are] online, which a quick note such as, ‘Hey, I see
MSN Messenger. gives them some sense that they’re you’re online. Do you have any
not in this by themselves,” Kilburn questions?’ just to let them know that
Group sessions says. I am available for them if they do,
Kilburn uses IM for one-hour chat In addition to seeing when class- but I don’t force myself on them,”
sessions throughout her online mates are online, students and Kilburn says.
courses. She schedules them at Kilburn get a sense of people’s per-
different times and on different days sonalities when interacting synchro- IM uses
to accommodate as many students as nously that they might not get Not everybody likes to communi-
possible. She allows students to sign otherwise. “It seems that the people cate synchronously, but for those
up for sessions that are convenient who are involved in instant who do, it can add a new dimension
for them but limits each chat session messaging more tend to be a little to an online course. When consider-
to seven or eight people to keep each more engaged. They joke around. You ing using IM for pedagogical
session manageable. get a real sense of people’s personali- purposes, instructors should carefully
The chat sessions are not intended ties. To me, that comes through much consider how they might use it.
as spaces for formal writing; rather, better than it does just in a flat dis- IM is not a good way to deliver a
they should be used for collaboration cussion-board message. When you’re lecture, Kilburn says. It’s better suited
and brainstorming. The only thing chatting with somebody, or a group to brainstorming, investigating, or
Kilburn asks of students is to avoid of people, you get a sense of who exploring issues. “I set things up on
multitasking during these sessions. jokes around, who’s more serious, two levels: here’s how we’re going to
However, she does not restrict the in- who likes to think about things a use it academically for class chat; but
dividual student-to-student instant little bit more. When I chat with also here’s a list of all the other
messaging that goes on during group students I’ve chatted with a lot, I can people in the class. Add them to your
sessions. “Having multiple streams of tell when something’s wrong. They buddy list. Reach out and connect
communication going on doesn’t don’t even have to tell me,” Kilburn with people, so that if you have a
bother me, as long as the students says. question, and I’m not available, you
are participating in the [main discus- might see three other people on your
sion]. What I want [them] to get out Instructor access buddy list and one of them might
of using instant messaging is some IM increases the level of access that have the answer.” @
sense of community—some sense students have to the instructor.
that there are classmates [whom] Generally, when she is online,
students can turn to. In the face-to- Kilburn keeps her IM open, which
face classroom, students may chat indicates to students that she is
with the people sitting next to them online and open to having a conver-
or talk to people on the way out the sation. When she is not available to
door. Using instant messaging mimics communicate synchronously with
that in the online classroom,” Kilburn students, Kilburn turns off her IM.
says. She encourages students to view this
The first group chat sessions occur as the equivalent of an open office
during the second week of the door. All she asks is that students
course. During these group chats, who want to IM her let her know
students have the opportunity to

15

more burdensome (and less

Protecting the Online Classroom community building) than in face-to-
face classes.

Community In that same June 2005 issue of
Online Classroom, DiRamio noted
two factors that were clear in my
course design: the instructor’s role
and student’s responsibility. I had
By Patrick Durow, PhD structured my role as mentor and
guide and placed significant
emphasis on student responsibility. A
Dr. Durow, the grad students erations may be more challenging in helpful notion I hadn’t tried was to

“ think they’re smarter than we
(the undergrads) are and are
always putting us down.” Thus read
the online environment, but typically
that is related to increased comfort
with technology in younger students.
pair students to be helpers to each
other. That has promise!
I had set a tone of positive,
the private message from an under- The coursework is not self-paced, as frequent communication via
graduate education student during a there are discussion board and chat Blackboard, email, and the traditional
recent synchronous chat session in segments required of each student methods of phone calls and office
my 500-level course, Secondary weekly with time specific deadlines. hours. My syllabus even indicated
Teaching Methods in the Humanities. I did a mental review of the “virtual office hours” reserved for the
The message came during the sixth proactive steps I’d taken to establish members of this class. Following her
week of the course. I was shocked the online community in this course. suggestions, I had established a
and surprised. During none of our I had followed most of the recom- positive social atmosphere in the chat
asynchronous or synchronous discus- mendations made by Sull (Online sessions, been very predictable in
sions had I perceived any offending Classroom, January 2006), especially communication patterns, and
messages. While I knew how I would a welcoming email, clear due dates, provided frequent feedback to
respond in the traditional classroom frequent emails throughout the students. I dare say that my enthusi-
setting, I was given pause by the course, and use of simple, nontechni- asm for the subject matter and
student’s plea. What to do? cal language. I had posted guidelines teaching was infectious! Coppola
The students in this course fall into for online discussion participation, (Online Classroom, June, 2005) did
three groups, all with academic and rubrics for evaluating discussion note, however, that “trust can
majors in either English, performance were in place and had sometimes be undermined by a single
history/social studies, or Spanish: 1) been reviewed with students. I even comment.” I hadn’t perceived the
traditional undergraduate students scheduled a first session, face-to-face negativity in the same manner as one
completing their subject area majors meeting. I’d used icebreakers, making of my students.
and the required education courses myself the object of humor to make While most who write about the
just prior to student teaching in the each student feel comfortable. And online community note that there is a
next term; 2) graduate students with now some of my students were greater potential for misunderstand-
a baccalaureate degree in one of the feeling bullied and intimidated. ing than in traditionally delivered
disciplines named above, completing Rubenstein (Online Classroom, courses, two articles in the October
the sequence of education courses in June, 2005) suggested interdiscipli- 2006 issue of Online Classroom
about 15 months for a master’s nary communities within the larger caught my attention in particular.
degree in teaching; and 3) another classroom community. I had used Humbert noted that students who
group of students with undergraduate some subject-specific groupings for feel isolation because of the online
degrees who are seeking teacher cer- specific tasks that mixed grads with format frequently drop out of courses
tification but not a graduate degree. undergrads, but I did not want to and programs. Bishop commented
Some of the graduate students are segregate the undergrads from others. that online student needs are the
nontraditional-age college students. In addition, my online students same as in the traditional format:
Silverman (Online Classroom, March, during the last three years have
2006) noted that teaching across gen- found online group projects to be PAGE 17

16

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