Utilizing WebTycho's Synchronous Chat Feature

Scheduling a synchronous chat in your WebTycho class can be a very powerful component to the online class. It allows students to get answers to their questions "real-time" as well as provides a chance to interact more intimately with the instructor. We have compiled some tips and suggestions from our faculty who use this tool regularly in their class.

Have a purpose

By having a purpose, the instructor and students are more prepared to enter the discussion, which makes for a richer experience for both. For example, you can conduct a review for the exam or work through a set of problems in the book. One instructor in the Information Technology program reports that she utilizes a type of bidding system the week before the scheduled chat. She opens a conference area and the students can post suggest various topics and then the most popular issues get discussed during that week's chat.

Have a start and end time

Be very specific about the start and end of the chat (including the time zone) so students are very clear about when the chat will occur. Also, where possible, vary the dates and time in an attempt to accommodate as many schedules as possible. Chats a few days prior to an exam are very popular and effective.

Provide basic instructions

It is a good idea to provide some basic instructions, such as reminders about netiquette, how to enter the chat, and the purpose behind the chat for that particular night.

Download the transcript and post

In order to be fair to those who may not have been able to make the chat, provide a transcript of the chat in the classroom. And, if you post the transcript in the conference area of WebTycho, the discussion can also continue after the actual chat has ended.

Post a reminder

As the date of the chat draws closer, post a reminder in the announcements area.

Introductory Chats

Foundation courses are excellent opportunities for an introductory chat. You can cover an overview of the course and give a few helpful hints about working in the online environment. Another faculty in the Computer Systems Management Program notes that, he has found that chats are particularly effective if the course has many students who are first timers in the online environment, because these students sometimes have a hard time with the asynchronous communication. The chat allows them to get a better feeling for the presence of the instructor.