WebCT @ Rensselaer

Tips and Tricks on Using Chat in WebCT

1. Pre-empt log-in problems.Get everyone to practice logging in days before from the same machine that they will use in the real chat session. This will ensure that students’ machines, browsers, plug-ins, Internet connection, etc. are all working properly. Note that most students will likely wait until the day before the session before they attempt to login and then will need help immediately. It’s wise to have someone on hand with technology savvy who has seen most of the problems before. You want to be able to respond, not waste time diagnosing.

2. Explore the possibilities.
Bill the first real chat session as "exploratory" and don't aim to get through too much. But be sure to tell that to your participants up front; otherwise they may be disappointed at how little they got through in an hour. It's their first time, remember.

3. Allow a little first-time time waste.
Chat is a lot of fun when people first try it. That means that they will want to experiment and fool around. Don't expect them to settle into it the first few seconds — it could take up to 10 minutes before you settle the group. Let them have a bit of fun and get it out of their systems.

4. Be specific.
Because people often talk over themselves during chat sessions, you run the risk of people seeming to respond inappropriately. Here's a hypothetical example:

[Peter] What is your opinion of what the CEO of Acme industries has done about their budget?

[John] What do you think of the AIDS situation in Zimbabwe?

[Mary] I think it's great, and will solve all their problems.

A situation like this arises where Peter phrases a question, and Mary is typing her answer, but before she can respond, John has typed another question and presses "Enter" a split second before Mary does!

To get around this, we tell our students to use the name of the person to whom they are responding at the beginning of their sentence:

[Peter] What is your opinion of what the CEO of Acme industries has done about their budget?

[John] What do you think of the AIDS situation in Zimbabwe?

[Mary] Peter, I think it's great, and will solve all their problems.

5. Take a breather.
Expect a delay between posing a question and receiving an answer. Most people don't touch type, and even those who do still need a bit of time.

6. Leave your grammar hammer at home.
If you have love for the English language, put on a thick skin and be prepared 2 c tht ppl use shrt frms of wrds cos u cant w8. (It usually won't be that bad, but certainly speling anfd grammer go out the window. Sometime it results is errors, often hilarious, ususally followed by a corection - which itself might be incorct :-)

7. Help – I need somebody!
Make sure that your support people are available by phone (by cell phone if they're using their land-lines for connection). I know it reduces the effect somewhat, but it's necessary in case technical difficulties arise.

8. Prepare your session introduction in advance.
If you have an opening introduction that you'd like to give, or if you're going to conduct the chat session a second time, it’s helpful to type some of the introductory information first in Word, check spelling and grammar, and then copy-and-paste into the chat room. But be sure to keep the chunks (paragraphs) small and to only post one paragraph at a time; chat posts scroll up the screen, and your participants need time to read.

9. A little caution goes a long way.
Be careful of what you say in a private chat message. All chat posts are logged!

10. Explain the ground-rules.
Be sure to tell students upfront that all information in the chat sessions is being logged and that the information will be distributed to the rest of the class. First, it’s common courtesy (and in some countries, it’s the law). Second, the logs act as minutes and notes. You can later retrieve the log file and post it (raw or edited, depending on your situation) to WebCT so that students don't have to take frantic notes during the session. The logs also provide students with an accurate recording of what was said — avoiding any "I was quoted out of context" situations!

WebCT Newsletter - Sept. 2004 - Special Contributed Article written by Ken Masters, Director: IT (Education), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa Pre-empt log-in problems.