1. Interactivity in a Virtual Classroom(iVocalize) Michael Coghlan March 15, 2007

2. WHOS ONLINE TODAY? 3. How do you communicate in here?

Voice

Text

whiteboard

4. COMMUNICATING - Voice 5. COMMUNICATING Text 6. MULTIPLE VENUE PRESENTATIONS (MVPs) remotestudents guest lecturer CLASSROOM/ F2F VENUE public space 7. What do we mean byInteractivity?

Long association with computer assisted learning

Has usually meant interactive programs (CD, website) -predictable

In a virtual classroom it refers to true interactivity ie interaction withother peopleunpredictable, unscripted

8. Why doesInteractivityMatter?

Learning is a social experience

Increases level of exploration; students more likely to engage with content and not just consume it

Aids critical thinking, higher order thinking, problem solving

Online : interactive experiences much more enjoyable

9. Good in theorybut.

Very hard in practice

Influence oftransmission model

Curriculum/time restraints an interactive approach can take longer

Students may need to be taught tointeract, collaborate , andtrusteach other

10. How do you do interactivity in a virtual classroom? 11. Participantscan:

Participate in 2 way voice chat

Participate in 2 way text chat

Use the whiteboard (compose text, draw pictures, upload images)

View slides and URLs

12. USING THE WHITEBOARD 13. Presenterscan:

Do all the things a participant can do PLUS

Upload content

Create new screens

Display URLs

14. Interactivity:Golden Rules

Dont talk for more than 5 minutes at a time! ie chunk the session

Dont assume you know it all

15. OtherStrategies to Increase Interactivity

Ask students where/who they are

Fill them out as real people

Share some information about yourself

Dont underestimate the value of small talk

show a map so people can mark where they are

16. OtherStrategies to Increase Interactivity :

Ask questions esp open questions

Global (to the group) and individual

Encourage questions and comments

Exploit the whiteboard:

• Brainstorming

• Group work

• Inserting images (have students prepare some)

• Forfun(especially before session, during breaks)

17. OtherStrategies to Increase Interactivity :

Ask for feedback regularly via

• Voice

• Text chat

• Whiteboard

• Poll

• Emoticons

18. Progress Check

We could use emoticons..

Or do a quick poll:

How is everyone feeling about the session so far?

Satisfied

Very Satisfied

Neutral

Dissatisfied

19. OtherStrategies to Increase Interactivity :

Hold group discussions

Question:Do these examples of interactivity seem practical in your teaching/work situation?

20. OtherStrategies to Increase Interactivity :

Enableallchannels of communication (when appropriate)

Encourage student to student communication

especially text chat

21. OtherStrategies to Increase Interactivity

Conduct web tours

Have students lead web tours

22. Pre and Post Session

Open the room early

Get there early (social time, informal question time)

Allow discussion to continue post session

23. VIRTUAL CLASSROOM:

apresentationtool?

acollaborationtool?

24. 25. Live Online Presentations

Golden Rule : 5 minutes talking at a stretch maximum

Intersperse presentations with questions, polls, other speakers (from the floor), whiteboard activity

Decide how to handle direct messaging will you monitor/respond? Or ignore it? Dip in and out of it?

Consider working with a producer/co-presenter

More at http://users.chariot.net.au/~michaelc/fll/blog.htm#skills

26. What kinds of activities can be held in virtual classrooms?

TEACHING

straight lectures

http://propertyservices.brightcookie.com/ps/lectures.htm

Guest lecturershttp://dcyeh.com/sy0304/2ndsem/groupa_projects/happy /

Oral presentations

http://alothman-b.tripod.com/present_162.htm

Group work

Office hours

Social: student - student

27. What kinds of activities can be held in virtual classrooms?

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Conferences, seminars, workshops

Training sessions

Meetings (much more cost effective than teleconferencing)

28. Is this the classroom of the future?