Category: Chat
Note: This workshop will be offered at a later date. Please watch for further announcements.
L&S LSS presents a workshop open to instructors in the College of Letters & Science on WiscChat, an instant messaging service that can be utilized simply with a web browser or with a chat client.
Both workshop sessions are identical and will cover hands-on technical
skills as well as a discussion of possible uses, advantages and
limitations of the tool (e.g. instruction, online office hours, student
collaboration, pandemic planning, etc.).
Wiscchat can be an effective way to easily incorporate groupchat into your course activities. It is important to plan carefully for groupchat activities. You may find smaller groups more effective. Ground rules can also make the chat more effective.
To keep non-rostered participants from entering the chatroom, we suggest that you use a private chatroom for any groupchat class activities.
A great chat, like any lesson, requires some planning
beforehand, some good decisions during the class, and a little help
from your friends at each step along the way. After observing a number
teachers lead successful chats, we’ve compiled this list of tips on
both teaching and technology, to help you make your chat sessions
great.
For several years, LSS has been helping language students “chat” their way to a more extensive and spontaneous vocabulary in their chosen language. Students regularly use chat and instant messaging (IM) for recreation, so it can be a struggle to repurpose this sort of communication method for instruction.