Journal 3

Keep Them Chatting

Cole, Jeanie (February 09). Keep them Chatting. Learning and Leading with Technology, 36, Retrieved February 17, 2009, from http://www.learningandleading/- digital.com/learning_leading/200902

Jeanie Cole’s article on ways to keep students interested and participating in online learning through collaborative chatting and research offers encouraging ways to incite pertinent conversation. As in everything we do, a good foundation outlining the objectives and desired outcomes is critical. Cole urges teachers to select questions that force their students to collaborate online. She offers examples of the types of questions that have proven to be successful, as well as the results. Since the students’ work is viewed and compared by other students they tend to be more motivated and take ownership of their assignments.


How do teachers maintain a cohesive and robust discussion on assignments via chatting and message boards?

Selecting a topic that students may relate to is the first step in getting them interested in researching the assignment. Asking open ended questions to get them started is a critical component in the process. This may take added effort for the teacher, however the end result will be more enthusiastic participation for the group of students. Collaboration is critical to teach our students, since when they become working adults most projects involve collaborative efforts.

Why use online discussions rather than traditional in class discussions?

The digital world has opened up a wealth of perspectives as it relates to sharing and broadening critical thinking. It offers a vehicle to other cultures and societies that offers other views of the same subject.