Synch and swim nsw det_final

SYNCH AND SWIM:

Conducting Effective Teaching/Training in a Virtual Classroom

Michael CoghlanNewLearning

9/12/14

AGENDA

• The nature of the live online environment

• Synchronous v Asynchronous communication

• Creating interactive environments live online

• Skills of the live online presenter

PERSONALISE THE

EXPERIENCE

WHO’S ONLINE TODAY?

WHERE ARE YOU?

WHERE ARE YOU?

WHERE ARE YOU?

The Andes Egypt Buenos Aires

Cape Town London NY

Hawaii IndiaAustralia

WHY THESE INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES?

TO CAM OR NOT TO CAM?

USE OF WEBCAMS

• Use your webcam (or at least show a picture) briefly at the start of the session as part of the introduction

• Have participants do the same if they have them, if they want to, and if bandwidth allows

• Unless you’re all on the NBN (or other high speed network) I recommend you then turn off webcams to conserve bandwidth, but it is a personal choice.

Establish ‘Modus Operandi’ (Ground Rules)

for the session

• Questions/Comments: any time?

Throughout session? At the end? In

text chat? Via voice? Using

the hands-up tool?

• How will you handle the

text chat? Will you use a co-

moderator?

MAKING YOUR PRESENCE FELT

Poll Question:

Are you

A) In your office?

B) In a computer suite?

C) At home?

D) Other?

MULTIPLE VENUE

PRESENTATIONS

(MVPs)

remote students guest

lecturer

CLASSROOM/

F2F VENUE

publicspace

MVPs: Implications

Participants can be in a variety of

locations:

• F2f classroom, lecture theatre

• PC suite

• Office (at work)

• Home office/study

• Other (café, beach)

SYNCHRONOUS ASYNCHRONOUS

What is synchronous/asynchronous

communication?

• SYNCHRONOUS (real time) eg f2f

conversation, telephone calls, text chat,

Instant Messaging

• ASYNCHRONOUS – some delay between

initial communication and the reply eg

letters, email, forums, Facebook newsfeed

Asynch

Synch

Oral Written

Minimalist; rapid (evolving)

COMMUNICATION AXIS

Spontaneous;dialogue

Reflective Structured;expository

COMMUNICATION AXIS

Most classroom communications take place here

New – have been enabled by technology (only happen online)

QUICK POLL

IT IS IMPORTANT TO SPELL

CORRECTLY IN TEXT CHAT

AGREE OR DISAGREE?

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typoglycemia for more

PURPOSE?

• a presentation tool?

• a collaboration tool?

DISADVANTAGES (-)ADVANTAGES (+)

DISADVANTAGES (-)ADVANTAGES (+)

TEXT CHAT

ACTIVITY

How to improve

the VET in Schools

experience in NSW

schools...

Use the text chat to make suggestions on....

TRACKING THE BACK CHANNEL

CC image: Dean Shareski

Impact for Participants

Advantages Disadvantages

Impact for Participants

Advantages Disadvantages

• Audience is more engaged• You don’t have to wait till the end of a presentation to ask questions or comment• Can communicate with other people in the room about issues raised in the presentation• Provides you with an archive of the presentation (note taking)

• May miss some points while writing commentary, responding to other backchannellers• Is mentally very taxing• May start to stray off-topic (what’s for lunch? How are the kids? Etc)• Opportunity to make negative remarks about the speaker

Impact for Speaker/PresenterAdvantages Disadvantages

Impact for Speaker/PresenterAdvantages Disadvantages

• Can get real time feedback from audience• Can ensure that you are meeting audience needs/answering urgent questions• Promotes greater level of engagement• a listener may elaborate on something you’re saying (eg add more information about a theory, post a URL, suggested a related blog, etc)• May get positive feedback from audience as it happens• Models a new way of teaching/presenting that is less teacher-centric and more network-centric

• May appear as if many are not paying attention• Your audience has access to a ‘critical channel’• Your thoughts may be communicated to an audience for whom they were not intended• Can be overwhelming to keep track of (may require working in tandem with a moderator)

QUICK POLL –

ENCOURAGE

PARTICIPANTS TO USE

TEXT CHAT?

YES OR NO?

TAKE A BREAK??

DESIGNING FOR INTERACTION

examples of this in this session?

Skills of the Live Online Presenter

• Golden Rule: 6-8 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:// michaelcoghlan.net/fll/blog.htm#skills

RESOURCE

See the wiki at http://synchfacilitation.wikispaces.com/

Contact Details

MICHAEL COGHLAN

http://michaelcoghlan.net

e: michaelc@chariot.net.au