Increasing Chat Attendance
I often find that students do not attend the chat sessions live. Through grading assignments I often see that the students who attended live have a higher score than those who do not attend. Where teach chat sessions are not required for students just recommended. I am wondering what are the best techniques to encourage students to attend the chat session live.
Studies have shown that Student success and motivation is shown to be greater in distance-study courses that incorporate communication tools and provide opportunity for dialogue and conversation. However, students require encouragement to take advantage of the communication tools available to them in the online learning environment. In addition, student participation should be encouraged at a level beyond answering questions asked by the instructor. From experience, I agree that most of the students do not attend the chat sessions live.
One way is to encourage students to attend chats is to first post an in-class announcement highlighting the topics that are going to be discussed during the upcoming live chat. Meanwhile, you would structure the chat sessions in a way that questions provide opportunity for discussion among students rather than simply re-statement of textbook content or material that a student can quickly search online and simply “copy & pasteâ€. Also, you need to establish guidelines and etiquette prior to the discussion and establish the topic to be discussed so that off-topic conversation can be addressed.
It has become common practice for instructors to record chat sessions, so after your first “hopefully successful†live chat, in your “in class announcement and highlights†for the upcoming live chat, add few line to encourage students to go over the archives, and invite them to attend the upcoming one. I believe that when the students who did not attend, take time to read the chat’s archives, if they find it interesting, most likely they will try to attend your upcoming chats.
Zak Saleh
Lori,
Very good. It often requires more planning and prep, but is worth it in the end.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
I really like that idea to make it a relaxed atmosphere and make the whole concept fun. I want to make it something they want to take part in.
I like your list here of ideas. I find that students view the archive most of the time mainly because I contribute more information that what's in the book or what they can find online. Still, I like seeing them attend live. Some of it involves scheduling at a convenient time and some of it involves roping them into attending using the ideas you mention.
You know, this is a great point. Even I, an Instructor, am more prone to review/attend faculty presentations that accrue points toward my evaluations. -- These online students are here because they need to crunch their already busy lives into a type of "ROI" venue. I will bring this notion to my faculty advisor for a great discussion topic. Thank you.
OHHHHHH, this is really good! Coersive by good. lol.
Sonya,
I like that approach as well. It may work if the students participate. Some I believe just do the assignments and get it done. They don't want to participate or they can't because of other reasons.
Thanks!
Providing key info in a live chat may work, but I have to record my sessions so the students will get that if they listen to the recordings. I guess that could be useful so the students will at least listen to the recordings.
I have had live chat sessions before where I included information that would not normally be posted in the forum format. However, I noted when the chat session started that I would post the log to a forum. Once the chat session was over, I allowed those who had not attended to contribute to the chat log forum in order to get their participation. In this way I tried to serve both those that wanted/needed direct interaction and those who's schedules would not allow them to be available.
Errin:
That sounds like a good idea . but I'm concerned that some students may complain ( especially if they don't do weel ) about the equality of those options.
oy R.
It is true that students who attend Live Chats do better in the course in my estimation.
Unfortunately it appears that the only way to increase attendance would be to "require" ( point accumulation) attendance at a certain percentage of the Live Chats (let's say 7 out of 10 ) That way students are still free to miss 3 if their priorities suddenly change.
Roy R.
This is an ongoing problem in my classes as well. I often do most of the things that have been mentioned previously. I go over my assignments thoroughly, provide them with tips and even offer a small extra credit assignment. I have seen attendance in chats increase, but it's not even close to 50% of the class.
I may do a quick survey of students and why they do/do not attend Live Chats. I'm also planning on revamping my lectures to include more interactive activities.
Another suggestion is to make sure you hold the Live Chats only in the evening. I have definitely seen an increase because of this.
A quiz is an option but I think one of the issues is that the "good" students are the ones that attend the live chats and the students that are struggling are the ones that don't attend. I am not sure a quiz will change that. What do other folks think?
I completely understand that the chat is a synchronous function in an asynchronous atmosphere - however, when the prof spends so much time putting it together and it's meant to enhance their learning - they should at least be required to view the archive - which is NOT live and they can view at any time as part of their class. I have found that the ones that are live online are the ones that do the best on the assignments because I provide tips and tricks for them. I have also found that those that do not come live are the ones who don't even attempt to read the syllabus and requirements for each assignment. It can be very frustrating and could be remedied by requiring them to view the archive. There are ways to place tickers on them so the prof would know if they've viewed it or not. Of course, then it just becomes a clicking game and they go in and click to button to prove they've viewed it. How about a quiz in conjunction with the live chat that would prove that they viewed it? Just a suggestion.
In my classes, I will email my students and let them know that there will be special information given at the end of the chat session that will not be recorded, but will be available for student who are there. I stop recording, but continue to talk and give the students present a little information on the assignment to help them. It may be considered a "bad" way of getting students there, but I have found that the students who will be working will let me know in advance and if they will call me I will give them the extra information. By doing this they are either in chat or have personal contact with me on the phone.
Terry Armentrout
Yes, some of the reasons why students take classes online make things like scheduled/required chat sessions very difficult, just as you point out Walda.
My online students are all over the US so trying to find a time that will fit everyone is just not possible. I have even had students who have been deployed overseas taking classes. Even deadlines are hard for some because of all of the different time zones.
Thank you very much for providing all of us those tips on how to increase the attendance in our online chats Nancy! Terrific ideas!
To increase student attendance in my live chat session I create a relaxed atmosphere in the chat room as well as provide a fun learning environment. I always make sure I cover information in the chat session which students are going to have a desire to engage in and ask questions about. In every chat session I cover vital information for their success in the class. I post announcements reminding of the chat times and also the topics I am going to cover in that chat. I have a good turn out of students in my live chats and my students always say how much they enjoy the information provided in the chat.
