Addressing Time Zone and other differences
I am in a situation where I have students in three time zones. Does anyone have suggestions for synchronous discussion or chat sessions that would best include all of the students?
Thank you,
Jennie
Janis,
That's the way to go. Good use of the platform.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
I have students that cover all the time zones. I find that when I have to have a synchronous discussion I try to make it in the evening when the time zone farthest away can get there right after work. I also make sure that the chats are archived so the students can listen to them at their leisure and send me questions through the email
I might consider tallying up every person in a different time zone and sending them an email reminder explaining the time difference. This will go a long way in helping keep students on track. I can imagine this can be a huge barrier for some students and I would want to do as much as I could to help them overcome it.
You are absolutely correct Lisa! Making sure everyone is clear on when an assignment is due, including time zone, is very important. That is one of the things you don't need to worry about when teaching residentially but certainly do teaching online.
Time zones are always a tricky factor when setting up live chat sessions, it's very important that everyone is aware of when assignments need to be turned in and when chat's sessions are being held. To make sure there's no confusion it's important that instructors have open communication with students in regards to class time zones.
Jennie-
I think if seminars are mandated by the institution as part of the course requirements then students should be told upfront when their seminar meets. This way a student can choose which class to take. The same way a residential student chooses his/her class schedule.
If it is not required, then perhaps first find out who is interested and when they are available.
Kathryn
Cathleen:
Thank you for sharing this experience with us.
Satrohan
Hi Jennie,
I also have students in many time zones. I organize the classes based on which time the teacher has picked for their Office hours or class time.
I assign students in other countries and timezones to times that the teaches have picked that work for them.
For example, A teacher who picks a late morning PST time (lets' say 11:00 am PST) for their class time gets assinged alot of European students because that puts the class at 8-9 pm their time.
This is very effective.
Robert:
The arrangement you have is the best I know of.
Satrohan
A classroom chat session is scheduled once a week (Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. CST) and students are encouraged to attend. I think it is impossible to have a live chat session with all of your students in different time zones that would be convenient to all. This type of scheduled meeting with students works for the class I teach. Students always have the archive to read later to see what subjects were discussed. It's not perfect, but it serves my students' needs.
Agree on all counts, Troy. Asynchronous discussions is a better way to explore and share important knowledge than Synchronous Chat sesions. Chat has its benefits if the group is very small. Students can also use the Chat feature for general communication on topics not related to the course content. Chat is an excellent cost-saving way to communicate if long-distance charges are in effect.
Satrohan
I agree with some of the others. Try having 2 different chat sessions. If you have access to forums, this might also be another way to post the question and keep the discussion going while saving the responses for other participants to see. Although it is not live, it might be a solution for more detailed questions.
Alanna:
Please share with us examples of topics addressed in your Chat sessions. Do the discussion of these topics support the intended learning outcomes?
What percentage of students in your class log on to the chat sessions?
What percentage of the students who log on actively participate in the Chat sessions?
What percentage fo students who actively participate make relevant contributions?
Have you ever had to drop any student form an ongoing Chat?
Satrohan
Hello Jennie,
I have the same problem. I have let them know well enough in advance of the day and time of the chat session and for now it has worked because they are able to set a side that time for the chat sessions. I keep it on that night for the remainder of their classes unless something else comes up. It seems to work really well. Every time the students are there they really enjoy all the other students participation.
Paula:
I agree with the manner in whcih you have positioned the utility of Chats versus Asynchronous discussion forums. Teaching content using Chats has a few setbacks unless you are addressing a specific topic with one student or a very small group. I believe you can effectively explore content with a single student at a time. When the group is large, fast typists tend to dominate the Chat session. Moreover, it is more difficult to manage students who deviate from the discussion topic. And finally, evaluating individual student contributions can be a time consuming activity.
Satrohan
Jean,
in having to deal with different time zones for chats can become inconvenient. If the chats are just to energize the topic, getting to know the students or inspire some more discussion about another aspect of the learning experience, then setting up a chat would be helpful. If it is a weekly topic related to the subject matter a discussion forum proves to be the best method because these type of discussions are generally participated in by all the students.
Sylvia:
Time-shifting of Chat sessions is definitely an option if the Instructor's schedule can accommodate this solution. Supplementing the Chat session by placing the topic in the Discussion forum is also a good recommendation. If at all possible, the contents of all chats should be made available to all students.
Satrohan
I agree with you Jean, two different times or even three would work out for all time zones. The topic of discussion can also be placed on the forum for those who are unable to participate in the chat. Are these chats virtual and are you able to capture the actual chats?
Jean:
Scheduling Chat sessions to accommodate different time zones is an appropriate strategy to manage Chat sessions.
The Discussion Forum is usually reserved for asynchronous discussions.
Questions for You
How would you transfer students' contributions to Chat sesions into the Discussion Forums?
How will you share the contributions to Chat sessions for one group of students in one time zone with students in another time zone?
How will you cater for students in one time zone to respond to contributions of students in another time zone?
Satrohan
