Those are great tips Lydia! Thanks for sharing them with the group.
Hi Dr. Ernst,
I often go over upcoming assignments thoroughly in my chats and I announce that we will be discussing the assignment and any issues or questions. I think this increases attendance. Also, it makes students feel compelled to listen to the archived chats.
One suggestion I would make is providing students with key information that you only provide in the live chat room. But be sure to tell students they will only receive this key information on the live chats.
Are there any other suggestions for Ashley?
The majority of students who choose to attend online classes do so because of the asynchronous nature of most online classes. When you introduce a synchronous component, such as a live chat or a webinar, you undermine the primary advantage of online learning. So, it's not surprising that students wouldn't participate. I have students spread all around the world, so I can't imagine what a headache it would be to try to coordinate chat sessions.
