Analyzing Chat Excerpts

and Looking for Ways to Improve

Conducting a successful chat is an art that takes time, planning, and practice. You want to bring everyone into the conversation and make sure that one or two people do not monopolize the chat with their individual agenda causing others to feel left out. You also need to monitor those with a tendency to lurk. Lurkers sit in the background "saying" little or nothing. It is hard to tell if they are involved in the chat or not. Including all participants in a chat is just like including all of your students in a classroom discussion. You have to watch who is chatting and who isn't. Try to balance the chat by asking questions to the person who is quiet and drawing him into the chat as a more active participant.

What is even more challenging is facilitating and guiding the participants in developing their projects. Often you need to give feedback that is not all positive, and ask participants to stretch and revise their work. This needs to be done with a great deal of tact in all situations. No one likes to hear these types of comments, but participants realize this is a step in the process of learning.

Sometimes participants react poorly to these comments. We would like you to read the two samples of the chats below. Don't linger on what the participant says, but instead focus on ways to improve the questions the facilitator asks and the directions she gives.

In this excerpt Pete the participant begins by telling Kathy (the facilitator) his project proposal. Pete apparently is very wedded to his idea and is reluctant to change. Notice how other participants interact in the discussion.

 

Pete: I basically want to have the students study an area of the USA by a simulated trip by family car through the area. I would sit down with the students and decide what info about the various state areas they wished to find out. I would use Yahoo for maps as they plan their trip.

Kathy:  How are you going to structure the authentic task or problem?

Kathy:  How are you going to get the kids to need to use the maps on Yahoo?

Gina:  Pete, have you ever viewed NCREL's Are You There Yet? The project is very similar?

Pete:  The task would be to arrive at a student-selected destination based on the
knowledge gleamed from the Net on where or what they want to see and do.

Kathy:  Try to keep in mind that they need to have a task or problem to solve to guide their journey.

Gina:  Perhaps you can provide them with a budget for travel to make it authentic.

Gina:  Then have the students help plan family trip.

Pete:  I already said that the students would help plan the trip.

Kathy:  Why are the students planning the trip?

Kathy:  What task are they accomplishing or problem are they solving?

Pete:  The students could (if they choose) report on the land forms they pass through,
the industry and recreation areas they pass, etc.

Pete:  They are utilizing planning skills, budget skills, cooperative learning skills and
life skills by planning this family vacation trip.

Kathy:  Those are good components to your plan. But the bottom line is that they haven't been given a need to gather this information. You have suggested it, but they don't need to do this for a task. How can we create the need?

Molly:  Maybe maps need to be updated. Could students update maps?

Kathy:  Are you suggesting that AAA has hired them?

Molly:  Yes.

Pete:  Not in 4th grade, Molly.

Gina:  Why not?

Molly:  Oh, live on the edge, Pete.

Kathy:  Sure--you could build on the task. Why couldn't AAA hire students to create trips for kids their age?

Molly:  I like it.

Gina:  Maybe find a mentor from the AAA.

Molly:  I'm excited.

Kathy:  I am not saying this is what you have to do. But, I am trying to help you think of a way to make it engaging and allow for student-directed learning. The kids will let you know through their plans what they need to do.

Pete is very quiet for the remainder of the class. The next time he speaks is to say goodnight.

Meg is going to discuss best use of technology and student direction for her project. Kathy tries to guide her and ask questions to help her refocus her ideas so she will be closer to the project goals.

Kathy: Tonight's chat will focus on developing our proposals. We want to pay special attention to best use of technology and student direction in the project.

Let's take turns sharing our proposal ideas. Meg, would you like to start?

Meg: Our task requires the students to investigate different regions of the United States. The students are going to use the Internet to learn about the different states.
 
Steve: I saw same really good sites set up by the Chamber of Commerce in Atlanta, Georgia. I bet that other cities would have good sites from their city organizations as well.
 
Jay: Are you going to let the kids find these sites or are you going to post the links for them?
 
Meg: My first thought is to have them use my sites. I want them to be safe sites.
 
Steve: I agree. I don't want to lose my job over a student picking an inappropriate site. Fourth and fifth graders don't have the ability to pick a good site yet.
 
Kathy: I understand your concern. Many 4th-5th grade students are more capable than you might realize. Rather than just using the Internet as a research tool, have you thought of collaborating with other classrooms in different regions of the U.S. to gather information?
 
Meg: That sound good, but where can I find other classrooms? That sounds like more work.
 
Jay: The kids could exchange information about the regions through e-mail. They would have more student direction that way too.
 
Steve: You wouldn't have to worry about "bad" sites that way, but are you sure you will get reliable information?
 
Kathy: The information on the Internet is only as reliable as the source. Is there any way you could use experts or mentors?
 
Meg: Now my project is getting too big and too hard! These ideas are easy for you to say but hard for me to do!
 
Kathy: Meg, don't panic. Be aware of the possibilities for your students. Keep in mind that the students need to make decisions about their learning. How will they be able to guide or direct the task? How will you use the Internet as more than an encyclopedia? How will you include mentors or collaboration with other classrooms in an authentic way?
 
Meg: Give me a little think time. I need some time to let your ideas sink into my head. Let's talk about someone else's idea.
 
Kathy: Meg, thanks for going first and listening to our suggestions. Steve, let's talk about your project. How are you including best use of technology?

 

Kathy:  Since no one has turned in the final copy of the proposal, I know you are still refining. How can we help each other work through the rough spots?

Todd:  I am concerned about the forced issue of student-lead process at early developmental levels. Many ages are not ready for total responsibility for their learning.

Todd:  But I 'm getting feedback that I must have the kids lead this.

Todd:  This cannot be the blind leading the blind and I have built in many student choices.

Kathy:  That is what engaged learning is all about. Kids need to "need" or want to accomplish the task.

Todd:  So far it seems that I am not meeting the class requirements.

Kathy:  Why do you think you are not meeting the class requirements, Todd?

Todd:  I get that part but they need more guidance the first times.

Todd:  . . . because of the feedback on my proposal.

Kathy:  The feedback on your proposal is merely to guide you in creating an authentic task or real-life problem that sets the stage for student engagement in the learning process.

Todd:  You told me to "Make it broader . . . How do students feel plugged in? Why would they want to study Native Americans?"-- They want to study Native Americans because the curriculum says they must and their grade depends on it.

Tina has joined.

Tina:  Sorry I skipped out. I am back and have my proposals in front of me now.

Kathy:  Again, those questions were phrased to help you create the authentic task or real-life problem.

Todd:  In my opinion research is authentic and the kids love this topic.

Kathy:  Have you looked at some of the examples that other students have created?

Melanie:  Hi, I'm finally here, but only sporadically.

Kathy:  What are the engaged learning indicators according to Pluggin In?

Kathy:  Welcome, Melanie.

Todd:  I have read every one of the ten best projects and every section of each and feel that I am on track. But enough of this . . . I will work it out and take my lumps. Let's hear from others .

 

How to Monitor a Chat

Analyzing an Annotated Chat