Coordinating Chats
Use these tips when coordinating or moderating chats.
Remember your role as a guide
- Do serve as a guide to discussion and remind the students regularly of the goal of the discussion or lesson. Every now and then you may need to focus the discussion.
- Do not attempt to control or direct the discussion too much. One of the benefits of using chat as a learning tool is it allows the group to have a free-form conversation which may help participants learn from each other or build new ideas and concepts from the original task or discussion materials.
Maintain the flow of conversation
- Every now and then you may have a student who chooses to dominate the conversation. You can divert focus from this student by asking questions or pulling other students into the conversation.
- Continually bring focus to the conversation by gently reminding the group of the goals of the chat.
Have fun
- Students may respond to the chat when there is some evidence of levity or fun.
- Use an ice-breaker if necessary.
- If you are engaging with a group for the first time, spend a few minutes asking questions or prompting sharing that allows the group to get to know each other.