January Meeting: Backchannel Chat and Today's Meet

January Meeting

Backchannel Chat/ TodaysMeet

When: Wednesday 1/13/15  (From 2:30 to 3:30)
Where: Room 018 @ Mason Middle School
What: We will be looking at "Backchannel Chat" and "TodaysMeet"

Meeting Summary:
Technology gives us the chance to connect our students in ways that we have never been able to before.  With the right tools, we can instantly share materials with students and students can instantly share resources with each other.  We can take a pulse of the class in seconds and we can adjust our instruction as needed. The two tools we will be discussing in our January meeting will both give teachers and students a new way to communicate in the classroom.

Backchannel Chat: This tool is a chat room that can run in class any time the teacher wants students to share ideas or resources.  It is also much more.  Once students are in the chat, the teacher can send out quick polls to gauge understanding.  The teacher can easily send videos, links to documents, images, or any other media that needs to be shared.  With permission from the teacher, students can post and share information.  It works seamlessly and provides students with the opportunity to engage with their classmates in a new way.  Groups share with other groups, students can share with other students, and it is all done in a safe moderated environment.  The chat can even automatically shut down when the teacher leaves.  Check it out by clicking the link below!

BackChannel Chat about Backchannel Chats!

Today's Meet is another useful tool for quick and easy backchannel conversations in the classroom.  It is very limited in terms of features, but can be set up quickly (in about a minute) and used any time you need a quick way for kids to communicate on the computers. Check it out at Todaysmeet.com.