Implementing Weekly Live Chat Sessions with Recordings in eCollege
ABSTRACT
I was already familiar with using Elluminate for weekly live tutoring sessions in Algebra, so when I discovered ClassLive Pro in my Park Quantitative Research Methods and Discrete Mathematics courses, I decided to implement weekly Live Chat sessions in both classes, scheduled at the same time each week. Class Live Pro provides automatic recording and archiving.
BACKGROUND:
PROBLEM OR OPPORTUNITY:
Discrete Mathematics introduces the students to selected finite systems pertinent to the study of computer science.
Quantitative Research Methods is an intermediate level statistics course covering the fundamentals of conducting quantitative research for the social and administrative sciences. The course is organized around a research project on quantitative analysis of data.
I have been teaching Park's online Quantitative Research Methods course (EC315) for several years now and have been relying on my Tutorials and Practice Problems to add my own instructional content to the course. Recently, however, I discovered the Class Live feature in eCollege and decided to start conducting Live Chat sessions for both my EC315 and Discrete Math classes.
ASSIGNMENT, ACTIVITY, COURSE INNOVATION:
ClassLive Pro is Elluminates’ full featured synchronous suite, with video, audio and desktop sharing capabilities. For me, the audio and desktop sharing features are the most important. With my headset microphone, I can lecture freely while demonstrating class material on the Whiteboard or on my desktop, or discussing textbook examples and problems. Students type their questions and comments in the chat feature, so I’m always watching that as the live sessions progress.
STUDENT PERFORMANCE:
These sessions have been well attended (as many as 10 students per session) and students report that they regularly use the recorded archived sessions as well.
REFLECTION
The ClassLive Pro has given me the ability to recapture the in-class live lecture experience and connect directly with students in a way that asynchronous online instruction cannot achieve. A recent unsolicited email from a student testifies to the effectiveness of my Live Chat sessions:
“I just wanted to thank you for the time you take to do the live chat sessions. Although Tuesday nights do not work with my schedule, I have watched the recordings of them, and think they are soooo helpful!! I wish some of my other teachers would have done this. It would of been very beneficial for my first statistics class and my economics classes.... especially seeing how to do all the calculations in Excel. Anyway, I know you don’t have to do this for us, but I just wanted you to know your students appreciate it! :)”
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS:
Application Project: Statistics and Discrete Mathematics
Implementing Weekly Live Chat Sessions with Recordings in eCollege
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