Overview In this tutorial you will be introduced to: forums chat, including both text chat and video chat web conferencing.
Forums Forums allow you to leave a message in your own time. Other people then read and respond to your message in their own time. It’s a great tool for online learning, because it allows you time to think and formulate your response before you send it. Reading and posting of messages is usually via a website but some give you the option of reading and posting via .
Forum threads Web forums are also known as threaded discussions as they allow for the history or ‘thread’ of discussions on a topic to be recorded. Forum systems you may use in your learning include: Janison Moodle Webboard.
Chat In a chat session everyone is logged on at the same time, and can have a conversion as if they are in the same room. In fact, it's often called a 'chat room'. It is ideal for group projects if you're not able to meet face-to- face. Text chat has been around for many years – you simply type your message and other people see it immediately. A newer form of chat that is becoming popular on the Internet is voice chat.
Text chat You type a message in the chat room and it is displayed on the screen of everyone participating in the same chat. This is the most simple form of chat and is ideal if you are on a slow (dialup) Internet connection. Text chat systems you may use in your learning include: Janison Moodle Webboard Adobe Connect.
Voice chat In a voice chat you have a headset with a microphone and when you talk everyone else in the chat room can hear you. You will need a fast (broadband) Internet connection and a headset with microphone. It uses a technology called Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP. Voice chat systems you may use include: Adobe Connect Skype Yahoo Messenger These systems above also allow you to connect a webcam so the other people can see you. - links to voice chat software [ web link not working? ] web link not working?
Web conferencing In a web conference you sit at your own computer and interact with other people using a combination of voice, video and text. You can also share and discuss whiteboards, documents, PowerPoint presentations or videos. The web conferencing system used in TAFE NSW is called Adobe Connect demonstrations of web conferencing in Adobe Connect [ web link not working? ] web link not working?
Learning with web conferencing Some ways that you may use web conferencing in your TAFE course are: attend online discussions forums, classes or tutorials listen to guest speakers who could be anywhere in the world make online presentations to your class using PowerPoint or other programs work with other students on a group project use a whiteboard for brainstorming and discussion view recorded sessions for content review after lessons are finished, or if you miss a lesson.
Summary and follow up Summary In this tutorial you were introduced to: forums chat, including both text chat and video chat web conferencing. Follow up Close this window then: listen to the interviews with teachers on forums, web conferencing and ‘netiquette’ try the activities under the ‘Try it’ tab.