Created by Arlene Cianelli

Learning to Use Chat Rooms

 

Learning Level: STAFF (Can be adapted for ABE/GED)

Background Knowledge: Basic understanding of Internet use.

Time Needed for Activity: 1 hour

Materials Needed:

·        Computers with Internet access and some form of chat capability.

·        Handouts

Objectives:

·        To provide an introduction to using chat rooms.

·        To create awareness of chat as a communication tool for education

             and staff development

Procedures: Distribute handout of chat room etiquette and emoticons.

·        Lead group through process of connecting and logging in to your chosen chat room. (mylanders.com, empty rooms in AOL, Excite, or Yahoo are good places to look. Some chat rooms require Java capability; some are html based only. Practice logging into chat rooms on the computers you’ll be using before the chat instruction date.)

·        Explain that, as moderator, the instructor will type in CAPS.

·        Present first chat question--something short like favorite food, sport, flower, color. Have participants type response, then post message one at a time to see how the process takes place.

·        Next ask an open-ended question, like What is your greatest joy as an educator? This time participants post when finished typing. It should look a little more confusing this time, given varying typing speeds and accuracy, etc.

·        Move on to another question, like What is your greatest challenge as an educator? Remind participants that it is poor netiquette to keep belaboring a previous question after the moderator has moved on.

·        Post a third question, like What are some other issues you face as a educator? Encourage participants to post as many comments as they like and to respond to other participants’ postings.

·        After finishing the chat, discuss how chatting might be useful as a staff communication tool.

·        Immediate interaction from many locations

·        Inexpensive conferencing tool

·        No travel time or expense

·        Wear what you want

·        Group brainstorms other uses

·        Announce a weekly chat time. Brainstorm list of topics. Ask for volunteers to serve as moderators. Set up a time and address for the chat.

Evaluation: Evaluation will take place over the next few weeks as learners demonstrate they can use chat independently as both participants and moderators.

Chat Room Netiquette

1. Only the moderator should type in capital letters so participant can easily notice the questions. Anyone else typing in CAPS will be considered very RUDE because CAPS are the online form of SHOUTING. On the other hand, if you intend to SHOUT...

2. Please stay on the topic and move on when the moderator posts a new question. To post off-topic is considered to be a form of spamming (not a good thing).

3. If you’re joining a chat that is already in progress, lurk for a while until you can understand what the discussion is about. When joining an established, ongoing forum, lurk for several sessions until you can get a sense of the group’s culture and identify its leaders. Post only when you have something relevant to say, and say it respectfully.

4. Don’t send instant messages to people you know are newbies--it scares them. Give them a chance to get confident with group chats first.

5. Keep it short. Be brief. Don’t type a book. Get it?

6. Werk no yuor typiong ski lls.

 

Net-cronyms and Emoticons

from The Web magazine (www.webmagazine.com)

 

AFK    away from the keyboard                       :-)                     :-O                   8(:-)

BAK    back at the keyboard                            smiley face        surprised          I’m a propeller head

BCNU be seeing you                                                                                                   

BRB     be right back

FWIW for what it’s worth                                :-@                  :(                      :-(         >:->                 :D

GMTA great minds think alike              screaming         frowning           sad       angry                laughing           

IMHO  in my humble opinion

LOL     laughing out loud

PMJI    pardon me for jumping in                      8-)                   B:-)                  :-?                                :P

ROTF rolling on the floor                                  wearing            sunglasses         licking my lips               sticking my

RSN    real soon now                                       sunglasses         on head                                                tongue out

TAT     turnaround time

TPTB   the powers that be

TTFN  ta-ta for now                                       :-&                   :*                     :**                               ;-)

WB      welcome back                                      tongue-tied       kiss                  returning kiss                winking

WTG   way to go

YMMV your mileage may vary (value to user may vary)

WYSIWYG what you see is what you get                                 ()                      ((()))                             :-#

thx                    humble thanks                           :/)                     Hug                  Lots of Hugs                 My lips are sealed

THX                BIG Thanks                              not funny