Come join my class in chat!!

[UrsulasShadow]

I know that this was meant for the students to learn something, but it really taught me something as well.

Especially with the second class, I could see many of them were getting frustrated with it, and I think it was Frank who said, "this is stupid". The funny thing is, when I look at it through an outsider's or newbie's eyes, it really is a pretty ineffectual way of communicating information and ideas. I liken it to stirring endlessly through the chowder just to get a few nuggets of clam. It just isn't an effective way to communicate between large numbers of people.

However, in our case, I see it not as a tool for communication, but more a tool for socialization. What I do see is that the more familiar we are to the group, the more likely that our particular communications will be noticed and responded to. It actually tends to reinforce our particular social hierarchy. No matter how hard we try to be welcoming and fair, people that are new to the chat group tend to get overlooked much more than oh, say, Kevin. It's just that you need to put filters on what you view and respond to, in order to get anything at all out of chat. And just about everyone has Kevin in their filter.

If you come into this with no filter settings at all, it looks just like gibberish. I noticed some of the students developing filters very rapidly, responding primarily to their own social group, and many of them pretty much giving up trying to figure out what those outside of their group were trying to ask and say.

I'm not sure what lessons the students came away with, other than "chat is stupid".

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

I know that this was meant for the students to learn something, but it really taught me something as well.

Especially with the second class, I could see many of them were getting frustrated with it, and I think it was Frank who said, "this is stupid". The funny thing is, when I look at it through an outsider's or newbie's eyes, it really is a pretty ineffectual way of communicating information and ideas. I liken it to stirring endlessly through the chowder just to get a few nuggets of clam. It just isn't an effective way to communicate between large numbers of people.

However, in our case, I see it not as a tool for communication, but more a tool for socialization. What I do see is that the more familiar we are to the group, the more likely that our particular communications will be noticed and responded to. It actually tends to reinforce our particular social hierarchy. No matter how hard we try to be welcoming and fair, people that are new to the chat group tend to get overlooked much more than oh, say, Kevin. It's just that you need to put filters on what you view and respond to, in order to get anything at all out of chat. And just about everyone has Kevin in their filter.

If you come into this with no filter settings at all, it looks just like gibberish. I noticed some of the students developing filters very rapidly, responding primarily to their own social group, and many of them pretty much giving up trying to figure out what those outside of their group were trying to ask and say.

I'm not sure what lessons the students came away with, other than "chat is stupid".

Great observations Mindy.

As somewhat of an outsider (No PCC 1.0/2.0, No DAP), I still find it challenging to keep up in chat. Sometimes it's just as enjoyable just to sit and watch you all chat.

 

[Hollie]

Wish I could have joined! Stupid job!

 

[WDWtraveler27]

so how did it go? by mindy's post i assume things did not go to their full potential.

 

[disneydreamgirl]

I'm so sorry I didn't make it...I had serious computer/connection issues today and just finally got back up and running. Thank God for Eduardo at Bell who stuck with me through the entire ordeal! Our computer is over six years old and I think it may be on its last legs...I see a new computer in our extremely near future. The prospect of that makes me nervous because I don't even know where to start!!! Again, so sorry that I didn't make it!

 

[DavidandLeahZ]

I know that this was meant for the students to learn something, but it really taught me something as well.

Especially with the second class, I could see many of them were getting frustrated with it, and I think it was Frank who said, "this is stupid". The funny thing is, when I look at it through an outsider's or newbie's eyes, it really is a pretty ineffectual way of communicating information and ideas. I liken it to stirring endlessly through the chowder just to get a few nuggets of clam. It just isn't an effective way to communicate between large numbers of people.

However, in our case, I see it not as a tool for communication, but more a tool for socialization. What I do see is that the more familiar we are to the group, the more likely that our particular communications will be noticed and responded to. It actually tends to reinforce our particular social hierarchy. No matter how hard we try to be welcoming and fair, people that are new to the chat group tend to get overlooked much more than oh, say, Kevin. It's just that you need to put filters on what you view and respond to, in order to get anything at all out of chat. And just about everyone has Kevin in their filter.

If you come into this with no filter settings at all, it looks just like gibberish. I noticed some of the students developing filters very rapidly, responding primarily to their own social group, and many of them pretty much giving up trying to figure out what those outside of their group were trying to ask and say.

I'm not sure what lessons the students came away with, other than "chat is stupid".

Mindy - those are some of the same things I pulled out during our "debriefing." Those that thought it was "stupid" still made decisions on what to respond to and what to ignore. I did have a talk with my students afterwards about how disappointed I was in the way some of them acted. What was interesting was, even some who started off saying, "this is a waste of time," actually ended up enjoying it near the end once they got the hang of it.

The application I tried to pull out (like teeth it seemed) was that; just like when we first meet someone in face-to-face interactions, we are uncomfortable in deciding what to ask, share, etc. What we did/will discuss is: how is that process altered when the computer mediates that interaction/communication.

I am truly sorry to everyone who may have been offended/disrespected by my students. I'm trying to do my best to expose them to the world of online communities other than Facebook....it's just happening in baby steps.
Thanks for being patient - hopefully it will bear fruit with at least one student. (in fact - one student from last year's class is now a regular podcast listener).

- Dave

 

[Renysmom]

Dave - Don't apologize... I did find it very interesting on how the interacted with us.. Several asked our age, asked where we worked etc. and even when they found out we were adults they interacted/spoke to us as they would with their friends.. I think for you that is a huge talking point as the world really is headed to a more web based communication in the business world and you have to learn how to present yourself in an entire new way when speaking via the web instead of in person.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I agree. I wouldn't apologize for them. It was a new and unfamiliar situation for them, and I didn't see that they were acting hurtfully...more defensively, if anything.

I hope they come back sometime on their own, if so inclined, and give it a shot now that they know what to expect. I'd bet that they'd get more out of it a second time around. Maybe something for extra credit...

 

[kafitty]

well...they were definitely freshman.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

Good morning Dave. Thanks for inviting us to participate. I thought it was interesting, and had a really good conversation with Geoff in the second class. Since we were PMing, I couldn't pay as much attention to the entire group chat.

Thanks for coming on and debriefing us too. It's great to hear what some of the goals of your class were, the reactions of the students, etc. Make me feel like I'm getting a free communications class too. Thanks!

 

[wuv tigger]

THANKS for "making" them go somewhere in cyberspace other than Facebook.

It sounds like it went well.

Maybe get a few new disers out of it.