Time Zones
Should more than one synchronous chats be offered to accommodate students in various parts of the world?
Stephanie:
Assuming that an Instructor has to time to schedule Chats across Time Zones, what would your answer be to your Question?
Satrohan
I think it would be more efficient to conduct an asynchronous chat (or mulitple ones) vs. a synchronous one.
Stephanie:
Asynchronous Discussions will certainly be better for exchange of information among groups of students across time zones. When dealing with students across time zones, Synchronous Chats with individuals or small groups of students may be feasible. Question for you.
Assume that you have students in Canada, Bengal, Guyana, Grenada, Colombia, and Brazil. You have scheduled a Synchronous Chat session with these students. What do you think can hinder some students' participation in these your Chat session?
Satrohan
Having reviewed this module and to follow-up on a prior posting of mine, I now see quite a few downfalls of the synchronous chat methodology. To answer your question, the obvious dilemma with performing a synchronous chat session scheduled with individuals in different time zones is just that...DIFFERENT TIMES.
Perhaps using a hybrid form of chatting(Synchronous/Asynchronous) and/or a "Group within a Group" approach (based on similar timezones) might be a viable solution??
Gregory:
In my opinion, the recommendation you have made in the second paragraph is worthwhile.
Satrohan
Performing a synchronous chat session with indiviudals in different time zones would be difficult to achieve, especially since online training is now global.
I'm visualizing Greg's suggestion of using a hybrid form of chatting in which both synchronous and asynchronous discussions are used. It could work if students and/or project teams were in or near similiar time zones.
I think this could be ideal, a bit like old-school chat rooms where the chat runs in real time, but continues to exist even when people are not in the room. As students sign on, they could chat with those who are in the room with them, or if noone is in the room, they could read through the earlier chats and add comments of their own for others to read and comment upon at a later time.
I honestly don't know if such a thing even exists any more.
Lisa,
Yes, they exist - but most of the time the interactions are setup as only synchronous or asynchronous, and not a combination.
Best,
Jon
We live in a global environment. The beauty of having the internet is the ability to communicate in real time across time zones instantaneously. An opportunity to participate in a chat session should be offered accomodating the time zones in which the most students preside. If students outside of that time zone do not wish to participate because it's inconvenient it is okay. A asynchronous chat should also be available when this situation occurs.
Hi Stephanie -
I offer different times for chat in my online courses - based on time differences w/in the US - although I do have a few students in my courses from outside of the US.
I personally feel that if we, as educators and facilitators are going to offer the best we can to our online students, then we need to be able to offer it when it's the best for the student - as best as it can be within reason.
Offering an open chat at 11:00 AM EST on Satuday would mean that for my students in India it would be 9:29 PM - and perhaps not the best time to "chat".
Just some thoughts!
Thanks,
Toni
I would agree that synchronous chat may be more convenient given time zone differences but I don't know about more efficient.
Again, it depends upon the purpose behind the chat. If it is for a project that can be done over the span of several days/weeks, then asynchronous is fine. However, if the discussion benefits students in the "now" (i.e. discussing key points in a chapter) then synchronous chats would be more beneficial.
Of course, with all this being said, a time that is agreeable by all should be established. No time is going to work for everyone but the instructor, as a facilitator, should do their best to make the chat so that most-if not all-of the students can participate.
Will,
Yes, it is harder to make real-time work, so if you do, it should really be something that is helpful to the students.
Best,
Jon
I agree that the user's perspective and environment should be considered; especially when participants are in multiple time zones. For this type of circumstance, it makes better sense to employ asynchronous chat (perhaps with a deadline for replies) to encourage all students to participate.
Good point - multiple times are difficult, and you need to accommodate students. - Jon
