Chat

The CHAT tool allows participants to have a real-time synchronous discussion via the web. This is a useful way to get different understanding of each other and the topic being discussed - the mode of using a chat room is quite different from the asynchronous forums. The Chat activity contains a number of features for managing and reviewing chat discussions. To add the Chat activity, click on the Add an activity from the drop down menu on the topic/week where you want to place it and click on Chat.

Adding a new Chat page will open:

• Type the name of your Chat room in the Name of this chat room field.
• Type the introduction or any instruction for your student in the Introduction text field. This text supports formatting (bold, underline, etc.) using the toolbar. Whatever you type here will appear on the chat room’s introductory screen.
• Next chat time - This is to advertise to students when to enter the chat room. Students may enter the chat room before the scheduled time, but this is useful to organize the start of a chat session.
• Repeat sessions - This sets whether or not to announce when the chat room will be in session. If you choose to announce the “opening” time, you can choose whether it is a one-time chat event, a daily event, or a weekly event. You have different options:

o Don’t publish any chat times

o No repeats - publish the specified time only

o At the same time every day

o At the same time every week

• From the Save past sessions drop down menu you can decide how long a chat room should be archived (from two days to “never delete messages”).

Note: To save server space don’t keep sessions you do not need.

• Everyone can view past sessions - This sets if students can see past chat sessions (the teacher can always see past “archived” sessions regardless of this setting).

Note: There should be a 5-minute break between two sessions to save them separately; otherwise the system will consider them as one session.

• If you are not using groups in your course keep the No groups option as default in the Group mode drop down menu. If you are using groups, you have two options:

o Separate groups - each group can only see their own group members, others are invisible.

o Visible groups - each group works in their own group, but can also see other groups

• Grouping: Keep the default which is No.
• Available for group members only Keep this option deselected.
• To hide the Chat activity from your students select Hide from the Visible drop down menu otherwise keep it Show.
• ID Number: Setting an ID number provides a way of identifying the activity for grade calculation purposes. If the activity is not included in any grade calculation then the ID number field can be left blank.
• Grade Category: you will only have one category if you did not create categories yet.
• Click on Save and Display button to create the Chat activity.