We have a whole range of options for allowing your learners to discuss and share ideas. Below you'll see some advantages, challenges and uses for each of these social tools in iQualify:
Talk channels
In-page discussions
Social notes
Pulses
Online meetings/webinars
Talk channels
Talk channels are classic forum-style chats under Talk in learners' menus. Facilitators and learners can start "threads" or "topics" which others can respond to.
Advantages
Users (learners and facilitators) can reply to others' comments which allows for "threaded" conversations - back and forth between users.
Talk channel posts don't have to be created in the authoring stage and can be added by facilitators as needed throughout the course.
Challenges
Talk channels sit apart from the content (as some posts might be more social in nature than content-related).
You need to consider which channels you're likely to want before you activate the course.
Use for
More complex or higher-level conversations which require back and forth between users.
Announcements or updates that learners need to see as the course progresses.
See Overview of Talk channels for more information on how to set these up.
In-page discussions
In-page discussions appear at the bottom of the page and are built by course authors. Learners are posed a question and can share their thoughts with the group.
Advantages
Content-related discussions can sit right there with the content they relate to.
Learners can engage with the discussion once they get to the right part of the content so it's always at the right time for them.
Users (learners and facilitators) can reply to others' comments which allows for "threaded" conversations - back and forth between users.
Challenges
Discussion questions need to be thought of before the course is activated (as they're added in the authoring stage of course development).
Use for
Sharing ideas about content of a particular page.
Questions where there's a learning benefit in learners seeing either a pattern in the group's responses or a large diversity in responses.
Engaging a learner's prior knowledge.
See How to create a page discussion for more information on how to set these up.
Pulses
Pulses are online polls - they let facilitators take the pulse of their group. Facilitators select how long to run the pulse for – minutes, hours or days. Learners get a notification, and then they can answer the pulse and see the responses under the overview section of the course.
Advantages
The different options for pulses mean you've got a huge amount of variety in the questions you can ask.
Learners get to see anonymous results of the group so can see patterns.
If you ask the same pulse users can see how their answer has changed over time.
Challenges
Choosing the right time to let the pulse run such that learners respond and look at the group's results.
Encouraging learners to revisit the group's results once everyone has answered.
Use for
Checking in with learners to see how they are feeling about their study, a particular topic or assessment.
Highlighting common misconceptions and generating discussion about their answers.
See Overview of Pulses for more information on how to set these up.
Social notes
Social notes let you and your learners have a discussion right next to the relevant content. Users can add a comment next to any paragraph in the course to share their ideas or questions.
Advantages
Learners get to initiate chats and comments about content, right next to the particular paragraph.
Challenges
Learners might be going through content at different paces so you can't guarantee that learners will see all comments from others.
Use for
Clarifying content.
Encouraging social note-taking.
See Overview of social notes for more information on how to set these up.
Online meetings/webinars
As a facilitator you can add a space within your course to have online meetings or tutorials with your learners.
Advantages
Instantaneous conversation.
Can record the webinar for learners to watch at a later time (especially those who were unable to make the meeting time).
Challenges
Finding a time that works for the majority of the group to meet.
Supporting learners with the technology required for the online meeting application.
Encouraging learners to speak up as they can be shy about turning video on or speaking.
Use for
Discussions where you want learners to think on their feet.
Question and answer sessions where learners can get answers to their questions about content or assessment quickly.
Note: All social posts can be hidden by a facilitator and learners have the option to report their peers' posts for moderation.
See How to add an online meeting into your course for more information on how to set these up.