1. Important Information
• This presentation was created by
Patrick Crispen.
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2. Active Learning with
Instant Messaging
a presentation by
Patrick Douglas Crispen

3. Our Goals
• Try to define what “active learning” really
is and why it is worth a one-hour
presentation.
• Take a quick look at the capabilities of
instant messaging.
• Discuss some good and bad uses of
instant messaging in the classroom.
• Play around with AOL Instant Messenger.
• DO ALL OF THIS IN ENGLISH!

4. What IS “Active Learning?”
• Active Learning is a
little like pornography
– there’s no clear
definition.
• To paraphrase US
Supreme Court Justice
Potter Stewart in
Jacobellis v. Ohio
(1964), “I shall not
today attempt further
to define [it] … but I
know it when I see it.”

5. Some Popular Definitions
• [Students] use their brains ... • Classroom strategies that get
studying ideas, solving students more involved in the
problems, and applying what subject matter ... social
they learn. interaction and less
competition ... students
• Students ... engage in the
working together
process of building their own
mental models from the • Putting our students in
information they are situations which compel them
acquiring ... should to read, speak, listen, think
constantly test the validity of deeply, and write ...
the model being constructed. • Faculty become facilitators of
learning, and students
become active participants,
engaging in a dialog with
their colleagues and with the
instructor.
Source: http://trc.ucdavis.edu/trc/active/definiti.html

6. Can You Think of Any
Other Definitions?

7. Why Does Active
Learning Get ALL
This Attention?
In my humble opinion, it can be
summed up in three words:
“time on task”

8. “Time on Task?”
• There is a direct correlation between “time on
task” and learning outcomes.
• So if we create a more engaging learning
environment and give assignments that are
interesting, maybe we can motivate our students
to spend a little more time on their coursework.
• “If we devise challenging assignments that
promote active involvement in learning our
students might find coursework at least an
interesting as the other activities that compete for
their time.” – UNC CTL (1989)

9. K-12 v. Higher Ed
• This is where K-12 and
higher ed diverge.
• In K-12, time on task
outside of the classroom
is an externality.
• K-12’s primary focus,
therefore, is on in-class
engagement … with the
hope that that engagement
will continue at home.
• Higher ed, on the other
hand, is concerned with
both in- and out-of-class
time on task … and
probably more the latter.

10. Technology to the Rescue!
• Either way, “[w]hen course delivery does
not include any interactive component, …
[course] quality will suffer. However, a
well-constructed interactive online course
or good use of technology to enhance a
course can only serve to contribute
positively to learning outcomes.”
– Palloff and Pratt (2002)
• Maybe instant messaging is just what K-12
AND higher ed are looking for. Right?

11. Tools, Tools, Everywhere Tools
• There are hundreds of ways to
synchronously communicate online with
your students:
– Blackboard’s Virtual Classroom
– Microsoft Net Meeting
– MOOs, MUDs, and MUSHes (liked tappedin.org)
– And so on.
• We’re going to focus on instant
messaging.

12. What is Instant Messaging?
Instant messaging (sometimes called
“IM,” “IMing,” or “messenging” [sic]) is
the ability to
1. easily see whether a chosen friend or co-worker is
connected to the Internet and, if they are,
2. exchange text messages with them.
Instant messaging differs from ordinary
email in that the messages are delivered
immediately, making dialog much easier
than with email.
Definition courtesy whatis.com

13. Other Common IM Features
• Chat
Join a number of your
contacts to exchange
messages in a private
chat room.
• File transfer
Send and receive
computer files.
• News headlines or
alerts
Instant notification of
breaking news.
Source: Technology & Learning, 11/02, p.48

14. Other Common IM Features
• Talk
Speak directly to your
contacts.
– You need a sound card
(standard on all
computers these days)
and a microphone.
• E-mail notification
The IM system flags
new e-mail.
Source: Technology & Learning, 11/02, p.48

15. Other Common IM Features
• Whiteboard
Draw or sketch on
your screen; your
contact sees it on
his or her screen.
• Video messaging
Use Web cams to
establish video
contact with
others.
Source: Technology & Learning, 11/02, p.48

16. Some Caveats
• IM client programs vary – each may offer
some or all of these features.
• Most IM client programs don’t play nice
with other IM client programs.
– You cannot log onto AOL Instant Messenger, for
example, and send an IM to a Yahoo Messenger or
MSN Messenger user.
– There are some third party services like Trillian and
Odigo that claim to bridge this gap.
• We’ll talk about this later. Let’s get back
to talking about IM in the classroom.
Source: Technology & Learning, 11/02, p.48

17. Why is IM Important
to Educators?

18. Why is IM Important to Educators?
• 74% of online teens use instant
messaging. In comparison, 44% of
online adults have used IM.
• 45% of online teens use Instant
Messaging each time they are online.
• 69% of online teens use IM at least a
few times each week.
Data courtesy www.pewinternet.org

19. Why is IM REALLY Important
to Educators?
• 37% of online teens have used IM to
write something that they would not
have said in person.
• 41% of online teens say they use
email and instant messaging to
contact teachers or classmates
about schoolwork.
Data courtesy www.pewinternet.org

20. One More Piece of Data
• 31% of full-time college students
devote more than 10 hours a week to
informal conversations with other
students. (Boyer, 1987)

21. So, We Should All
Rush out and Use IM
to Teach … Right?

22. WRONG!

23. The Perils of IM In Direct
Instruction
• When we ask students to evaluate the
effectiveness of their online learning experience, it
is the ability to engage in asynchronous
discussions with their peers that they value most.
[emphasis added]
• The online re-creation of the face-to-face
classroom can be a dismal failure for both faculty
and students. A recent comment in an article in
the Chronicle of Higher Education (Carnavale,
2000b) indicated that students find nothing more
boring than reading screen after screen of text
when an instructor is attempting to re-create a
lecture online.
Source: Lessons from the Cyberspace Classroom

24. Some MORE Perils
It has also been shown that few web users will
read more than one screen of text. Long web
pages that require readers to scroll large distances
and remember what was previously on their
screens tend to be disorienting (Lynch and Horton,
1999). Consequently, keeping it simple by using
concise “chunks” of information is the best rule of
thumb. Brief informational posts that stimulate
thinking and discussion serve the learning
process far better than attempting to post a lecture
online or using audio or video.
Source: Lessons from the Cyberspace Classroom

25. One Last Peril
• Many schools have either placed limits on or
prohibited IM for fear that it is a bandwidth hog.
• Not only is there little evidence to prove this, but
it’s actually kind of silly.
• It’s like buying a school bus and then banning
students from riding the bus because of possible
wear and tear.
• The bandwidth is there to be USED.
– Besides, if you block ports 4443 (images) and 5190 (file
transfers), the only stuff going over the network will be small
IP packets.

26. So, If Using IM to
Teach Is Bad, What
Are Some “Good”
Educational Uses?

27. Some Good Educational Uses of IM
During School: After School:
• Guest lectures • Office hours (higher ed)
• Online cram sessions –
– Yeah, I know. The same
promise was made about test review and last-minute
email. questions the night before
• Instructional sharing an exam
• “Group” assignments • Homework help
– Students in the same class • Progress reports and
(higher ed) or different parent/teacher
schools (K-12) can conferences (K-12)
collaborate on the same
project
– Chat sessions must be
planned and controlled to
ensure they are scholarly.

28. Some Examples: Haiku
• Group assignment:
writing haiku (grades
4-6).
• Use IM for the
“brainstorming” phase
– Every student in the
group can participate at
once.
– You have an assessable
record of student
participation.

29. Some Examples: Grammar
• Group assignment:
analyze a written passage
and distinguish author's
grammatical usage in
terms of style (grades 6-9).
• Use IM for small group
discussions.
– Collaborative
– Instructional
• Have the groups then “rise
and report” in the bricks-
and-mortar classroom.

30. Some Examples: History
• Assignment: study US/
Native American
affairs (grades 10-12).
• Invite a representative
of the Cherokee Nation
or INCOG to answer
questions from your
students on IM.

31. Some Examples: Higher Ed
• Office hours.
• Post the hours that
you will be online in
your syllabus.
• Suggestion: have two
screen names – one
you give your students
and one you give your
colleagues and
friends.

32. If You Do “Group” Assignments …
[Synchronous discussion] is best used to
enhance collaborative learning
experiences and enable teamwork. In
order to make the best use of chat, groups
should be kept very small and an agenda
for the discussion should be created in
advance in order to help keep participants
on track.
From Lessons from the Cyberspace Classroom

33. Beating a Dead Horse
Chat is not well used to deliver lecture
material, … although many mistakenly
believe that it is. If an instructor uses chat
to lecture, once again what students will
receive are lengthy pieces of text that are
not likely to capture their interest or
attention. Consequently, synchronous
communication needs to be used
judiciously in an online course.
From Lessons from the Cyberspace Classroom

34. Don’t Forget the Students!
• Without guidelines and structure, IM
could be more a distraction than a
tool.
• What sort of appropriate and
inappropriate student use of IM have
you seen?

35. AOL Instant Messenger
• The 800 pound gorilla in the Instant
Messenger wars is AOL’s free “AOL
Instant Messenger” (AIM).
• According to CNET (news.com), AIM
currently has 180 million registered
usernames, with 30 million users
accessing the software per month, taking
multiple registrations into account.

36. AIM
• AIM is free.
• AIM works on PCs and
Macs.
• You do NOT need to
be an AOL subscriber
to use AIM.
• Download the
software, or access it
online, at aim.com

37. Live Demonstration of AIM
• How to register a screen name.
• How to download the software (from
download.com).
• How to login to AIM.
• How to send messages.
• How to setup your buddy list.
• How to create chat rooms (and save
the transcript).

38. How to Register a Screen Name
• Go to aim.com.
• Click on the giant,
red dot.
• Fill out the online
form.
– With 180+ million
screen names
already taken, come
up with something
unique.

39. How to Download the Software
• Go to aim.com.
• Hold your mouse
over the words
“Get AIM” on the
left side of the
page.
• Choose your
operating system
from the menu that
appears.

40. How to Download the Software
• On the next page, click
on the red “Upgrade to
5.1” button.
• This takes you to
download.com.
• Click on the
“Download Now” link.
• You install AIM just
like any other
program.

41. AIM Express
• You can also access
AIM on any computer
without having to
download and install a
thing.
• Just go to aim.com
and click on “AIM
Express” on the left
side of the page.
• Then click on the red
“Start” button.

42. AIM Express
• This opens two
windows (and it
may take a while
for both to load)
• The second
window is a Java-
based version of
AIM.

43. How to Login to AIM
• Launch AIM or AIM
Express.
• At the Sign On screen,
key in your screen
name and password.
• UNCHECK AUTO-
LOGIN!
• Also, click on the
Setup wench icon.

44. Configuring AIM
• On the next screen,
UNCHECK “Start AIM
when Windows starts.”
• To turn off those annoying
message sounds, go to IM/
Chat, click on the
“Sounds” button under
“IM Window,” and then
uncheck the second and
third “play a sound”
checkboxes.
• Then click OK.
• Finally, click on “Sign On.”

45. How to Send Messages
• Click on the IM
button
• Or go to People >
Send Instant
Message …
• Or press Alt + I on
your keyboard

46. How to Send Messages
• In the pop-up window
that appears, key in
the screen name of the
person with whom you
wish to communicate.
• Type your message.
• Press enter on your
keyboard.

47. How to Setup Your Buddy List
• Click on the +- Setup
icon.
• This opens your
Buddy List Setup
screen.
• Click on Add Buddy.
• Key in the buddy’s
screen name.
• That’s it!

48. How to Setup a Chat Room
• Highlight the people in
your Buddy List you
would like to invite.
• Click on the Chat icon.
• Then send the
invitation.
• To save a chat
transcript, just go to
File > Save while you
are still in the chat
room.

49. How Can YOU Use
AIM to Teach and/or
Support Your
Students?

50. Our Goals
• Try to define what “active learning” really
is and why it is worth a one-hour
presentation.
• Take a quick look at the capabilities of
instant messaging.
• Discuss some good and bad uses of
instant messaging in the classroom.
• Play around with AOL Instant Messenger.
• DO ALL OF THIS IN ENGLISH!

51. Fair Use Disclaimer
This presentation was created
following the Fair Use Guidelines for
Educational Multimedia. Certain
materials are included under the Fair
Use exemption of the U.S. Copyright
Law. Further use of these materials
and this presentation is restricted.

52. Active Learning with
Instant Messaging
a presentation by
Patrick Douglas Crispen