Journal #3 - Speaking Math: Using Chat

The article "Speaking Math - Using Chat" is touching on the idea of using online, or
Course Management Systems (CMS). This is similar to Blackboard/WebCT. I believe that this article, for us anyway, is 'preaching to the choir'. Needless to say, it does bring up very good points about the subject matter at hand and the "vocabulary" associated with it. The article states that, especially in multicultural schools, students may be at a disadvantage or struggle unnecessarily due to a lack of understanding of the English language. This is a very real problem in the classroom, but as brought up in the article, students through the use of a CMS have the opportunity to take time to formulate their responses and posts. They are also able to connect with others that share their "ethnic identity" as well as discover new 'sets' that they probably would not have a chance to interact with during a traditional class.


1. How is this relevant to other subjects, such a mine: History?
This is simple actually. It is even specifically addressed in the article. Having online discussions or forums, enables students over a period of time to interact in a way not possible in the classroom. Instead of hoping that every student has read the assigned material and can discuss it in the hour long class, they are able to go back over the material, or read it for the first time, and let it sink in, thus enabling them to grasp the concepts more fully.


2. How can I ensure focused discussions by the students?
This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. First, the obviously needs to be a prompt that directs the students to comment on a specific material/reading with an overall theme that will be discussed. This should be followed up with an additional prompt to further the discussion. If time allows, this 2nd prompt should be posted a couple of days later (assuming a 7 day length, for example). The next thing that can be done is to have a brief discussion of the 'discussion' in class once a week. This will help show the students that the online component/discussions are not separate but an integrated part of the class. A teacher could also integrate some of the more focused responses in a quiz or a test.