Welcome!
1. On a sticky note, please write one question you
would like to have answered about conducting
online discussions. Post this sticky note on the
Parking Lot.
2. On your mobile device, please navigate to
http://todaysmeet.com/ccsabc15, enter your
name, and introduce yourself (name, role,
school).
Give Every Student a Voice
with Digital Backchannels
Ike Smith & Jeff Carpenter | 03.31.2015
http://bit.ly/ccsabc15
Session Learning Objectives
Participants will:
● Remember three different backchanneling
tools and six specific classroom uses for
backchanneling;
● Understand that backchanneling can
improve teaching and learning by providing
teachers access to student thinking;
● Analyze the opportunities and challenges of
backchanneling.
What is it?
“The backchannel is the
conversation that goes on
alongside the primary activity,
presentation, or discussion…
Embracing the backchannel can
turn it from distraction to
engagement. Participants can
learn from each other and share
their insights, improving
participation and deepening
learning.” (Today’s Meet)
Image credit: http://goo.gl/bwIBLJ
Try it!
As you watch the video on the next slide, post
ideas on our Today’s Meet page
(http://todaysmeet.com/ccsabc15) about how/why
backchanneling can be useful in the classroom.
Why do it?
Formative
assessment
Differentiation
Instant
feedback
Engagement
How do I do it?
Today’s Meet
1. Go to todaysmeet.com
2. Enter unique room name
3. Specify room expiration date
4. Click “Open your room”
5. Give room URL to students
6. Students access URL, enter their name, and
contribute
Today’s Meet Tips
● Use new Teacher Tools to add room
topics/prompts, mute students, pause
conversations, and more
● Use room tools (button below the conversation)
to show projector view, access a QR code, and
save a transcript
● Create an account to track your rooms and limit
access
Backchannelchat.com
●
●
●
●
Go to http://bit.ly/ccsabc15b
Sign in with your first name
Customize your avatar
Post thoughts on what you
feel might be problems /
obstacles / challenges
associated with
backchanneling
Backchannelchat.com Tips
thumbs up function
teacher pin function
************
extensive teacher controls
teacher delete function
student polling
Google Moderator
1. Visit http://www.google.com/moderator
2. Sign in with your Google Account
3. Enter your signature and location
4. Click “Create series” and enter a title
5. Share the URL of your series with students
6. Teacher and students can upvote/downvote
posts based on given criteria
Discuss: How can you use backchanneling?
1. In our Google Moderator room
(http://goo.gl/NIHcUq), post ideas about how
you can use backchanneling in your own
practice.
2. Read others’ posts and upvote ideas you like.
Common Challenges
device access
off task
students unable to multitask
teacher unable to multitask
grading?
Recap: Six Classroom Uses
Digital backchannels can allow students to...
1. ...submit questions to the teacher/class
2. ...respond to a prompt
3. ...actively view and reflect on a video
4. ...participate in a fishbowl discussion
5. ...discuss and process homework
6. ...complete an interactive exit ticket
Interactive exit ticket example
1. In your opinion, what is the most compelling
reason to use backchanneling?
2. What is something from today’s session about
which you are uncertain or want to know
more?
Ike Smith
Jeff Carpenter
smithi@watauga.k12.nc.us
@WCSIkeSmith
828.264.2407 x11008
jcarpenter13@elon.edu
@doccarpenter
336.278.5969
Access this presentation online:
http://bit.ly/ccsabc15
Image and video credits
● Slide 3: “Target” by Chris Kerr from the Noun Project
● Slide 7: http://youtu.be/Xr-yf3JWKoc
● Slide 9:
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“Different Ways” by Juan Pablo Bravo from The Noun Project
“Feedback” by Attilio Baghino from The Noun Project
“Check” by iconsmind.com from The Noun Project
“Idea” by Dirk Rowe from The Noun Project