UMChat
Definition
UMChat is an instant messaging (IM) service provided by the Office of Information Technology that enables students, instructors, and staff members at the University of Minnesota to exchange messages on the Internet in real time. It is based on Jabber technology. A Web client and several desktop clients are available for both PC and Macintosh operating systems.
Instant messaging, also referred to as "chat," is a synchronous form of online communication that is characterized by its informality and expressivity. Users can chat privately or join group discussions, and can use either desktop computers or mobile devices. While instant messaging is primarily text-based, newer IM tools enable users to send each other pictures, audio files, and documents. For example, the Coccinella chat client, which resides on a user's hard drive, enables UMChat users to use a shared whiteboard as they chat. The Coccinella client can be downloaded at http://coccinella.im/.
Educational Uses
Chances are, your students are already familiar with IM. According to the Pew/Internet study "Teens and Technology: Youth are Leading the Transition to a Fully Wired and Mobile Nation," seventy-five percent of all adolescents who go online are instant messaging, and many report that they prefer IM to other modes of online communication such as e-mail. Although IM hasn’t yet replaced the telephone as a way of connecting with friends, it is fast becoming a favorite mode of communication.
Because these tools are easy to use and synchronous, IM lends itself to quick and informal communication. Moreover, it has developed into a highly expressive form of communication. Because of these distinctive qualities, instant messaging occupies a very specific—but important—niche in online classroom communication. As with any use of technology in the classroom, you should take into consideration whether you have chosen the best tool for the job, but IM potentially can be used in educational settings to
- hold virtual office hours;
- host guest speaker or question-and-answer sessions;
- conduct class discussions;
- engage in "hallway talk";
- collaborate on projects;
- facilitate mentoring relationships;
- discuss recruitment and admissions issues with potential students;
- conduct library consultations; and
- provide troubleshooting support to technology users.
Social Cohesion
IM can promote social cohesion in the classroom. Camaraderie in the classroom isn’t just nice; it is necessary for creating a supportive learning environment. Even if very little in the way of class work is accomplished during a quick online chat with a classmate, cultivating a sense of social cohesion can prepare students to work together more effectively on formal collaborative assignments. Moreover, when students chat online about a course, their majors, or their departments, they are engaging in the online equivalent of "hallway talk," which can help socialize them into a department, or in some cases, a profession. This use of IM can be particularly beneficial for students in both online courses and programs.
Brief Requests
IM is well-suited for brief requests for information or clarification. Possible uses include library consultations, troubleshooting technical issues, and asking an instructor quick questions during office hours. Even though distance between users may be the reason they are initially attracted to using IM, it can be used effectively to converse with others just down the hall as well. For example, a student might send a quick message to a professor to schedule a discussion about a paper draft. Or, a professor who needs to leave the office for a few minutes can let students know by changing the icon that will appear on the "buddy list."
Intermittent Communication
IM can also be used for intermittent communication and multitasking. For example, individual students working on different segments of a group project might message each other quick questions and updates. Once they have made significant progress, they might use IM to set up a meeting or to chat about the project while viewing the documents they’ve just sent to each other. Or, while waiting for a response from a librarian at a reference desk, a student might continue to conduct research online.
Collaborative Work
IM can be used to coordinate group projects and engage in group discussion. UMChat enables group as well as one-to-one conversation through the use of "chat rooms," which can be created by anyone with a UMChat account. The rooms can be configured so they are publicly available, or can be password-protected and private. Rooms can also be configured to keep a record of the discussion that includes participants' names, their contributions, and timestamps for later review. Instructors should keep in mind that most students need help developing the skills needed for successful collaboration and productive discussion.
Issues
Instructors should be aware of some issues when they use UMChat.
- One of the key features of UMChat is that it's tied in with the University X.500 account system. This allows IM users to associate each chat participant with their "University" identity, so anonymous chatting is not possible.
- Although many students are familiar with this technology, instructors should keep in mind that most students need help developing the skills needed for successful collaboration and productive discussion.
Resources
The following sources may help you use and teach with this type of tool.
EDUCAUSE Resources
EDUCAUSE maintains a searchable database of guides and articles about technology-enhanced learning topics, including educational uses of IM.
Pew/Internet Featured Reports
Reports that explore "the impact of the Internet on families, communities, work and home, daily life, education, health care, and civic and political life" are published on the Pew Internet and American Life Project site.
Research
The following research literature has been published about educational uses of this type of tool.
De Lisi, Richard. "From Marbles to Instant Messenger: Implications of Piaget's Ideas About Peer Learning." Theory into Practice 41 (2002): 5—12.
Lotan, Rachel A. "Group-Worthy Tasks." Educational Leadership 60, no. 6 (2003): 72—75.
Nardi, Bonnie A., and Erin Bradner. "Interaction and Outeraction: Instant Messaging in Action." Computer Supported Cooperative Work Proceedings Of The 2000 ACM Conference On Computer Supported Cooperative Work. Philadelphia, PA: Association for Computing Machinery, 2000.
Nicholson, Scott. "Socialization In The 'Virtual Hallway': Instant Messaging In The Asynchronous Web-Based Distance Education Classroom." The Internet and Higher Education 5, no. 4 (2002): 363—372.
Shirky, Clay. "In-Room Chat as a Social Tool." Clay Shirky's Writings About the Internet. http://www.shirky.com.
