I did activities with my undergraduate students last semester in which I gave them some questions and they have to discuss without using a microphone (some students do not have that). I asked them to go to the link that I created for each group and they discussed through typing. While doing this, I asked them to log out from WebEx to save up a bit on their data plan.
It was fun to see words start coming in the Google Doc as they were typing their ideas. As if the words are dancing as it appears on my screen! What makes it cool is I can see their name attach to the last word as they were typing. As I was sipping my tea, I read their answers and I just left them doing that for a few minutes.
When the time was up, I asked them to log in again to WebEx and we had a quick discussion about the questions and they commented each others ideas. Later on, I asked the students to visit the link of other’s group to see their answers. One volunteered to compile the “notes” from various Google Doc. Isn’t cool ? I hope with that exposure the students will plan together to learn collaboratively even though through digital or online mode.
Psssttt… they do not need me to tell them about this, right? (tongue in cheek remark!)