Comments on: Understanding the Backchannel http://chrislott.org/story/understanding-the-backchannel/ Musings on education, techology, and life.. Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:23:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: What Caught My Eye Today 06/20/2008 | Notes from Millie D http://chrislott.org/story/understanding-the-backchannel/comment-page-1/#comment-166790 What Caught My Eye Today 06/20/2008 | Notes from Millie D Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:38:11 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/05/22/understanding-the-backchannel/#comment-166790 [...] Understanding the Backchannel : Ruminate [...] [...] Understanding the Backchannel : Ruminate [...]

]]> By: Dean Shareski http://chrislott.org/story/understanding-the-backchannel/comment-page-1/#comment-153853 Dean Shareski Mon, 26 May 2008 19:01:12 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/05/22/understanding-the-backchannel/#comment-153853 Chris, Thanks for pointing me this way, had I read it, I might not have bothered with my own. ;-) Chris,

Thanks for pointing me this way, had I read it, I might not have bothered with my own. ;-)

]]> By: Jared Stein http://chrislott.org/story/understanding-the-backchannel/comment-page-1/#comment-153484 Jared Stein Fri, 23 May 2008 15:26:05 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/05/22/understanding-the-backchannel/#comment-153484 Engage or Go Home! Engage or Go Home!

]]> By: chris http://chrislott.org/story/understanding-the-backchannel/comment-page-1/#comment-153480 chris Fri, 23 May 2008 15:16:42 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/05/22/understanding-the-backchannel/#comment-153480 Those are some good links... I hope readers follow them. The fixation some have on classical (and misleading) signs that attention is being paid properly seems to involve a lot of invocation of customary rituals for comfort. And a lot about obeisance to traditional power dynamics in situations like classrooms, meetings, and presentations. Those are some good links… I hope readers follow them. The fixation some have on classical (and misleading) signs that attention is being paid properly seems to involve a lot of invocation of customary rituals for comfort. And a lot about obeisance to traditional power dynamics in situations like classrooms, meetings, and presentations.

]]> By: chris http://chrislott.org/story/understanding-the-backchannel/comment-page-1/#comment-153479 chris Fri, 23 May 2008 15:08:24 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/05/22/understanding-the-backchannel/#comment-153479 Having a live, displayed backchannel is fun... not sure that I would want to do it that way all the time, but it definitely makes the whole thing a bit more exhilarating. As to your last question-- it's a long-standing concern of distance education for obvious reasons. Most design methodologies explicitly take into account, in one way or another, the kinds of things you can reasonably expect a student to "learn on their own" but of course it's still in the frame of the class even if there is no f2f instruction at all... again for I think obvious economic reasons. While it's possible to learn just about anything without a teacher, most students can't and/or won't. Print-based correspondence made that very clear a long time ago. Having a live, displayed backchannel is fun… not sure that I would want to do it that way all the time, but it definitely makes the whole thing a bit more exhilarating.

As to your last question– it’s a long-standing concern of distance education for obvious reasons. Most design methodologies explicitly take into account, in one way or another, the kinds of things you can reasonably expect a student to “learn on their own” but of course it’s still in the frame of the class even if there is no f2f instruction at all… again for I think obvious economic reasons.

While it’s possible to learn just about anything without a teacher, most students can’t and/or won’t. Print-based correspondence made that very clear a long time ago.

]]> By: Marc Hugentobler http://chrislott.org/story/understanding-the-backchannel/comment-page-1/#comment-153477 Marc Hugentobler Fri, 23 May 2008 14:33:21 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/05/22/understanding-the-backchannel/#comment-153477 Totally, like the seth godin post http://tinyurl.com/5qgnp9 It is up to us to do our job in the presentation, or just send a handout! Totally, like the seth godin post
http://tinyurl.com/5qgnp9
It is up to us to do our job in the presentation,
or just send a handout!

]]> By: phaedral http://chrislott.org/story/understanding-the-backchannel/comment-page-1/#comment-153474 phaedral Fri, 23 May 2008 12:49:19 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/05/22/understanding-the-backchannel/#comment-153474 On people paying attention: I think it's natural to want that, as it is a very natural and human measure of engagement, it's an instant feedback system. Backchannel is another feedback system, potentially of great value, and given today's tech one that will exist whether the instructor knows about it or not. That said, it's been so long since I had a class to teach that I can only imagine how it would change my vibe to have a monitor running so I could see a sanctioned backchannel while at the same time trying to engage my students non-verbally. Darn it, isn't it about time we really questioned what things need a live instructor when, and start getting better at creating systems for self- and student-lead-learning from the vast resources available without a face-to-face instructor? (Or as a classmate of mine said in 11th grade pre-calc, "Why do we need a teacher when we've got a book?" Only now it's the net, which is a gajillion books plus hot-and-cold-running free tutors.) On people paying attention: I think it’s natural to want that, as it is a very natural and human measure of engagement, it’s an instant feedback system. Backchannel is another feedback system, potentially of great value, and given today’s tech one that will exist whether the instructor knows about it or not.

That said, it’s been so long since I had a class to teach that I can only imagine how it would change my vibe to have a monitor running so I could see a sanctioned backchannel while at the same time trying to engage my students non-verbally.

Darn it, isn’t it about time we really questioned what things need a live instructor when, and start getting better at creating systems for self- and student-lead-learning from the vast resources available without a face-to-face instructor? (Or as a classmate of mine said in 11th grade pre-calc, “Why do we need a teacher when we’ve got a book?” Only now it’s the net, which is a gajillion books plus hot-and-cold-running free tutors.)

]]> By: Martin http://chrislott.org/story/understanding-the-backchannel/comment-page-1/#comment-153473 Martin Fri, 23 May 2008 12:42:05 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/05/22/understanding-the-backchannel/#comment-153473 Hi Chris - this came up as a big topic at our recent OU conference (see http://nogoodreason.typepad.co.uk/no_good_reason/2008/05/making-connecti.html) and Brian Kelly followed up on it recently (http://ukwebfocus.wordpress.com/2008/05/12/how-rude-use-of-wifi-networks-at-conferences/) I take the same stance as you - I _want_ people to be backchanneling during a talk I give because it shows what I am saying is provoking some interest. Or if not, then hey you may as well be getting on with some work. Strange that some people object to it so strongly, whereas they're perfectly okay if someone is asleep during a presentation (which happens to me more often than it should). Martin Hi Chris – this came up as a big topic at our recent OU conference (see http://nogoodreason.typepad.co.uk/no_good_reason/2008/05/making-connecti.html) and Brian Kelly followed up on it recently (http://ukwebfocus.wordpress.com/2008/05/12/how-rude-use-of-wifi-networks-at-conferences/)
I take the same stance as you – I _want_ people to be backchanneling during a talk I give because it shows what I am saying is provoking some interest. Or if not, then hey you may as well be getting on with some work. Strange that some people object to it so strongly, whereas they’re perfectly okay if someone is asleep during a presentation (which happens to me more often than it should).
Martin

]]> By: chris http://chrislott.org/story/understanding-the-backchannel/comment-page-1/#comment-153447 chris Fri, 23 May 2008 07:19:34 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/05/22/understanding-the-backchannel/#comment-153447 I think it's the role of the presenter to engage "the audience" which is different from every individual and certainly not every individual at every moment. But I think that's one of the arguments for having a backchannel-- you might get something useful from those you've failed to engage, at worst there's no added loss. I think it’s the role of the presenter to engage “the audience” which is different from every individual and certainly not every individual at every moment. But I think that’s one of the arguments for having a backchannel– you might get something useful from those you’ve failed to engage, at worst there’s no added loss.

]]> By: Jen http://chrislott.org/story/understanding-the-backchannel/comment-page-1/#comment-153442 Jen Fri, 23 May 2008 03:28:09 +0000 http://www.chrislott.org/2008/05/22/understanding-the-backchannel/#comment-153442 Awesome follow-up post. You've added a new perspective and I love that you've got more info on the cognitive studies. Do you really think it is the role of the presenter to engage every audience member though? Awesome follow-up post. You’ve added a new perspective and I love that you’ve got more info on the cognitive studies. Do you really think it is the role of the presenter to engage every audience member though?

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