1. Interact 2: Communicating

2. Communication and teaching are inextricably linked.
Teachers need to be able to explain concepts clearly, to present information logically, and to clarify complex concepts into simpler parts and smaller steps for students to understand.
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3. As a teacher you need to choose appropriate tools to meet your learning outcomes and inform learners as to what, how and why various communication tools will be used, and of your expectations of student interaction and behaviour.
What are some purposes of online communication in higher education? They could include the exchange of ideas, being able to work collaboratively, or being able to achieve higher levels of learning.
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4. How can we communicate in Interact2?
Blogs and journals
Announcements
Chat
Online Meeting
Discussion boards
Wikis
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5. Announcements
The Announcements tool is only for academics; students cannot create announcements. Announcements are a one-way communication tool used to provide students with course reminders and updates. Announcements can contain text, images, multimedia, and links to content.
Help and How-to guides.
Blackboard help pages
Announcements
Blackboard on demand help videos
How to create an announcement
For example, in an announcement reminding students of a chat session, you can provide a link to the session.

6. Blogs and Journals
In Interact2 you can have: A subject blog where you can post subject updates Student blogs where students can reflect and document their learning, & read other student blogs. Group blogs where groups can document their progress and learning. Journals, which are viewable only between the student and the subject coordinator.
Course Blogs: Only the Instructor can create a Course Blog and determines the topic to be addressed. All Course members can add Blog entries and add comments to Blog entries.
Individual Blogs: Only the Instructor can create a Blog for individual Course members to use. Only the owner of the Blog is able to add Blog entries. All other Course members can view and add comments.
Both blogs are completely public, i.e,. everyone can see everyone else’s entry.
The Individual blog only provides filtering options by individual names.
The Course blog provides filtering options by individual name AND a list all “All Course Members”

7. Blogs and Journals
A blog is a personal online journal that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Blogs encourage people to clearly express their ideas and addresses the need to expand various aspects of social learning. Blogs are an effective means of gaining insight into students' activities and provide a way to share the knowledge and materials collected. 7

8. Blogs and Journals
Help and How-to guides.
Blackboard help pages
Journals - Using Journals
Blogs
Blackboard on demand help videos
How to create a blog
Creating and editing a blog entry
Blogs & their uses in education
Educause 7 things you should know about …Blogs
Stephen Downes Blogs in Education
Edudemic How and why teachers should blog
Using blogs for peer feedback and discussion
Using Blackboard blogs to Increase student engagement
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9. Chat
The Chat tool allows you to interact with other users using a text-based chat in real time, allowing you to discuss real time issues and events. The chat transcript can be recorded for later access. The Chat tool was designed to work in low bandwidth situations, such as when your students are connecting to the subject using a dial-up connection.
Help and How-to guides.
Blackboard help pages
Chat
Blackboard on demand help videos
The chat tool

10. Discussion Boards
The discussion board in Interact2 is an asynchronous tool to facilitate discussion, questioning, and to support collaboration. Discussion boards are easily set up and can be utilised for a number of different purposes. General discussion boards can be established to manage general class questions around schedules, assessments, and so forth. Social forums can also allow students a place to establish relationships and form informal learning communities. Discussion boards for particular topics, learning activities, outcomes, reflections, or directed discussion can be highly useful for student learning and are easily set up and integrated into your subject.

11. Discussion Boards
Help and How-to guides.
Blackboard help pages
Discussions
Blackboard on demand help videos
How to use Blackboard discussions
How to create Discussion board forums
Discussions & their uses in education
Cornell University - Discussions
Flexible Learning From Lurkers to Posters and Designing and developing eLearning
COFA.online (ALTC project) Conducting effective online discussion - Stratagies and tips (PDF)
COFA.online (ALTC project Conducting effective online discussions (video)
Blackboard TV The ins and out of writing effective discussion questions
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12.
Help and How-to guides.
Blackboard help pages
Blackboard on demand help videos
How to send in Blackboard learn
The function in Interact2 enables you to send to external addresses of site members. Interact2 keeps no record of s, but sends copy to sender. Academics can limit the ability of students to send to various groups of users in order to limit the potential misuse of ..

13. Online meeting – Adobe Connect
Adobe Connect is the virtual classroom software that is used to help deliver some CSU subject accessible through Interact2. Adobe connect allows you to have lectures/tutorials or meetings via the web.
Help and How-to guides.
Adobe help pages
Adobe Connect
CSU Help pages
Online meeting (Adobe Connect)

14. Wikis
A wiki is a collaborative writing space, allowing a number of people to work on the same document, with the ability to see history of its development and access older versions. They are useful for planning as well as summative documents such as reports, research articles, learning glossaries and so on. They are great tools for collaboration and also for authentic tasks where the focus is on process as well as product. You can use wikis to collaboratively develop glossaries, explanations, create FAQs to answer key questions, or for students to develop a range of collaborate documents for assessment.

15. Wikis
Help and How-to guides.
Blackboard help pages
Wikis
Blackboard on demand help videos
Creating a Blackboard wiki
How to create and manage wikis
How to create and edit wiki pages
Wikis & their uses in education
Higdon, J. Teaching, Learning, and Other Uses for Wikis in Academia: All Users Are Not Necessarily Created Equal.
Educause 7 things you should know about …Wikis
Australian Flexible Learning Framework Wikis in Education
Using blogs and wikis in higher education
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16. Over to you.... hands-on activity
Go to your organisation, and add some communication tools to it. 1
Post a message on the discussion board of an organisation you belong to. 2
Add a post to a blog or wiki. 3
Respond or comment on a discussion board, wiki or blog post. 4