Synchronous communication involves real-time interaction among participants, utilizing various tools like video conferencing, collaborative documents, and backchannel discussions. While it offers advantages such as immediacy and motivation, challenges include difficulty in focusing and evaluating discussions. Effective use of synchronous tools in education can enhance instruction and facilitate collaboration among students.

1. Synchronous Communication By: Margaret Black

2. What is synchronous communication? Real time, any form of communication where the participants are all communicating at the same time. Face to face Video or audio conferencing Back channel discussions Live webinars Collaborative documents/projects

3. The Telephone The telephone was the first form of technology that allowed us to have synchronous communication while being in separate locations christian.senger

4. Text conferencing This was the first form of digital/computer synchronous communication

5. Video Conferencing Allows participants to stream video and see each other as they communicate scottfeldstein

6. Shared Applications Allow participants to work simultaneously and collaboratively on open documents and swap files instantly

7. Social interaction is becoming increasingly recognized as being critical to the learning process (Bruffee, 1993; Lave, 1988) vaXzine

8. We have yet to explore or imagine all the ways synchronous communication will change and education will need to transform as a result. Kimbowa

9. Back Channel Discussions Wikipedia ( http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backchannel ) defines backchanneling as “the practice of using networked computers to maintain a real-time online conversation alongside live spoken remarks.” To learn more about how to successfully incorporate Back Channel Discussions I highly recommend Get your students talking about what you want them to talk about; How to use backchanneling in your classroom by Kevin Jarrett and Mary Ann Devine, NJEA members

10. Advantages and Disadvantages Immediacy Motivation Relevant and reflective of student’s lives Easy to lose focus It is hard to keep track of discussion threads Easily turns into a social forum Difficult to evaluate

12. Give a purpose or focus to the discussion to direct it Solve a problem Debate an issue Ask open ended questions Plan a project Have students ask questions of experts

13. Roll Playing Debate Students play the roll of various figures from history and debate a topic. Example: Hitler and Mussolini debate Churchhill and Roosevelt about the issues around World War II.

14. To Help Focus Discussions Become familiar with the environment and material presented Build in time and allow for exploration the first few times you use a new discussion tool Clearly define etiquette expectations Pose a problem Define tasks, set goals, requirements and boundaries

15. To Help Focus Discussions Establish rolls and responsibilities Seek information Share information Monitor, support, and encourage Make sure all parties understand the content of the lesson or topic

16. Great Synchronous Tools

17. Elluminate

18. Edistorm

19. SKYPE!!!!!!

20. Skype Resources Around the World with 80 Schools Skype an Author Network Skype for Educators

21. Glass Cubes

22. Google Apps for Education

23. Office Web Apps

24. Verb

25. Stroome

26. Tok Box

27. Wrap up Synchronous tools are real time communication tools that can be used to enhance your instruction whether in a live brick and mortar classroom, a blended environment, or an online classroom. There are many applications out there that are free for educators that allow you to work collaboratively with your class on text documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. You can also share your desk top in webinar demonstrations, manage projects together, brainstorm, and share files. Perhaps one of the best synchronous tools out there are video conferencing applications like Skype which can bring experts and guests into your classroom from around the world.