Doing the Chat

Flipping a course can be one of the easiest pedagogical methods I use to make my courses unique. This .method maybe why many of my students stay in the class. My low drop rate might be connected to the scaffold of smaller flipped activities I build into each module. At home the students watch short videos and answer questions about what they identify in the video with the theory or the concept. Or they do the chapter reading and watch a PowerPoint lecture, then come to class prepared to discuss key questions posed in the lecture. 

One of my favorite flipped techniques is Chat Stations. The activity reminds me of kindergarten with Stations, and the timer, and rotating from station to station.  For the Chat Stations on Perception 101 I set up six stations with grouped tables, and sets of discussion questions for each. One station concerns self-disclosure, another is presentation of self on social media,  another is a gender introduction table, and another is masks and face, and social penetration. At each table the group reads aloud a review of the concept such as self-disclosure. They then discuss a set of questions or topics. All of this is done in 10 -11 minutes.  At two stations are exit-ticket forms the students fill out to exit the class at the end of the time period. 

Following two rounds or rotations, I show a short video on one of the general topics being discussed at one of the stations such as Judith Butler's video on gender or I introduce a scholarly bit of information on perception and attraction. Then we continue with the Chats. 

Students enjoy the stations. They work, the write, they chat, and I monitor. They report a high level of interest in the subjects with this methodology. If I say in at a station, my presence changed the students dynamics. 

I brought a colleague, Prof. Gergus, to observe the power of the method and how I've used Chat Stations for years. Prof. Gergus wanted to sit with a group and keep them on task. She liked the questions so much she wanted to add her input into the discussion. She prompted the students with, "You can use your book to answer the questions," or "We haven't heard from 'so-and-so'. What do you think?" But when I pointed out how our presence in the group altered their disclosures she pulled back and watched, and listened.

We literally needed to sit back and let them work. I am so used to being the entertainer, the guide, the emcee, that I had to sit and twiddle my thumbs. The quiet students spoke up. The group's were only 4 -5 students and in each group a leader emerged. They were proud of themselves as they exited with their engagement.  Does the method translate into higher content retention? Yes, I have proof from years of doing it.