Gen Y - Program and Curriculum Guide

Section II: Unit 4: Collaborative Electronic Communication

• Learning About Forums
• Learning About Chats
• Planning and Facillitating a Communications Project

Unit 4 contains:

• Overview
• The Gen Y View
• Project ideas
• Terms to know
• 7 Infopages (handouts, quizzes, scripts, etc. on CD-ROM and online)
• Standards
• Activities with Prioritized Objectives
• 3 Lesson Plans - for one or more classroom periods. Each with:
  • Materials
  • Pre-lesson checklist
  • Background information
  • Procedures
• Assessment (print and online)
• Activity extensions
• Related issues
• Teacher Toolkit
• Alternate activities if hardware is not working

Evaluate the full curriculum guide. Click here for details.

Sample Sections

Unit 4: Collaborative Electronic Communication Overview
In Unit 2, the most basic electronic communication tools and environments were presented: e-mail and listservs. Unit 4 invites students to gain advanced electronic communication skills by learning about Web-based forums and chats. E-Mail (asynchronous) is for one-to-one and one-to-many communication. Forums (asynchronous) and chats (synchronous) are group communications.

By involving students in Web-based "community services," such as forums and chats, we help them recognize the most important quality of the Web: its potential for interactivity and community building. These communication tools and environments can help students (1) research the most up-to-date information by reading material discussed on forums (often provided by experts); (2) improve their writing skills; and (3) improve their communication skills within a wide and potentially diverse audience. Forums and chats are social spaces and social opportunities on the Web. Students learn about life in a global society, learn about other cultures, and develop respect for differences. Activities in this unit provide evidence that contradicts those detractors or critics of technology who claim the computer is an individual and antisocial instrument.

Helping teachers and students participate in online forms of communication without the unfortunate risk that can be associated with unmonitored participation is the goal of Unit 4. Districts and schools may have some issues involved with student participation in forums, listservs, or chats. Local policies and restrictions should be reviewed before beginning these activities.

This unit introduces Gen Y students to the growing world of online communication. Students will learn how to find, read, and contribute to group interactions. The more people communicate, the more hope we all have for problem-solving, understanding, and tolerance.

Activities & Prioritized Objectives

Following the completion of Unit 4, students will be able to:

Next: Unit 5: Digital Media

Unit 1 | Unit 2 | Unit 3 | Unit 4 | Unit 5 | Unit 6 | Unit 7 | Unit 8 | Unit 9 | Unit 10