Slides for "Gasta" presentation at ILTA EdTech 2018 conference at IT Carlow

1. Learning from Industry,
a lesson in #Slack for educators
By Colm Dunphy, WIT, 2018

2. Background
• Industry Partners
suggested using #SLACK
• So we did for
• Final Year Projects
• Modules with small numbers
• Entire online programme
• What we learned…

3. What is Slack?
“Leading Messaging & Communication Application for Teams”
• ALL communications in one place
• No More Emails
• Fully SEARCHable
• Including within documents
• Integrates with existing tools
• E.g. Google, DropBox, Git
• Fosters Collaboration

4. Web Application

5. But, install a Client
DESKTOP Mobile
shared desktop
(Screen Hero)
Notifications / calls
on the move

6. 2. CHANNELS
3. DIRECT
MESSAGES
(DM)
4. TYPE HERE
5. CLICK TO UPLOAD – files / content
Slack – main things to remember1. WORKSPACES

7. Getting Started
By Colm Dunphy, WIT, 2018

8. Create a WORKSPACE for your Class / Programme
ITC-edtech

9. Usual Setup stuff:
confirmation code, name, password, team, URL

10. Manage invitations at the first class or at induction
Email Invitations directly, or copy an Invite link.

11. WORKSPACES
1 per module
OR
1 per programme

12. CHANNELS
PUBLIC
PRIVATE
Create a new channel
(module, topic, project or group)

13. THREADS - i
Hover over a post, to start a thread

14. Useful for asking questions
with answers/replies to a THREAD
THREADS - ii

15. THREADS - iii
Peer Review / Peer Learning

16. DIRECT MESSAGES (DM) For Private Conversations
including:
- 1-on-1 support
- Reassurance with exercises
- Pastoral Care
- Student-to-Student Help
Select who you want
& chat away (text)

17. Make a Call
NOTE: No telephone number
Press the handset button
- Voice
- Video

18. Video
Webcam
Mic
Share
Screen
(desktop client only)
Enable others
to draw on your screen Full
Control
Stop
Sharing
(on by default)

19. OR
drag n’ drop the file to here
Publishing / Posting files
Files Recognised & Automatically Previewed

20. Addins
• Simple Poll
/poll “question”, “Answer 1”, “Answer 2”
• Other / Bots / Power-ups
• Attendance
• Marker
• Assignment

21. Replicating Social & Community Interactions
REACTIONS
INTERVIEWSWatercooler

22. Notifications
• Timely instant feedback
• Badges
• Sound Alerts
• Desktop Popups
• Too Many?
• /AWAY

23. Analytics

24. Alternatives
• Students familiar with DISCORD
• Online gaming
• VLE integration is possible with Rocket.Chat
• Open source but no share desktop
• Many Others
• https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-free-slack-alternatives-will-love/

25. Limitations
Free Version
• 10k message limit
• No Desktop Sharing
1
Threads don’t
support
attachments
2
Proprietary
Markdown
3
Must join
workspace
• before joining
private channel
4

26. Lessons Learned
Slack Promotes
Active Learning
with the
lecturer as the
facilitator
1
Use Roles in
DisplayNames for staff
•Colm (WIT Lecturer)
•Pete (WIT Tech Support)
•Martina (WIT Admin)
2
Ask Slackbot channel
for help
3
Everything on previous
slides!
4
/AWAY
5

27. Slack to Augment / Replace
existing TEL tech?
VLE
(Moodle)
Content, resources, rich media, web, video, assignments,
activities, chat, discussion forums, phone, email
Slack can be used as the VLE
especially for small classes
Adobe
Connect
Chat
Polls
Files Shares
Synchronous / Asynchronous Video