Communication Tools

Communication tools are essential to on-line learning.  Below are a few resources discussing the importance of these tools and how they aid in the on-line environment.

A Critical Examination of Blackboard's e-learning Environment
This is a wonderful article with sections about communication tools and how students chat, mail and communicate in an online environment.

Teaching and Learning at a distance course development:  Creating an Online Discussion Forum.
This is a professional development piece that discusses the benefits of discussion forum.  It discusses the different types of discussion forums and give examples of discussion activities.  

Sample Message Boards
This link has several different types of message board examples.  It is helpful to get ideas and see samples while creating one.

Email System
Within a Learning Management System, a teacher can create a messaging/email system.  

Surveys
How to use GoogleDocs Forms
This is a youtube tutorial video teaching about GoogleDocs.

How to start with GoogleDocs
This is a youtube video teaching how to use GoogleForms.

Survey Monkey
This is a youtube video about Survey Monkey.  They show you how to create a survey with examples.  

Survey Monkey Site
This is the link to survey monkey web site.

Sometimes, online classes meet in person.  
When they do, they may use a Classroom Response System as a tool for class communication.  This resource explains what they are.  It is written by Derek Bruff, from the  Vanderbilt Center for Teaching. They work well with surveys and test review.