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=Welcome to the EvCC Faculty Technology Committee Wikipage!=

We will use this wiki to discuss technology issues at Everett Community College. If you are new to the use of wikis, please watch the following video on editing wikipages. media type="custom" key="12064253"

__Winter 2012__
Our next conversation is about iClicker use on campus. // "Does the Faculty Tech Committee recommend that all EvCC faculty move to the use of iClicker 2.0 (opposed to using both iClicker 1.0 and iClicker 2.0 on campus)?" // Please participate in this conversation via the Google Forms survey below. media type="custom" key="12300790"

**1) Faculty Forum Decision: Google Chat should be enabled for student accounts. When this is enabled, the default setting for "available" status should be "hidden".** The first issue we must discuss is **whether or not google chat should be enabled for student email accounts.** Our task is to develop a basis for conversation that will be taken up by the Faculty Forum during the second week of winter quarter 2012.

To get the conversation rolling, please add any thoughts you have on this issue to the Pros/Cons list below.

Issue: Enabling google chat on student email accounts.
__Pros__
 * It would allow students to easily communicate with each other.
 * It can be a good tool for faculty to help students during office hours (I have done this with students using their personal gmail accounts). We have Angel live chat, but you have to set up a specific time for this.
 * Google chat is an awesome live chat tool if we want to make one available - super easy to use and works well asynchronous too.
 * Having a place for students to interact, support and encourage each other can be important for student growth. In ANGEL classes there is not a space to do this unless an instructor specifically sets up a Chat space. Considering the whole student and their individual needs essential and most students use chat spaces and are familiar.
 * Allow students to communicate about study groups and other course related meetings without sharing their personal information.

__Cons__
 * There might be issues with intimidation or harassment if this tool is used for the wrong purposes.
 * Correct me if I am wrong, but wouldn't students be able to see whenever each other and faculty are logged in to email and available to chat?
 * That certainly might be the case. I wonder if IT has the ability to specify who the students can "view". What are thoughts on this topic?
 * There is some level of privacy lost with google chat enabled.
 * We already have a management system that allows for individual class wikis, chat, and virtual office hours. Online instructors spend a lot of time inside their Angel classes; having to monitor additional chat space requires more teacher time.
 * What is the purpose? Students have plenty of Internet spaces to communicate with classmates and friends. They can even set up a facebook page for a class if they want to.
 * What about a technological divide--many students only have access to a computer in a school lab. Encouraging chat seems to encourage an perceived advantage that plenty of students are not privy to.
 * Does google chat seem like a course requirement if it is made avaliable? What about students who need accommodations?
 * Many students (particularly older ones) do not use chat.
 * How about a separation of students' personal space and an academic space?