At Sinclair, the more prevalent (though not the only) synchronous tool available for instructors to use is a "live" chat room. The use of a synchonous "live" chat as an instructional tool or aid can be difficult when there are more than five or so people participating in the chat. Because the technology used for chats does not usually provide for moderator control over who gets to speak when, multiple strands of discussion can and do occur thus limiting a chat rooms use for instruction and moderated discussion.
The chat protocols below are one way in which a moderator can use a chat room for instructionally structured discussions. The protocols are really just rules that all participants in a chat room agree to abide by. By following the protocols, a moderator (the instructor in this case) is usually able to guide the discussion and engage in a question/answer process and shared process. The downside to the use of a protocol in synchronous chat is that a discussion can take a long time. In general, for every 10-15 minutes of substantive discussion, expect to spend about one hour in a chat room using a protocol. Without a protocol though, such a discussion may have been difficult in the first place.
