Supporting the Back Channel

It Doesn't Have to Be a Distraction

Chatter in the classroom can be annoying. But you might be able to turn distracting chatter into a helpful back channel if you have the electronic means, like student laptop computers or tablets, to help you do so. Here are some obvious and less-obvious uses for a classroom back channel, whether you teach in person or online.

Set up the Back Channel

First, arrange and deploy a back channel to let students post comments during class. If you teach online, your remote instruction system likely has a chat function in it. Turn it on, alert students to it, and encourage its appropriate use for classroom-related posts. And make sure that you can see the chat discussion as you teach. A glance now and then will do. Acknowledge helpful and relevant posts, while correcting inappropriate uses. If you teach in person in the classroom and your students have laptop computers or tablets, share a discussion board for students to make appropriate posts.

Deploy the Back Channel

Once you’ve got a back channel well established, deploy it for instructional use. Begin by encouraging students to post anything having to do with instructional delivery issues. Tell students to alert you to problems such as microphones off, screens not shared, students trying to ask questions, or students shut out from participation.

Elicit Responses

Next, deploy the back channel for students to chime in answering your questions or supplementing the responses of other students, without disrupting the flow of the class. Students often get shut out from participating, especially when one or more other students dominate the class. Encourage students to answer with a chat, giving them that option. When students do answer with a chat, acknowledge their answer and thank them for contributing, while guiding them (giving feedback) about errant or unhelpful responses.

Handle Private Messages

If your back channel allows students to send you a private message, then alert them to that option, encouraging them to use it appropriately. Some students may not understand a point of instruction but be too embarrassed to admit so. Or they may need to step out of class. Let them send you a private message. Watch for it, and respond promptly and appropriately, including confidentially if the message warrants it. You may be able to type a brief private response while a student is reciting or answering in person or on the audio channel, without interrupting class.

Permit Student Interaction

Students may also chat privately with one another during class, if you enable the back channel to support it. Some instructors would prefer to discourage off-line, back-channel chat as distracting and even undermining. But a back channel can perform important functions even in such circumstances, allowing students to guide and support one another when they have issues with the class. If you acknowledge and support the back channel, you may effectively co-opt it for your instructional goals in the class. You may even be able to use a back channel to increase engagement and supply assessment and instant feedback during class.