When we Analyse our students as part of the ADDIE design cycle we often create pre-course surveys (using Google forms e.g.!) to ask students if what we had in mind when we designed the course/ instruction "gells" with their knowledge base and expectations. This is a big step forward for most instructors and students really respond well (I can say this from personal experience). But what if we can go even one step further. What if we can have a more open-ended process through which we can gather ideas that students or co-facilitators may have on the topic of the course? What if we can have students ask questions (especially in a large class) and then let the students themselves vote which are the most prevalent questions for an instructor to answer? What is we have a tool with which one can brainstorm in class as well as online (synchrounous and asynchrounous)?
There are services that can do that. Ideascale is one (which works quite well), ThinkTank is another (quite expensive software and facilitation services usually). But Google is also playing in this space now. With Google Moderator (www.google.com/moderator). As with all Google services one simply goes to the new service, activate it and then sign in with your Google account (if you are not already signed in).
Lets's try it out! I have created a Moderator series for the Mphilhse where all participants can go and ask questions - vote on them and also reply with ideas or answers etc. Go to the following web address and contribute your question or idea:
http://www.google.com/moderator/#15/e=2055e4&t=2055e4.40
Please comment on this blog post if you think this could be helpful in your teachingand learning, research or professional environment.
