GoSoapBox: Back channel and more

 

       Back channeling is a fantastic tool/activity to foster in-depth discussions from all parties in a room. Students can be unafraid to ask questions or pose comments on the back channel since they won't be interrupting the flow of the class. Back channels can also be used during socratic seminars so that students can provide input on a discussion without losing their thought since it isn't their turn to speak. Rest in peace to Today's Meet which honestly was my usual go-to for class digital discussions. However, I have found an app that provides a back channel with extra features for students. It is called GoSoapBox. It enables teachers to have polls, discussions, social q&a's, and quizzes online. It is available for free if only 30 students are using your event at a time. GoSoapBox provides packages for 6 months use for 75 students at $99 and $279 for up to 400 students. I am going to tell you how you can use GoSoapBox.

The first step is to sign up for a GoSoapBox account. It requires name, e-mail, and password. After signing up, I would highly suggest clicking on the 'getting started tour' as it provides a detail, but concise rundown of program features and instructions for use.

Next, it is time for you to create a new soap box event and name it. GoSoapBox refers to each new space created as an event. This event will allow to create a poll, quiz, discussion, or combination of these. I would also like to point out that you are able to see the access code for the event on this screen. This access code will enable students to access the event.

Once you've created a new event, you'll see a screen with sections for you to create a quiz, create a poll, or create a discussion.
1) Create a quiz - When you create a quiz, you add questions one by one. You are able to type in a question and add image url if needed. You decide whether the question will be multiple choice or short answer. You provide the answer to the question for scoring purposes. Lastly, you are able to provide
2)Create a poll - You are able to create a title for the poll with question/title and image url (if needed). You can give students up to 7 answer choices to pick from. Results can be displayed by pie chart or bar graph. You can make results visible to students or not visible to students.
3)Discussions - This is where your back channel can take place. You are able to create a discussion and students are able to respond and respond to each other. Fill in your title and description, then watch students communicate with each other.

Moderating - Through the 'moderate this event' button, settings can be changed. You can require or not require names. You are able to filter profanity. You can make polling instant or wait to post the results. This is also where polls and quiz information can be downloaded. You are able to create spread sheets with information on which questions were missed or able to show students survey data.