Table 2 Summary of Web-based... | Emerald Publishing

Table 2

Summary of Web-based Applications to Improve Engagement

Technology	Advantages	Disadvantages	Implementation
Twitter feeds¹	Facilitates students receiving announcements and alerts rapidly Support the exchange of information between students, instructor, experts, etc.	Students need continual access to Twitter feed (via a handheld/mobile device, computer, etc.)	Instructor sets-up a Twitter account for the class (see business.twitter.com/twitter101/) and periodically posts course related announcements, etc. To receive announcements, students must have a Twitter account which is free, and then simply opt to “follow” the username associated with the course feed
Google applications (Google Calendar,² Gmail,³ etc.)	Organizes and shares lesson plans Integrates with other calendars Facilitates peer interaction/mentoring Accessible via handheld/mobile devices	Some students may no be familiar with these applications Two unique e-mail streams may evolve	Instructor sets-up a calendar in Google and shares this with students. Instructor establishes a Gmail account via Google and estab lishes a Google Group⁴ for the class with its own group e-mail address. Instructor adds students to the group and instructs them to use the group e-mail address. The calendar can be updated by the instructor daily/weekly and emails can be sent by anyone in the group as needed.
Audio and video technologies (Wimba,⁵ Voice-Thread,⁶ Pow-Wow-Now,⁷ Skype,⁸ etc.)	Synchronous audio and video communication (no delays) Supports live discussions/debates/presentations Facilitates audio feedback on assignments (preferred by students)	Students may need a small amount of time learn how to use these applications efficiently Audio feedback on assignments is asynchronous communication (i.e., posting delays)	Instructor selects audio/video communication technologies to be used in the course and develops corresponding assignments. Instructor sets-up instructor controlled technologies and students or instructor sets-up noninstructor controlled technologies as needed, depending on the nature of the assignment.
Collaboration technologies (Google Tasks,⁹ Google Docs,¹⁰ Facebook,¹¹ Ning,¹² etc.)	Organizes and shares task lists Facilitates synchronous authorship of documents/spreadsheets Fosters camaraderie through social networking	Students need to access the Internet often to complete their work (via a handheld/mobile device, computer, etc.)	Instructor sets-up a task list and/or creates document/spreadsheet in Google and emails the link to access the tasks/files to the class. Each student can then access the link on their computer or handheld/mobile device and students can update the necessary files simultaneously. Social networking sites are created by the instructor and/or students and shared.
Online content (Applications for posting,¹³ searching,¹⁴ creating,¹⁵ etc.)	Supports connections to additional course related information online Provides course related content in formats students are familiar with Accessible via handheld/mobile devices	Students may become overwhelmed by an excessive amount of content Students may need tutorials to learn how to record and post content	Instructor identifies links (often within the course management system) to course related content online. Instructor records and posts additional content and/or instructor develops assignments that incorporate the use of technology in which student record and post assignments.

Technology	Advantages	Disadvantages	Implementation
Twitter feeds¹	Facilitates students receiving announcements and alerts rapidly Support the exchange of information between students, instructor, experts, etc.	Students need continual access to Twitter feed (via a handheld/mobile device, computer, etc.)	Instructor sets-up a Twitter account for the class (see business.twitter.com/twitter101/) and periodically posts course related announcements, etc. To receive announcements, students must have a Twitter account which is free, and then simply opt to “follow” the username associated with the course feed
Google applications (Google Calendar,² Gmail,³ etc.)	Organizes and shares lesson plans Integrates with other calendars Facilitates peer interaction/mentoring Accessible via handheld/mobile devices	Some students may no be familiar with these applications Two unique e-mail streams may evolve	Instructor sets-up a calendar in Google and shares this with students. Instructor establishes a Gmail account via Google and estab lishes a Google Group⁴ for the class with its own group e-mail address. Instructor adds students to the group and instructs them to use the group e-mail address. The calendar can be updated by the instructor daily/weekly and emails can be sent by anyone in the group as needed.
Audio and video technologies (Wimba,⁵ Voice-Thread,⁶ Pow-Wow-Now,⁷ Skype,⁸ etc.)	Synchronous audio and video communication (no delays) Supports live discussions/debates/presentations Facilitates audio feedback on assignments (preferred by students)	Students may need a small amount of time learn how to use these applications efficiently Audio feedback on assignments is asynchronous communication (i.e., posting delays)	Instructor selects audio/video communication technologies to be used in the course and develops corresponding assignments. Instructor sets-up instructor controlled technologies and students or instructor sets-up noninstructor controlled technologies as needed, depending on the nature of the assignment.
Collaboration technologies (Google Tasks,⁹ Google Docs,¹⁰ Facebook,¹¹ Ning,¹² etc.)	Organizes and shares task lists Facilitates synchronous authorship of documents/spreadsheets Fosters camaraderie through social networking	Students need to access the Internet often to complete their work (via a handheld/mobile device, computer, etc.)	Instructor sets-up a task list and/or creates document/spreadsheet in Google and emails the link to access the tasks/files to the class. Each student can then access the link on their computer or handheld/mobile device and students can update the necessary files simultaneously. Social networking sites are created by the instructor and/or students and shared.
Online content (Applications for posting,¹³ searching,¹⁴ creating,¹⁵ etc.)	Supports connections to additional course related information online Provides course related content in formats students are familiar with Accessible via handheld/mobile devices	Students may become overwhelmed by an excessive amount of content Students may need tutorials to learn how to record and post content	Instructor identifies links (often within the course management system) to course related content online. Instructor records and posts additional content and/or instructor develops assignments that incorporate the use of technology in which student record and post assignments.