Reaching Students "Real Time" via IM, but what about Text Messaging?

According to a recent article in Business 2.0, e-mail use is dropping among teens in favor of real time IM and text messaging. In my courses at IU, we share a lot of information via e-mail, but we also have weekly discussions via IM. While we also use Breeze for the more "formal" classroom-like discussions, IM is a quick, free, easy and efficient way to share information in a synchronous manner. Anyone with Internet access (either on a computer or mobile device) can join the chat. Also, there are many free multi-protocal IM clients available (including two of my favorites: meebo - web based - and Trillian - Windows based desktop download) that allow you to combine your various IM IDs so that you aren't tied to a stand alone IM protocol.

While texting is also wildly popular among teens, it is a greater leap to see its regular use in an educational setting. For one thing, it is more of a broadcast application for short messages vs a synchronous multi-person communication tool like IM. Also, while most cell companies offer monthly plans for a set number of text messages, some people still pay a fee per text message received and sent. In addition, there are greater privacy issues involved with sharing a cell phone number versus an IM ID which can be easily changed or discarded. Over the years, I have had a slew of IM IDs and I often create a new one for each new "group" that I join. I would be far more hesitant to give out my cell phone number to a group in a class.

technorati tags:meebo, trillian, mlearning

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