A backchannel discussion includes any conversation between students or between the students and instructor that are not the primary lecture (frontchannel discourse). Thus, students asking the instructor a question, the instructor posing a question to the class and eliciting responses from students, and student side conversations are all forms of backchannel discussions (Baron et al. 2016, Neustifter et al. 2016).
To harness these conversations for increased class participation and feedback, digital programs are used to allow students to communicate to the instructor in an inconspicuous way that also allows other students to see and respond (usually in limited ways) to the initial feedback. For example, a student could post a question to the program and other students could “like” it to vote up the question. At strategic points in the lecture, the instructor reviews the questions and responds to those with the most votes (backchannel check-in; Camiel et al. 2014). Research indicates that students find backchannel discussions to be a non-distracting means of participating in lectures while improving their engagement and learning (Camiel et al. 2014, Baron et al. 2016, Neustifter et al. 2016, Harunasari and Halim 2019).
Backstage, Backchannel Chat, GoSoapBox, Mentimeter, Pear Deck, and Edmodo are all platforms that can be used to host backchannel discussions. It is recommended to use platforms that do not require students to create accounts when possible and that are compatible with multiple devices (cell phones, tablets, etc.; Baron et al. 2016). When using backchannel discussions, it is essential to teach students how to use the program but also to provide proper backchannel etiquette to prevent inappropriate use of backchannels (Camiel et al. 2014).
Additionally, social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) need to be used with caution as these technologies can be difficult to manage, are publicly displayed, may not allow for anonymous posting, and can become distracting to students (Baron et al. 2016).
Baron, D., A. Bestbier, J. M. Case, B. I. Collier-Reed (2016) Investigating the effects of a backchannel on university classroom interactions: a mixed-method case study. Computers & Education 94:61-76.
Camiel, L. D., J. D. Goldman-Levine, M. D. Kostka-Rokosz, W. W. McCloskey (2014) Letters: Twitter as an in-class backchannel tool in a large required pharmacy course. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 78: Article 67.
Harunasari, S. Y. and N. Halim (2019) Digital backchannel: promoting students’ engagement in EFL large class. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning 14:163-178.
Neustifter, R., T. Kukkonen, C. Coulter, and S. Landry (2016). Introducing backchannel technology into a large undergraduate course. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology 42:1-21.
This page was authored by Michele Larson and last updated May 24, 2022
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