A question is posed and as chats are synchronous, students address the question in chat by sending and receiving opinions and reactions instantaneously. This enables them to discuss issues and draw conclusions collaboratively. Mme Jude used a chat line in the 4th quarter of the academy school year as a culmination exercise preceded by forum discussions on many topics and opinions discussed and analyzed by the students. The chat became a means to summarize a year's work for both Punahou and its partner students in France.
Chats are also an effective instructional tool during class time.
For example, Mme Jude will pose a question based on a reading to which all students must respond. This allows the reticent student an opportunity to participate and use a foreign language with a method more conducive to their learning style. Chats reinforce the learning of new vocabulary with questions posed requiring the reading, writing and usage of new terminology. Chats were effectively used by Mme Jude between classrooms from neighboring schools, between other Academy Punahou classrooms to exchange ideas on specific questions, as well as between her classrooms at Punahou with partner schools in France. Created by the Websters at the Punahou Educational Technology Center.