In the past few months, we have witnessed a rapid shift in eLearning. This made us think about how we used technology for the educational sector.

The online behavior of students is different from who they are in their classrooms. How will you use this shift to your advantage?

As an educator or parent, you’ve seen how technology has played its role as we shift to eLearning tools for a child’s education. Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, they all have contributed to education as they transformed the students’ way of communication.

Now that we’ve seen what those apps can do, it’s triggered a shift in the methods of traditional learning to a modernized one.

So, how can you make the same impact in times like these?

How can a chat be effective for eLearning sessions?

As we all know, chat platforms have been around for quite some time now. They are now gaining more attention since educators are thinking of ways how they can incorporate technology in their classrooms.

While a chat can provide real-time communication, it can also start discussions that can help in a deeper understanding of the course. With the different features of a chat platform, it can create an interactive learning experience just like in a traditional classroom setting.

eLearning websites and platforms are great examples of how chat platforms can be advantageous to eLearning sessions. They create a virtual classroom where teachers and students can connect globally.

What are the different chat features to use?

In the naked eye, it might seem that chat platforms are just your normal messaging apps. However, there’s more to it than that. Through updates and modern technology, chat platforms have created new features.

Let’s dive deeper and understand these key features that will help you in eLearning sessions.

Bridging the gap using the basics

Group chat is a basic feature of a chat platform. You basically chat with an entire group and there’s no moderating happening.

Using group chats can be helpful for group discussions. In every class, students should also be able to connect with their various groups. Therefore, teachers can create open group chats where anyone can join.

Audio and video calls are also basic features of chat platforms. For this, you can use the private chat on your group chat. Teachers can do one-on-one calls with any student in the group chat.

File sharing for a complete classroom experience

Without textbooks, what can be an alternative? Fortunately, ebooks are now a thing. You can send an ebook, document, or PDF through file sharing.

If that’s not enough, you can also share copies of the class curriculum via PowerPoint. With this feature, teachers can send images, audio/video recordings, or any usual file in the chat room. As a result, review materials are made easily available for your students to access.

Managing user roles

Why do you need role-based access to your group chat? The implementation of user roles is to distinguish who’s to be the admins and the members.

For example, in a virtual classroom, it’s obvious that the teacher should have administrative rights. While this is true, the teacher can also assign other students to be an admin, preferably the class president or a class representative.

The administrators can make sure that the chat is in an orderly fashion. Also, this is to ensure that the correct information is delegated and used efficiently.

Using educational links

Did you notice the underlined keywords in the example photo above? That’s what happens when you add InText Keywords in your chat.

InText keywords are words or phrases that will show in real-time during a chat as a dashed hyperlink. When clicked, users will be taken to the set URL in a new tab. This is a highly effective way to direct users to relevant content, docs, files, or links.

For this instance, it’s used as an educational link where the words ‘SVA agreement‘ lead to a link that students can use as a review material.

eLearning chat + YouTube Live

Have you thought of this combination? If you think that a group chat is not sufficient for your eLearning session, then you could add YouTube Live in the mix.

By creating a minisite via Rumble Pages, you can achieve a leveled-up connection.

Using a chat for eLearning sessions

A one-to-all technique is not effective for eLearning. You have to diversify and adapt to the newer generation.

Instead of just using one feature for all your eLearning courses, try mixing it up by combining the above features. For example, you can try using a group chat for one group and a moderated chat for the other.

See what works best for each group.

If you want to get started with your eLearning chat, sign up now.

When you create live events on your website, you make sure that everyone can join in. In every live event, you need a group chat to communicate with your audience.

Your audience is key to a successful live event. If you embed a group chat next to your live event, your audience can share the live event with their friends and family. This will lead to more traffic to your website and potential audience.

With a group chat platform that can help you, participants from anywhere in the world can join in the conversation. You can turn any small live event to a large-scale one.

Let’s talk about how you can add a chat directly on your website.

Embedding a group chat next to your live events

If you have a website that you currently use for live events, then it’s easy to embed a group chat. RumbleTalk has a pre-made code for embedding.

To embed your group chat next to your live event, follow these simple steps.

1. In your admin panel, go to Embed.
2. Generate a code that you want for your website. You can choose from an embedded chat or a floating chat. For live events, it’s better to choose an embedded one so it’s next to your live stream.
3. Click Get Code.
4. Copy and paste the code on your website.

If you have a WordPress website, then you need a chat plugin. Fortunately, RumbleTalk also has a WordPress plugin. For instructions on how you can use RumbleTalk as a chat plugin, read this.

White labeling your group chat

First, let’s discuss why people want to remove a brand name.

• Most website owners, developers, or webmasters want to use third-party software/services on their sites. This saves time, money, and all the stress that comes in developing a product.
• Customers want to see a coherent website. If there are different services or platforms combined, it takes away from the overall look and feel of the website.

With this, there is the option of white labeling. White labeling is an act of removing a product’s brand name from its platform. In this example, you can remove the RumbleTalk name from your group chat.

Besides, not all individuals are open to branding or having the platform name in the chat. Therefore, you can also remove it from your chatbox.

RumbleTalk allows you to design your chat with your own custom look for both mobile and web.

Once a customer will purchase a plan with us, he will not have any logo of RumbleTalk.

White label exceptions

As said above, you can white label the RumbleTalk chat. However, there are two places that RumbleTalk will still show.

• If you open the mobile version in full screen, you will see the RumbleTalk chat URL. What can be done is to disable the fullscreen option (opening the chat in a separate window) in the chat menu. Therefore, it will not open the chat in fullscreen with the RumbleTalk chat URL.
• Users can change their profile avatar in profile.rumbletalk.com. This is part of the GDPR requirement that users will be able to know what we information we keep and also allow them to change some of their settings.

Since this cannot be changed, they can hide the option to change their profile button in the chat.

Hosting live events with a white-labeled group chat

Streaming live events has been a part of social media trends since the 2000s. And since then, it has never left. It’s becoming larger by the year.

Live events cover sports, entertainment, gaming, and more. You name it. Now, almost all live events have a chat in parallel. That’s where you take advantage of chat platforms.

Embedding a chat platform like RumbleTalk can enhance your viewer count, site traffic, and brand recognition. So, you make the audience feel that they’re in the event itself. It’s more than just a live coverage.

Everything is strengthened by communication. This can be with yourself or others. Letting your audience have the ability to talk to you or others is one of the reasons that makes your live event successful.

Interested in embedding a group chat next to your live event? Talk to us.

With the advancement of technology, more and more companies have shifted to a work from home set-up. Now that we’re experiencing the coronavirus outbreak, this seems to be the most viable option.

The most important question is: How do you create a work from home set-up and how do you gain from it?

At RumbleTalk, we see the needs of individuals and professionals not that familiar with a work from home arrangement. So, if you want to know more about creating one, then continue reading for some useful tips.

1. Setting up a dedicated space

Before you can actually start working from home, you need to set-up a workspace or even a home office. This is where you transition to daily chores to work mode.

If you work on your bed or living room, you’ll see that you’re not that productive. You feel sleepy or don’t have the energy to work. Then, you’ll find yourself binge-watching Netflix series.

When creating your workspace, the best tip we can give you is to keep it minimized. Only put the essentials in your workspace such as your desktop/laptop, notepad, pen, and organizer.

If you haven’t tried this kind of workspace yet, always note that less is more. The basic pieces of furniture you need will be a sturdy table and a comfortable chair. Other knick-knacks can wait after work.

TIP: Always keep your workspace clean and decluttered.

2. Adopt a schedule

Thinking that work from home means more time to sleep? No. Of course, you can schedule to work late if you’re a freelancer. However, if you just shifted from an office to your home, you still have your work hours.

Yes, you don’t need to take that long to make yourself presentable in the morning and forget the daily commute. That’s already a plus to your sleeping hours. But, it’s better if you have a routine.

Just like working in an office set-up, you can schedule your work hours rather than changing schedules according to what time you wake up.

This is the struggle with working from home. As an individual, it’s hard to find the balance between responsibility and freedom. There are time trackers and project management tools that you can use.

Your office and management are also factors to consider. If they give you freedom, don’t abuse it. Meet your deadlines and check-in with your co-workers and manager from time to time.

3. Stay out of social media sites

Yes, you’re itching to go to Facebook or Twitter. We get it. Sometimes work is boring. However, that will be a negative impact on your productivity.

When working from home, sometimes you don’t know when to stop. If you really want to check your social media, then do it on your break time. Instill it on your mind that you still have work to do. Social media checking can wait at the end of the day.

We all need a break now and then, especially with the things happening now. But still, be thankful if you have work since others don’t have the same opportunity.

4. Creating a work from home set-up with PayConnect

Now that’s all discussed, we can talk about how you can create a work from home set-up. If you don’t have a company you work for, then this is perfect for you.

As PayConnect is RumbleTalk’s solution to gaining income, you can use it for work as well.

PayConnect lets you add paid access to your chat. There are two kinds of paid access.

• limited paid access
• subscription

These two differ in how customers can enter your chat. Limited paid access lets you charge customers via an entrance fee. They can enter for a few minutes or even a month. This depends on you as the chat owner.

Subscription is a paid access chat that lets customers have longer chat access times. This comes in the form of a subscription fee from months to years. Again, this depends on the chat owner.

If you’re interested in how you can collect donations and private payment requests, you can read all about our products here.

Want to step up your work from home game? If you’re an advisor/counselor or a professional with the ability to work online, you can check out expert’s chat. It’s also listed in the blog linked above.

With the expert’s chat, you can conduct one-on-one private chats with multiple people simultaneously. If the chat owner is not around, the person on the other line cannot start a conversation.

Also, other chatters cannot see how many people are active or who are active. As the chat owner and admin, only you can see the other chatters. This is why it only acts as a private chat.

Anyone with a RumbleTalk account can use this. So, if you want to take advantage of these features, then create a RumbleTalk account.

If you want to get connected with us, visit us on Facebook or Twitter. We can answer your questions there. Want to reach us through email? Then, feel free to contact Support.