cover-it-live is a live blogging platform that allows users to collaborate in real-time through a format that is similar to instant messaging or a chat room. often i see cover-it-live as a tool to administer back channel conversations (conversations going on, silently, during a presentation). many conferences use cover-it-live for participants to comment, question, or clarify information presented during keynotes or other sessions. global events, like the british open & the tour de france, use this tool. it can be a really useful tool for your classroom, too.
what is cover-it-live?
the majority of classroom teachers i know that use cover-it-live have reported great success. the main reason why teachers feel safe with cover-it-live is because they approve every message that is posted to the live blog. this eliminates off-topic conversation & inappropriate content. teachers also like the fact that it is silent. as teachers we've all asked for students to stop a side conversation only to have the student reply they were discussing the day's lesson. with cover-it-live, students can discuss the day's lesson without distracting the presenter or classmates.some additional features (as told by coveritlive):
- viewer window can be embedded into any website or wiki using html
- participants are not required to download anything to watch your live event
- allows for instant commentary
- media uploader allows participants to add video, images, or audio to live blog
- polls can be added to live blog, update immediately as participants vote
- twitter integration
- events stored & can be revisited or deleted anytime
- free
cover-it-live in action:
follow the British Open (click on image, scroll halfway down page):
final verdict.
cover-it-live is a great solution for instantaneous classroom collaboration. where wikis are sometimes found cumbersome & blogs lack immediate feedback, cover-it-live provides an easy-to-use interface that updates immediately. add to this already engaging tool the fact that comments must be approved, & the teacher now has an amazing & safe tool in his arsenal. the best part? it's free. there is no cost to use this cover-it-live. i encourage you to use cover-it-live in your classroom, you will be impressed not only with the service, but with your students' thoughts, too.
