Grants

Shindig Grant Program to Study Interactive Video Chat in Online Ed

• By Rhea Kelly
• 02/23/16

A new grant initiative aims to document the impact of interactive video chat on student engagement in online education. The 50K Shindig Challenge, launched by video chat teaching platform Shindig, will dole out 25-50 grants ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 for higher ed faculty and/or course designers who incorporate the Shindig platform into their online courses in the spring, summer or fall semester of 2016. Participants will collect survey data concerning attitudes and perceived effectiveness of the platform.

The Shindig platform allows instructors to present to an online audience of up to 1,500. Presenters can take video chat questions from participants in front of the audience, or communicate with students privately. In addition, participants can communicate and collaborate with each other in their own video chats.

According to a company statement, requirements for grant recipients include:

• Each course must have a minimum of 10 sessions and no fewer than 25 students;
• Applying faculty should have a teaching assistant or administrator available to support the online interaction of a large number of students synchronously. MOOCs and non-accredited courses given through Coursera, EdX or Udacity are eligible;
• Use of the platform is not strictly limited to online courses. The platform can be used to supplement other auxiliary components of in-person courses, such as discussion groups, office hours, study halls, review sessions and test prep; and
• Those with prior experience with alternative video platforms such as Adobe Connect, Blackboard Collaborate, Google Hangouts and other video solutions will receive preference.

For more information, visit the 50K Shindig Challenge site.