Real Time chat with Live TV

Name: Birth of the Backchannel by Dan Fletcher

Source: 10 Tech Trends for 2010, Time.com

Link:http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1973759_1973760_1973771,00.html

Description: The idea of a “backchannel” is the idea of being able to have an online chat while watching live TV or a TV show. As described by the article, “The next generation of Web-connected TVs and software will include ways for people to monitor and interact with the conversation happening around an event, filtering live streams in real-time to display the most relevant discussions.”

Comments: This seems really interesting for many different aspects of teaching, but also with coaching sports. For example, I think this would be great to use with a soccer team during the world cup, or college games. The players could be watching the same game and we could all have an open conversation about the players and different plays while they occur. From a classroom perspective, this option would have been interesting during the last shuttle launch. We could be chatting with people near the launch site or schools in that area. I also think this would be a great way to have open conversations with professors about real time science.