OEC Communication Tools 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An educator notices that a student has not participated in any online discussions for two weeks. Which communication tool is MOST appropriate for a private outreach?
- Public announcement to the whole class
- Private LMS message or email to the individual student (Correct answer)
- Mention in the next group video call
- Post on the class social media group
Correct answer: Private LMS message or email to the individual student
A private message or email respects the student's privacy while directly addressing their disengagement without public embarrassment.
Question 2: Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of a virtual whiteboard tool in online education?
- To replace the LMS gradebook
- To enable real-time collaborative visual brainstorming and instruction (Correct answer)
- To send automated email reminders to students
- To track student login frequency
Correct answer: To enable real-time collaborative visual brainstorming and instruction
Virtual whiteboards allow instructors and students to collaborate visually in real time, supporting brainstorming, diagrams, and interactive lessons.
Question 3: When conducting a live webinar with 50 students, which tool should an educator use to collect quick student input without disrupting the flow of the session?
- Ask students to unmute and speak one at a time
- Use polling or live survey features within the conferencing platform (Correct answer)
- Send a discussion board prompt and wait for replies
- Email a survey link after the session ends
Correct answer: Use polling or live survey features within the conferencing platform
Built-in polling tools gather instant, anonymous responses from all students simultaneously without interrupting the webinar flow.
Question 4: FERPA regulations require online educators to:
- Share student grades in public discussion boards to encourage peer motivation
- Protect student educational records from unauthorized disclosure (Correct answer)
- Post all student assignment scores on the course homepage
- Allow other students to grade peers using real names publicly
Correct answer: Protect student educational records from unauthorized disclosure
FERPA mandates that student educational records remain private and cannot be shared without student consent, including in online environments.
Question 5: An online educator wants to use a third-party communication app (e.g., WhatsApp) for class communication. What is the MOST important consideration?
- Whether the app has fun emoji features
- Whether the platform complies with institutional policy and student data privacy laws (Correct answer)
- Whether the app is free to download
- Whether the app sends push notifications
Correct answer: Whether the platform complies with institutional policy and student data privacy laws
Third-party apps must comply with institutional data policies and regulations like FERPA before being used for educational communication.
Question 6: Which of the following is the BEST way to use screen sharing during a live online class?
- Share your full desktop including personal notifications
- Share only the specific application or window relevant to instruction (Correct answer)
- Share your screen without narrating what you are doing
- Avoid screen sharing and only use chat instead
Correct answer: Share only the specific application or window relevant to instruction
Sharing only the relevant application or window prevents exposure of personal information and keeps student attention focused on instructional content.
Question 7: What is the primary advantage of using threaded discussions in an online course compared to a simple linear message board?
- They limit the number of students who can reply
- They organize replies within specific topics, making conversations easier to follow (Correct answer)
- They require students to post in alphabetical order
- They automatically grade student participation
Correct answer: They organize replies within specific topics, making conversations easier to follow
Threaded discussions nest replies under their originating post, keeping related conversations grouped so students can follow specific topics without confusion.
OEC Communication Tools 3
An educator notices that a student has not participated in any online discussions for two weeks.
Which communication tool is MOST appropriate for a private outreach?